Tom McCartney:
CLASS OF 1971
Lorne Park Secondary SchoolClass of 1971
Mississauga, ON
Institute for Computer StudiesClass of 1981
Toronto, ON
DeVry Institute of TechnologyClass of 1973
Toronto, ON
Owenwood Public SchoolClass of 1965
Mississauga, ON
Tom's Story
Life
Attended DeVry Institute of Technology and received a diploma in Electronics Engineering Technology in November 1973. Worked at Xerox for 1 year as a Customer Representative (glorified copier technician), then got the opportunity to work as an Audio Technician for CBC Radio. Six great years there before they went on strike in 1981. I met my wife, Carole, in studio "D" in 1978 and we got married in 1981 as well. The strike forced a change in career for me and I graduated from the Honeywell Institute as a Computer Programmer/Analyst in December 1981.
On to Mcleod, Young Weir (now Scotia Mcleod) for a year in data communications before joining up with Gord Proulx (you may remember him too) as programmer analyst for G2 Enterprises. He convinced me, a few years later, to start up my own consulting business which did well for about 10 years. But Carole and I longed for the steady paycheques and decent benefits, so I asked my then current contract about a permanent placement and they agreed!
I worked at Quality Management Institute (QMI) in the I.T. department from 1996 to 2004, helping others figure out how to use the computer and our systems properly. I was force to take a break from work due to a QMI downsizing at the end of June 2004. In July 2005 (that was a long break!) I started a year long contract with Critical Path, a phone and email software messaging company. In January 2006, TUCOWS Inc. bought up the devision of Critical Path and fortunately continued my contract as well. I got one small extension, but the contract ended at the end of August 2006.
Meanwhile, Carole and I have been watching our two daughters, Marla and Karleen, grow up to be young ladies. Marla is out and about in Toronto, trying to figure out her future. She took advance English and Math courses so she can qualify for college to be an American Sign-Language (ASL) interpreter. She lived downtown near the Western Hospital and iworked at a limousine/transport company as an office worker/dispatcher. She went on to take Office Administration and is now working at the Active Green & Ross head office. Along the way she (and her par-amour Rob) moved to an apartment at Steeles and Kipling (not a place her mother will visist) Karleen has finished high school, worked in a factory in Oakville for a while, graduated from Seneca in Fashion Merchandising and is now working at Forever 21 and loving it.
We live in Burlington and I try to keep up with the quarterly Alumni news from LPSS Matters. Enjoyed the big LPSS 50th Anniversary in 2007 and still look at the pictures and video at the great turnout.
School
I came in as a NIT in 1965 from Owenwood Public school and immediately caused trouble by insisting on playing the drums in Music class. Back then, nobody in Junior classes was allowed to play drums, but the late great Captain Bernard J. Lyons could only put up with my antics until Christmas and in the new year I was the first Junior drummer at LPSS.
Entertainment and music were a large part of my Lorne Park life. Formally in school with the Junior and Senior Bands, I also got very involved in the annual variety show either accompanying performers (Denise Ionita comes to mind!), playing in a group (Quebus) or part of a skit (Captain Cannuck and the Flying Beaver Squadron). When the Drama Club wanted to do musicals, I was part of the first Hayden Heathcock pit bands with "The BoyFriend" in 1970. ...Expand for more
It was so successful that they went on to do "Bye Bye Birdie" the following year to four sold-out nights. That was considered the best the club had ever done up to that point.
I was always around when music and laughs were being generated particulalry at school assemblies or shows of any kind. Can we ever forget Radio Lorne Park and its association with that other famous media outlet "The Shreddit Wit"? Jack Windeler and I were the music producers with a little help from the technical department and an interesting on relationship with Reiner Schwartz, the midnight man at CHUM-FM. A particular achievement was persuading Mr. Leonhart to allow Radio Lorne Park to produce the morning and afternoon announcements over the PA system. Those were some great cheerleading commercials.
Workplace
My new job at St. John's Rehab hospital started off with a BANG.... literally!
I'll explain....
Tuesday May 22, 2007 was a beautiful sunny spring day, following yet another glorious May 2-4 weekend. It was also my very first day at my new position as Application Analyst. Located on 25 acres of land off Cummer Avenue between Bayview and Yonge, I took the 407 from Mississauga , got off at Bayview, right turn at Cummer and into a nice private parking lot for the hospital employees and visitors. My first day had begun!
Meeting my new boss Jo-ann and new colleage, Kamran was the order of the day as well as setting up my desk, doing the usual HR sign-in and getting all the relevent materials in place. On top of this, that day ways the 70th anniversay celebration of St. John's and I got to join in on the party and BBQ for lunch. What a great start to my new career!
My hours are somewhat flexible, I like to start earlier, but this day I started at 09:00 to accommodate my boss. I was just getting used to new computer, some of the new systems and the new routine when there was a hospital page around 16:00 say..." will the owner of a silver Hundai Elantra, licence PSB 111, please go to reception"
I don't own a Hundai Elantra, but that was the licence plate of my father's Kia Rio that I had borrowed... so I went downstairs. I was greeted by a woman who had informed me that my car was involved in an "incident" in the the parking lot. Out I went.... in a hurry!
I went to where I had parked the car, only to find that a big honkin' Buick had struck the trunk of my car and pushed the car sideways into my parking lot neighbour. It was pinned there. The other people affected were already there as well as three (count 'em 3) tow trucks. Thankfully, no one was injured including the 83 year old driver of the Buick. He claimed the car throttle got stuck and he lost control... there is more to that story, but not here.
Anyway, because it was on private property with no injuries, it was not a high priority for the police, who finally arrived about 20:00. All the paperwork and statements had to be written out and exchanged so it was about 21:45 when I finally left. I will give the tow truck drivers credit in this case.... they knew what to expect in the situation, set up the rental cars for us and got us out as soon as the police were finished.
The cost to fix the car?... 2 weeks and about $3200.00. The cost to me?.... my time. No fault for a parked car "incident". The driver's insurance paid for all of it including the car rental.
This is one "first day on the job" that I will not forget.
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