Post your memorable thoughts as we bid farewell.
13 replies (most recent on top)
One of the few times I was blessed to be a smoker (now ex-smoker) was during the years that Al used to join us in the smoking shack at NRM between meetings. He was very awesome to converse with, very frank and honest. He joked about ticked off shareholders who were not happy that he never slashed the workforce after merging with Conner. Course that 100k employee force could not be sustained and huge cuts wound up happening.
Still remember when Al Shugart came to Minnesota for the opening of the new wafer manufacturing facility. There were all these government officials in suits, as well as the executives being all decked out, and in comes Al in a white shirt, unbuttoned at the top, and no tie. Just an unpretentious genuine talent, who told it like it was. RIP Al. Glad you're not here to see this.
Honestly had a number of great years working for a few stellar managers. The team was able to make such great strides. Then a large management shuffle came along and it's a complete 180, with meetings all about who is right and hiding data rather than working together. There were so many opportunities to get it right, feels like we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory while the dividend cut our costs to the bone until we could no longer be innovative. I would have been sad to leave years ago, but it's nowhere near the same place it was.
I will miss all of pie giveaways. My dessert never made it home.
I remember when Seagate gave out leftover Easter candy at all-hands meetings.
I will miss our security robot. At some point I saw it stuck outside the building. Could have been chasing a perp and lost its way or possibly too much wd40 at lunch. Soon after. It was gone. It may have been RIFd. I think I saw it working as a Target self checkout awhile later. It did not recognize me since I was one of many in the self checkout that day. Only one manned register in sight.
One of my favorite moments as a Seagate employee...
From the following article:
https://money.cnn.com/2009/01/13/technology/Obrien_seagate_ceo.fortune/index.htm
"Over a wine-soaked dinner two years ago, Bill Watkins told Fortune that hard-drive manufacturer Seagate is in the business of helping 'people buy more cr-p - and watch po-n.' That statement landed the now-former CEO in a PR mess inside the company. But he said something else that evening to reveal the attitude that may have ultimately led to his ouster as CEO.
When asked how he handles his board of directors, he said this: "You never ask board members what they think. You tell them what you're going to do." That strategy may have worked for the famously outspoken Watkins in headier times, but not now."
ST-506 HDD
Will miss being bullied, harassed and gaslit by UMs and Shift Managers in Springtown. Overcome with nostalgia here, the rose tinted glasses are truly on
The old MPI weekend at the Control Data campground.
I remember when I'd get a free lunch ticket every week for staff meetings. And it was like that for years.
I'm trying to forget my time at Seagate,not remember it.
Still remember the day I had joined and the day I left. Those 2 very beautiful Seagate moments in my life. I know for sure, people are the reason that keeps me stay for very long.