Paul Webb:  

My Life (so far) Last edited (slightly) on 12/24/2021 I don't know if I will renew my Classmates.com membership in 2022, so I touched up my profile. One WARNING before you start reading-- the following is lengthy and rambles a lot. The web site allots 20,000 characters for the profile, so I'm using all of them. But, since few, if any, care about the details, here is a synopsis: AHS: Graduation scheduled for 1961, but it didn't happen until 1962. POST AHS EDUCATION I took night courses at Albany Vocational-Technical School from about 1962 to early 1964. Military obligations halted that path to gaining a salable skill. At age 25, I enrolled at Albany Junior College (as it was known at the time.). After 2 years at AJC and securing my AA, I transferred to Georgia Southwestern College After GSWC, I entered graduate school at Georgia State University majoring in Physics CAREER Before attending grad school, I was a faculty member at GSWC teaching Physics laboratory and Astronomy laboratory. During grad school, I was a staff member in the Physics Dept. of GSU, again teaching Physics and Astronomy laboratory classes while managing student assistants and graduate assistants in the department. After getting my master's degree, I worked for Beckman Instruments, Inc. Four years later, I joined the R&D department of Micromeritics Instrument Corp. to design optical detectors for HPLC systems. Later, I worked on particle sizing instrument designs. I subsequently moved from design to documentation. From documentation, I moved to international technical support, later becoming an international area manager (areas: China, Korea, Hong Kong and all of Central and South America) In 1997, I moved to the Marketing Department to specify new products. By 2004, I was director of Marketing , Customer Service, US Sales and US Service and also directed three laboratories. At age 66, I began giving up responsibilities and consulted from home. By age 70, I was totally retired from the company. I still miss working in the technology sector. MY “LEGACY” A retired Georgia Tech professor and I co-authored a book titled “Analytical Methods in Fine Particle Technology”. Also, a few papers that I had published are still getting referenced. HOBBIES AND INTERESTS Sailing, drawing (mostly charcoal), photography, and I dabble in creative writing. I try to keep informed about technological and scientific advances in some areas of interest. PERSONAL LIFE My first marriage lasted 18 years and my second is in its third decade My wife, after retiring from the corporate world, opened a glass art studio (slumping, fusing, casting), but retired from that a few years ago. INFLUENTIAL EDUCATORS Certain teachers influenced me and caused positive changes. I acknowledge each in the lengthy version, below. Major players from AHS: Martha Dye, Ray Council, Byron Henderson, Graham Lowe and Bob Fowler. **********************THE LONG VERSION********************* High School: For those of you who can't quite remember who I am (or was), here are a few clues. I was due to graduate in 1961, but as laziness and low self-esteem would have it, I didn't graduate until 1962. I don't think I did anything remarkable in high school other than clown around and have fun. I wasn't elected to any class office, was never a member of any prestigious school club, and my football career (during the one year I played) was that of a bench warmer. I lettered as a shot-putter on the '61 track team, but that's a pretty low-profile athlete. I wasn't a member of the "In-Crowd", my parents didn't have money, I wasn't cool, not a sharp dresser, etc. Most people do not remember me and I'm somewhat relieved that they don't. I sometimes wish that even I could forget those days. I suppose I'm not alone in wanting to forget many events in one's teen years. For those of you who DO remember me, I'll first answer the question most of you probably are curious about: No, I was never incarcerated in a penal or mental institution. Against all odds, here is what actually transpired since my AHS days: Post AHS Education After AHS, I bummed around Albany for about two years working as a route supervisor for the Albany Herald. During that time, I took a run at a couple of curricula at Albany Vocational-Technical School Alas, the Dougherty County Draft Board had other ideas about what I should be doing with my time. At age 25, then married and working as manager of Davis Men's Shop (a.k.a. the Red Hanger) I began taking night courses at AJC as a business major. By the end of my first year, I discovered that I was much better at and more interested in science than economics, so I took science courses as my electives. By the end of my second year, I had totally abandoned business studies and my AA was in 'general science.' A few months before graduating, I also abandoned working full time and began taking day courses. Well, to be honest, I actually got