By: Jeff Lackey, Induron Technical Director
It’s with a mix of emotions – excitement for the next chapter and immense gratitude for the one closing – that I complete my last full day on Friday June 21 at Induron. My time with Induron, as well as my 41 years in industry, has been an amazing adventure.
When my wife Edie and I first visited Induron for the interview, our initial feelings were curiosity and, honestly, a little bit of hesitation. After decades working for large companies, most of them global, we didn’t know what to expect from a company the size of Induron. But almost immediately we could tell that Induron was something truly special.
Reflecting back, Edie and I were just talking about the dinner with Davies and Jeff White and their wives at The Club after a full day of interviews and then Edie and I looking out at the view from that hilltop onto the lights of Birmingham. I think it was at that moment that we both knew this company, and more importantly, these people are who we want to spend the last years of our career with. While I admit to having some hesitation at moving to a lab so small, my wife asked me don’t you want to spend your last years working with a smaller company where your grey hair and all those miles on the odometer might be of use? She has always been much smarter than me, and the next day Edie and I sat in the conference room with Jeff White, shook his hand and accepted the job. That night Jeff and his wife Kim took Edie and I out to an informal BBQ joint, the first of many BBQ meals I would enjoy with Jeff!
I came into Induron wondering if it might be boring, with such a small lab and a company focused on so few markets. Little did any of us know that Covid and the raw material crisis were heading towards us like a massive freight train, with nowhere to go to get out of the way. The next three years, as all of you know, were anything but boring! But going through those three years of stress and crisis with all of you truly showed me what a special place Induron is. Where other companies would (and did) react to the stressful situation with destructive finger pointing and people try to duck accountability, the people at Induron pulled together, took accountability, were honest with our customers, and three years later when the storm clouds finally parted and the blue sky poked through, we were stronger than ever. We never compromised our integrity and every single person in the company significantly contributed to keeping the ship upright. I remember coming home one night after a 13-hour day and telling Edie, there is no other company I have ever been with I would rather be with than Induron during this tornado/hurricane/earthquake/forest fire of a crisis. A sincere thank you to everyone who was here during that time.
To all my colleagues at Induron, please appreciate that you work somewhere special. It’s a rare company where people can be completely open and honest with each other and the leadership team, all the way up to and including the owner, without fear. It’s a rare company where everyone is focused on serving our customers and looking out for their needs with no hidden agenda or politics or maneuvering for promotion, etc. Enjoy what you have and never take it for granted. I look forward to watching all of you continue to grow Induron in a healthy, sustainable way.
As Edie and I embark on this new adventure, I carry a wealth of memories and a heart full of appreciation. Induron will always hold a special place in our story. I wish you all the very best in the years to come. May you continue to achieve great things and build upon the incredible legacy you have all helped create.
With warmest regards,
Jeff
P.S. Retirement doesn’t mean I’m disappearing completely! Feel free to stay in touch – If
you ever need an old chemist’s help or a far too long story, I’m at
docdaddy@gmail.com.