We are thrilled to celebrate two significant milestones for Machine Operator Bill Foreman this year: his 20th anniversary with Radix this September and his 80th birthday!
Bill joined Radix on September 13, 2004, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his extensive career in manufacturing. As a machine operator in the Tower and Wind department, Bill has always been passionate about creating prototypes, testing what works and what doesn’t, and making the necessary adjustments to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Before his time at Radix, Bill served in the Navy during both the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. Bill started at Radix after his son, a former Radix employee, encouraged him to apply. Although he typically hadn’t stayed with a company for more than five years, Radix was different for him. He saw a future and a career path that convinced him to stay for two decades.
Bill describes Radix as having a friendly culture where people can joke around and enjoy working together. One of his proudest achievements is the quality of the products he produces, which has resulted in an impressively low return rate. Bill takes great pride in his work, and his commitment to excellence is evident in everything he does.
Known for his strong work ethic, Bill has a remarkable attendance record. His secret? He starts his day at 4:30 A.M., a full two hours before the first shift begins. This quiet time allows him to focus and get a head start on his tasks. His motivation comes from his wife of 52 years, who he describes as the most special person in his life. Together, they had four sons, two of whom have sadly passed away, but Bill remains very close to his other two sons and talks to them almost every day.
Although Bill plans to continue working because he enjoys it and to help pay bills, he is considering going part-time in the near future. His advice to younger workers is to overcome challenges and disabilities, as he has done throughout his life. Despite battling polio as a child and lung cancer in 2014, which is now in remission, Bill continues to come to work even when things ache because he believes in mentally overcoming obstacles and staying committed to the job.
In his spare time, Bill enjoys running errands, relaxing at home, and mowing the grass. A fun fact about Bill is that he has five tattoos on his arms, each with its own story.
We are honored to have Bill as part of the Radix family and celebrate his incredible contributions over the past 20 years.
