A Career Nearly Half a Century in the making
Employee Testimonial
"I have enjoyed working for a company that supports the military because I was in the military. There have been so many friends I have made along the way-Hutchinson is like my large extended family"
- Bob Koch -
A Career Nearly Half a Century in the Making
By Bob Koch, Lab Manager
Originally from Buffalo, New York, Bob Koch served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Suribachi as a serviceman on an ammunition ship. After he finished his service in September 1977, he moved to Massachusetts and was engaged to the love of his life. In October, he started with Barry Controls as a general laborer, and in November, was married. Fast forward 46 years, and Bob remains very happily married (with two children and four grandchildren), and very satisfied with the career he built at Barry Controls (now Hutchinson Aerospace).
Loving a challenge, Bob transferred to the QC Rubber Department in 1978, testing all organic and silicone rubber. He learned how to weigh-up and mix lab batches. In 1980, he moved to the Engineering Rubber Lab and learned about rubber molding and how to mold prototype shock mounts.
The Engineering Lab became the Materials and Process Department and in September of 1990, Bob became its lead tech. In the mid-90s, the department was combined with the QC Lab and Bob became the lab manager, a position he still holds today. Barry Controls was acquired in its entirety by Hutchinson Worldwide in 2000, and the company moved to Hopkinton, Massachusetts, in 2005.
Over his 46-year tenure with us, Bob has gotten involved with many activities, including painting a large mural of the American flag in our shipping area to honor those who serve in the U.S. military.
"Bob's love for this company and our country is portrayed in his actions:' said Joanne Cook, VP of Human Resources. "He had the idea for the flag mural and painted it on his own time because of his strong passion and support of our country:'
He has also been honored with numerous awards. In 1981, Bob was recognized for introducing large batch volume mixing and testing (pre-Kanban) to the facility. In 1987, he received an Innovation Award for experimenting with silicone mixed-in processes for the aft and forward mounts for Raytheon. And in January of 2021, he was lauded for exceptional contributions for leading our First Aid Team.
Joanne noted, "Bob is an outstanding employee who always goes above and beyond. He chairs the First Aid Team, putting on mock drills that are so realistic they could be on Netflix. He's also played Santa Claus for our employees and their children for many years:'
When asked what has contributed to the longevity of his career, Bob said, "I love the Prototype Department because each new job is so challenging. Hutchinson is a good organization to work for. I have enjoyed working for a company that supports the military because I was in the military. There have been so many friends I have made along the way-Hutchinson is like my large extended family:'
He adds, "Also, if you by chance see Santa Claus, please give him a shout-out for me!"