Joe Fields, Mechanical Engineer 

"Engineering, the Survival Kit for an American Contract Manufacturer"

by Mary Kaye Denning

In 2000 when Joe received the diagnosis that he had prostate cancer, he was the Operations Manager at Carlisle Engineered Products in Middlefield, Ohio. In crisis, he faced overcoming the toughest quality management issue ever, his survival. A disciplined manager and a salty Navy officer, Joe knew he had no other choice but move strategically forward. Reflecting Joe admitted that there were moments he had no idea how he would met the challenges he faced - medical treatment, remission, recovery, entrepreneurship, and the day-to-day survival of being a small business American manufacturing company, but he did.

Today, healthy, and evermore determined, Joe is at the top-of-his-game. Recognized as a pace-setting thought leader and keynote speaker, Joe is busily updating his topic: Engineering Survival, American manufacturing is back to stay. When asked about the future, he answered. “08 will be a great year for Fields Process Technology. We’re booking sub assembly contracts, and we’re preparing the launch of a green, US steel, building material with an R-48 rating. There’s growing interest in quality American manufacturing at the consumer level: Buy American; and, there's new opportunity resulting from the convergence of a declining dollar, increasing labor costs overseas, and the rising price of oil.” <??>

Careers of Success and Training

United States Navy, a student of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover

After graduating from high school, Joe entered the Navy as a seaman recruit, serving on board his first ship just prior to going to the U.S. Navy’s esteemed Machinist Mate School. The next big, and life changing step in the Navy was when Admiral Rickover entered Joe into his Nuclear Power School. Smiling, Joe vividly recalled the sign that hung over the entrance: "The Smartest are those that have to Struggle to Pass".

Successfully completing the U.S. Navy's nuclear power basic program Joe quickly matriculated into the Advanced Operational Phase of the Nuclear Program, where he graduated 1st in his class. “On any ordinary day, the reward for being first in your class meant you got to choose your ship”, said Joe. But not this time; Admiral Rickover saw another choice for Joe. As Joe kindly put it, “Admiral Rickover “volunteered" me to for the Idaho Nuclear Power Training Unit as a staff operator.” 

While living in Idaho, Joe was chosen as one of 27 candidates out of 20,000 enlisted minority seamen to obtain a college education. The selected were given the option of attending the Naval Academy or another approved civilian University. Since Joe's goal was career officer, he elected to round out his education and training by attending Marquette University in Milwaukee ,where he earned a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering,  and later studying International Affairs at Florida State University.

After Joe's graduation, he was assigned to a destroyer home-ported in Japan. The training instilled by Admiral Rickover's Nuclear Power Program was a major asset to Joe, and enable him as a newly commissioned officer to hit the deck plates running. The basics learned at Nuclear Power School were just beginning to be implemented in the conventional navy and Joe’s head start poised him to rapidly qualify on the engineering plant which enabled him to spend more time learning to "drive a ship". The confluence of education and experience paid back in spades two years later when he was nominated: Ship Handler of the Year.

Corning Incorporated, “A Payroll” executive.

After leaving the U.S. Navy, Joe joined Corning Incorporated, headquartered in Corning, New York. At Corning Joe worked as a Process Engineer, Corporate Quality Engineer, and Sourcing Manager. Joe's assignments took him around the world and he was quickly promoted to "A Payroll" executive, the rank of a senior manager.

Joe became the third minority manager at Corning to achieve "A Payroll" executive. He quickly volunteered, “My favorite premium perk was the indoor, heated parking space. And for those familiar with the harshness of Corning winters you will quickly understand the meaning of value-add,” he laughed.

A student of W. Edwards Deming and Dorian Shainen

A student of W. Edwards Deming, both state side and in Japan, Joe clocks in more than thirty years experience engineering world-class, competitive manufacturing solutions. Joe is a senior member of the American Society of Quality (ASQ).

Fields Process Technology, a Contract Manufacturing Services company providing custom manufacturing, subassemblies, and engineering services, opens for business

Between Corning and Fields Process Technology Joe joined Carlisle as General Manager of their plant with over 30 plastic injection-molding presses and briefly held the position of Operations Manager at a rubber extrusion and molding plant.  But unable to shake the unquenchable and nagging pull of his entrepreneurial spirit he stepped away from the big corporate experience going into business on his own.

In conclusion, Joe has come through it all. Not unlike many American manufacturers who through the years understood their role as builders of the economy, Joe overcomes challenge. Progressive and better prepared he enthusiastically moves toward manufacturing' s future. Joe Fields is what one expects of an American manufacturer --the true American emissary, always invited and a welcomed guest worldwide.

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