Title: CEO
Location: South Bend, Ind.
Experience: More than 40 years in the materials handling industry.
Modern: Skip, after more than 40 years, you’re retiring. Why now?
Eastman: I always said I would know when it’s time. Not long ago, I was in for my annual physical, and my doctor, who is a very good friend, said, “Skip, you’ve worked at a very high pace for a long time. You’re in perfect health for 74, but maybe you ought to think about retiring.” When I left, I thought about the fact that I’ve had 40 great years, I have no issues at work, and I have a wife of 52 years plus four kids and nine grandkids I can spend more time with. Maybe I should go out on top. It was the right time. Within the week, I let Twinlode know that within 5 months I’d be retiring.
Modern: How did you get started in the materials handling industry?
Eastman: It’s a bit of a Cinderella story. I worked for Ford for a year before I joined the Navy. When I went back to work after leaving the service, I joined the skilled trades section as an apprentice, starting out on a sub-assembly line. I gained engineering and design experience. When I left Ford, I was hired at a small storage company out of Grand Rapids to do engineering. One of our suppliers there was Steel King. I got to know their management and went to work for them in 1992 as a regional manager. In 2000, I became a vice president, with sales, marketing and structural engineering reporting to me.
Modern: When did you come to Twinlode?
Eastman: That was in 2010. My wife and I wanted to move back to Indianapolis to be near our children and grandchildren. I called Dennis Hartman, who was the co-founder of Twinlode, to let him know I was going to be moving, and within the week, I was offered the job as president. About four years later, I became CEO of the corporation. In the last 10 years, I’m proud that we’ve grown from a company with more or less one product for the beverage industry to a company serving a number of industries and doing automation projects. That’s why we’re now known as Twinlode Automation.
Modern: What kept you in the industry?
Eastman: It’s always evolving and no two projects are the same. You’re constantly dealing with different industries and personalities.
Modern: Looking back, what’s the most notable change you’ve seen in the industry?
Eastman: It’s the technology, without a question. Not just the fact that software is so important today, but that the machinery is faster and more reliable, and manufacturing methods are constantly being upgraded to make a higher quality product. The biggest change in the rack industry right now is the tremendous amount of building code changes, especially the seismic code, and I expect to see changes in the fire code that will have a major impact on warehousing. I plan to stay involved with that side of the business for another year.
Modern: Last question: What’s next?
Eastman: A few years ago, I had the opportunity to establish Point to Life Ministries International, a not-for-profit organization whose objective is to help people find direction in their lives by providing basic needs and to help them develop their talents so they can be a better asset in their communities. I plan to focus on developing that organization. I’ll miss being a part of this tremendous industry, but I’m truly looking forward to the next chapter of my life with excitement.
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