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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > April > 24 > Entry
Kevin Riley: ‘There is life after NCR’
When NCR announced last June that it was leaving, things felt bleak around town, but even more so in the company’s headquarters at Dayton’s southern edge.
Just ask Wayne Reser. An NCR employee, he found out about the company’s decision through media reports and the rumor mill.
“You slump back in your chair and go, ‘wow,’” he said of his reaction.
The next chapter of Reser’s life won’t be in Georgia, where NCR bolted. As he tells his story, you feel a tingle of pride. The company asked the Dayton native to move, but the 23-year employee said no thanks. He found a good job here. Best of all, he seems to represent a growing group of NCR employees.
It has been difficult to find out what’s happening to the 1,200 employees NCR had in Dayton.
The company has been close-mouthed about how many people it has asked to go to Georgia and how many it has cut loose. And the employees themselves are afraid to talk for fear of jeopardizing severance agreements.
When the bad news came, several community organizations banded together and created a website called “ChooseDayton.com,” in an effort to link NCR employees to positions here. That effort sent a strong signal to NCR employees.
According to Reser, they took notice. He describes a copy room at NCR headquarters where someone posted an announcement about the ChooseDayton.com site.
We didn’t want a group of well-educated, professional people leaving Dayton — creating a brain drain with ripple effects that hurt the community.
And despite NCR’s headline-grabbing move that fed into Rust Belt stereotypes, wise people in Dayton knew that our region had a need and place for many of these people.
One big area of need: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
While the base’s structure can be hard to penetrate and understand, one of its most important organizations, the Aeronautical Systems Center, is in a serious growth mode. Excluding people in its 88th Air Base Wing who run the base, ASC has about 2,500 employees who buy and modernize aircraft and weapons — with more than 90 percent of them at Wright-Patt. It has a budget of $23.1 billion.
The Air Force is under pressure to improve how it acquires planes and systems. And it has said it needs more and better employees to do that.
Which brings us back to Reser.
A University of Dayton grad, he grew up in Kettering. He and his wife have two sons and live in Centerville. Now 55, Reser thought he’d retire from NCR, as his grandfather had done. In fact, he still has the chrome-plated wrench his grandfather received upon his leaving “The Cash.”
In 2005, Reser temporarily lost his job for 10 months while NCR restructured. When the company announced it was leaving, he knew what he had to do. Among other things, he attended the ASC job fair held in August at the Nutter Center.
John Day, director of personnel for ASC, says the event helped the Air Force find people it needs, including Reser.
The Air Force doesn’t and can’t give preference to NCR employees, Day said, and he hasn’t tracked how many ex-NCR folks ASC has hired. But the organization plans to hire hundreds of people over the next few years in financial management, contracting and procurement, and program management.
(There has been some debate in the defense contracting world about how many such jobs would be “new.” The Air Force has acknowledged it is beefing up its acquisition workforce, both by converting some contractor positions to civil service jobs, as well as creating new civilian positions.)
Reser is now buying things for the Air Force’s C-130J program as a contract negotiator.
“I’m glad to be here, and I’m learning new stuff every day,” he said.
Reser said he has been running into old NCR colleagues at the base.
“Good to see you. Glad you made the jump,” he says to them.
The experience has made Reser optimistic about his and our region’s prospects.
“This is all good stuff, and, long-term, it’s going to pay off for us,” he said. “There is life after NCR.”
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Comments
By Dirk Baad
April 24, 2010 12:24 PM | Link to this
This is exactly why NCR made the right decision to move out of Dayton. Far too many NCR employees were working to live in Dayton rather than working for a global company. A global company such as NCR can’t live on its past — it has to compete in a highly competitive global market and continue to push forward. Dayton as a whole focuses far too much on its past (e.g., its obsession with the Wright Brothers, past NCR glories, etc.) rather than looking ahead to the future. I think this is one of the reasons that NCR had to move outside of Dayton — NCR had to jolt itself out of being a sleepy midwestern company in a competitive global marketplace.
By Good Article
April 24, 2010 2:36 PM | Link to this
Wow, Dirk, great to stereotype several thousand people and a city based on one article. All companies have a mix of employess, some who are mobile and some who choose to settle in one place - just one example of the diversity any company needs. Bash Dayton all you want, but believe it or not there are people who don’t consider Atlanta to be an attractive option as a place to live. And the HQ location excuse is really tired - I work at a little company called Procter & Gamble that has done OK being based in a slightly less sleepy Midwestern city - effective management drives success, not locale. What sour grapes to slam an article with a positive message.
