Moving On........

After the 'learning' experience of my first job, I obtained a position as the Accounts Payable/Receivable Supervisor at a flexible packaging company in Memphis. It was very fascinating since most people don't think where the potato chip bag comes from. Well a lot come from Memphis. There are lots of types of plastics, papers and foils that are used. Some prevent UV rays, some are for oxygen, extruded layers of color add dimension to the printing. One benefit was the availability of snacks in the office. At one point I was in charge of efficiency of the plants and machines, and was located in the old plant where the lab was located. So, as a result, new products would be developed and shipped off to be filled by the food manufacturer and returned for tests. Of course the test were on the packaging not the food item, as a result afternoon snacks.
Having not grown up in Memphis, I was not very fond of living there. HOT in the summer, dreary in the winter. After three years of work, and the final payment on my car, I packed up and moved to Virginia Beach. The ocean was always one of my favorite places to go. I had friends that lived there and let me stay with them until I got a job. This is still pre-internet so I went the 'recruiter' path. Before the actual interview, my recruiter gave me pointers on what to stress and recommended a library visit to research the company's products. I started work as an accountant for a large international cement/concrete products company as cost accountant for the aggregate division. I never realized how much money was in sand, gravel and stone. I learned that cement is a base that when combined with a small aggregate, sand, was mortar, and a large aggregate, gravel or crushed stone, was concrete.
With a decrease in military spending in the early 90's the building supplies business started to decrease. I again used my recruiter to work at a specialty chemical company. There I learned there is an additive made for ink that makes it stick to paper better. I've never had a issue with ink sticking to anything, especially my fingers or shirt. With this job I was exposed to 'networking'. All the accounting staff was encouraged to join Institute of Management Accountants, which was fine since the company paid the dues and for the meals. There were monthly dinner meetings with a speaker and a social time before hand. Was a great way to meet people for possible future jobs. But this would be the last in my accounting phase.