Jerry Bender:  

Got drafted and married the year following graduation (1966). Spent almost 3 years in the army and returned to San Diego upon discharge. First child, a boy, was born in 1967. Second, a girl, was born in 1975. I had moved to Missoula, MT in 1971. Bought my first mechanical (PHVAC) contracting business in 1974. Divorced in 1977. Sold business in 1979 to a partner. Took a little time off following sale but ended up starting another business. Tired of it a couple years later so accepted a position with a large mechanical contractor headquartered in San Diego in summer of 1981 only to be transferred to the San Francisco bay area 4 months later. Worked there for a couple years then was sent to Portland, OR to manage the branch office there. In 1985 returned to Bay Area, remarried in 1986 to JoAnn who had a son of her own, and in 1987 with a group of partner- investors purchased a local bay area contracting company. We built it up over the next 11 years and in 1998 sold it to an east coast firm. We stayed on until 2008 at which time we all retired. The first few months were ok and I did some consulting work to challenge me but soon my wife's "list" became mine. ...Expand for more