By Lessons Learned
April 24, 2010 3:51 PM | Link to this
Great article. Just goes to show that if you’re qualified, this area offers great opportunities. Whether at the base or with other companies that are looking to come to and grow in this community, with the right skills, the future is very promising.
By Daedalus
April 24, 2010 4:39 PM | Link to this
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution Aggravated Assault Downtown – 58 incidents Burglary Downtown – 88 incidents Rape Downtown – 4 incidents Robbery Downtown – 73 incidents This is just downtown Atlanta, if you want stats for midtown where there are a bunch of bars and entertainment you’re welcomed to look. Also it breaks down by the suburbs too. Anyone who makes there screen name LARRY FLYNT can’t be that informed. Good positive article DDN. Now if we could just get the people out that don’t want to be here.
By Daedalus
April 24, 2010 4:43 PM | Link to this
More specifically here is Peachtree city home to new NCR HQ: Peachtree City Crime Report General Information: Violent vs. Property Crime Rate: State: Georgia (GA) Violent Crime Property Crime City Population: 32,877 Murder: 0 Forcible Rape: 4 Robbery: 4 Aggravated Assault: 15 Burglary: 18 Larceny or Theft: 230 Car Theft: 77 Arson: 3 Data Source: 2003 FBI Report of Offenses Known to Law Enforcement
By Hi Bruce
April 24, 2010 11:16 PM | Link to this
The timing between NCR’s final Dayton purge and WPAFB’s significant new need is a very fortunate none. But the verdict is still out on this one. NCR leadership offered presence in many ways, including community, arts, coaching, neighborhods, etc. The movement of hundreds of their “best” among the 1,200+ will indeed be felt.
By fortressdayton
April 25, 2010 9:40 AM | Link to this
NCR’s move was predicated by profit and viability. They are a business not a charity. Their first responsibility is to their stockholders. That having been said, I don’t believe they ( and especially their arrogant CEO) seriously entertained maintaining NCR here because Atlanta offered ‘more’ in their minds. That may or may not turn out to be true. It is commendable to do as may former NCR employees did and try to remain loyal to your community. It shows that Dayton can be more than just a place to do business; it can be home as well. I do agree with Dirk, however, in regards to Dayton relying far too much on its past. The mention of one more Wright Brother-named locale or scholarship makes we want to erupt in projectile vomiting. Personality cults are ok for North Korea, but we need to move ahead. Remembering our past is fine, but we can’t pine for it. It’s gone and so is NCR.
By Bo
April 25, 2010 2:10 PM | Link to this
Great article that reinforces in my mind a couple of things: 1) The Dayton area does have a future and needs to do a better highlighting what makes it special (mid-western values, educated workforce,great schools and universities, easy commutes, low-cost housing, plenty of entertainment options…); 2) WPAFB is vitally important not just to the future of America’s Air Force, but also to the economic vitality of at least six Ohio counties. 3) The Air Force is hiring! But you really need that college degree to be competitive. If you have a college degree and are on the hunt for a great job, polish up that resume and head to the next jobs fair… 4) If you you don’t have a degree, head down to Sinclair or your school of choice and get started!
By Not a NCR lover
April 25, 2010 5:06 PM | Link to this
Daedalus, I’m not a big fan of NCR right now, but if you are going to quote statistics, perhaps you should make an attempt to be completely accurate. NCR did not move their HQ to Peachtree City. Their new HQ building is on Satellite Blvd. in Duluth, GA. What are the crime statistics for Duluth?
By crime?
April 26, 2010 7:08 AM | Link to this
Crime stats? Are you kidding? Just how much “crime” do you think was happening at or near NCR’s Dayton headquarters - other than underage drinking by UD students in the “ghetto”? Sorry but crime is completely irrelevant to this story.
By Bob540
April 28, 2010 12:34 PM | Link to this
There are good and competent people in Dayton. I don’t think it is “living in the past” to remember fondly the great accomplishments that occurred here. You can revere the past and still be hopeful for the future. I think things go in cycles: The North was riding high for decades, and will again in time.
By happy Atlantan
May 30, 2010 6:20 PM | Link to this
I’m one of the lucky ones that moved to Duluth 15 years ago. This is a great place to live - happy to get out of the “rust belt” when I had the chance. Glad to see the other NCR folks joining me.