Utility Wishes Jack & Chuck a Happy Retirement

Jack Washburn
After 24 years, Utility’s Glade Spring, VA plant manager, Jack Washburn will be retiring at the end of 2012.

Jack started as a Material Manager at Utility’s Marion reefer plant and later served in many different management roles. In 2000, Utility opened up a new dry van manufacturing plant in Glade Spring. Jack was appointed the Plant Manager of this facility. Utility can’t thank Jack enough for his leadership and accomplishments in building and staffing a brand new plant.

“My time at Utility has been a time of constant growth and change. Utility is an excellent company that has provided security for my family and opportunity for advancement as it still does for its employees today. I am excited to be retiring and have many plans and things to do, but I will truly miss going to work and the people at Utility,” says Jack.

Sam Cassell will be promoted to the new Plant Manger in Glade Spring, John Walls will assume the plant superintendent role, and Ralph McMahan will become the Quality Control Manager.

Chuck Cole
Chuck Cole has worked in various areas for Utility’s corporate office for 37 years. In his first 2 years, Chuck worked in engineering, R & D, and became part of a special products group to help redesign Utility’s furniture vans that were built in Utah. By 1977, Chuck transitioned into sales working as a Manager in the factory internal sales department. He later became a Regional Sales Manager and then moved to Atlanta, GA to develop and head the Eastern Sales Division. When Chuck returned to California in 1990, he took on the role of Director of Marketing which he held for nearly 16 years. With his extensive technical knowledge along with his sales experience, Chuck became Manager of Technical Sales and Product Training, offering support to sales, marketing, engineering, drafting and production. “One of the many things I’ve enjoyed during my time with Utility was interacting with the entire dealership organization and customers. I’ve had the opportunity to help dealers solve problems, come up with solutions, and sell more trailers. I have worked directly with many customers over the years, offering advice on specifications or working on resolutions on any number of operational problems or issues. I use the line from the old TV series, The A-Team where George Peppard would say, ‘I love it when a plan comes together’,” stated Chuck.