canned from Davis Men's Shop and rather than look for full time work, I decided to concentrate on education and work part time. John Miller was kind enough to hire me at Miller's Distributing Company for part time work to allow me to finish at AJC. After earning my AA at AJC, I began commuting to GSW College in Americus to finish my BS. I survived on a GHEAC student loan and a little income from being a student assistant. Of course, I have to give credit to my first wife for continuing to work and doing more than her part in supporting the family (which, at this time, included one child.) After completing my B.S. at GSW, I served on the faculty there for a year as a Physics and Astronomy laboratory instructor, Then, I moved to Atlanta to attend graduate school at Georgia State University. While working on my Masters, I was employed as a staff member in the Physics Department, again teaching Physics and Astronomy laboratories and managing the department's student and graduate assistants. Career My second child was born my first quarter in grad school. Having two pre-school children and working full time teaching while taking graduate courses burned me out with education both as an 'educatee' and educator. I still liked teaching and was tempted to apply for a Ph.D. in Science Education, but, luckily, I didn't. My struggle in grad school helped me realize that I was already educated beyond my intelligence. So, I took my Master's degree and went looking for a job in industry. I had spent the previous five years working, studying and teaching in physics labs. During those years, I became fascinated with the analytical instruments I used, particularly in the way they directly and indirectly acquired measurements. So, I applied for jobs in the analytical instrumentation industry. My first job after college was with Beckman Instruments, Inc. There, I learned the ins and outs of applied digital electronics and a lot about applied optics and electro-chemistry. (Instrumentation experience: UV/Vis and IR spectrophotometry, atomic absorption and atomic emission photometry, various electrochemical detection techniques and a few other analyzers and monitors including medical/clinical diagnostic systems.) After 4 years with Beckman, in February of 1979 I accepted a position in the R&D department of Micromeritics Instrument Corp. (Norcross, GA) where I remained employed essentially for the rest of my working life. ---------------------- ~~Side Note~~ I say 'essentially' above, because during a two-year period from late 1987 until early 1989, I worked for an instrument company in the Boston area (Bedford.) I left Micromeritics under the assumption that I could become a technical salesman and make tons of money. Had I actually been able to sell, it may have worked out, but I learned that being technically qualified was only part of the skill set required to close a sale. Selling capital equipment face-to-face required people skills that I did not have, nor was motivated to acquire. So, I begged my way back into Micromeritics. ---------------------- I originally entered Micromeritics as an Instrument Engineer, designing optical detectors for HPLC systems. Eventually, I moved over to the Particle Science / Technology side of the business, primarily working on particle sizing instrument designs. I had done quite a bit of technical writing both during and after college and really enjoyed it. So, I moved from the design part of the department to the documentation side, where I wrote operation and service manuals, tech notes, training guides and published a few applications papers and articles. It was in this position that I became restless and feeling boxed in, so I began sending out resumes. This led to my two-year, failed effort to become a salesman as previously explained. After being re-employed by Micromeritics, I was placed in the International Department as the technical support person. That was interesting because I had to become familiar with the theory and application of the entire product line. The most complicated and interesting products were based on the gas-surface interface phenomena, specifically physical and chemical adsorption. Later, having gained detailed knowledge of the products qualified me to bid for one of the four much-desired positions of International Sales Area Manager. These people each were in charge one-fourth of world sales outside of the US. When one of these positions came available, I entered my bid and landed what I thought would be an ideal job. Although I was again in sales, I didn't do any face-to-face selling, only managed those who did. At one time or another during my stint as an area manager I managed direct offices, reps and distributorships in China, Korea, Hong Kong and all of Central and South America. I discovered that I did not enjoy being an international tourist, so what remained of my time during visits to of...Expand for more