About Anthony
Anthony joined Barton in 2018 and has since has served as a Senior Mechanical Engineer at our Pittsburgh office. He attended The Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
“Communication with other teammates in the company, especially across offices. And the soup and cupcakes are pretty impactful, too…!” stated Tony when asked how the ESOP impacts him the most.
Tell us a little about your family/home life.
I have a 12-year-old son.
What’s your hometown?
West Hills of Pittsburgh, PA.
What was your first job in engineering like?
My first job with the title “Mechanical Engineer” was at a custom coil manufacturer in Ashland, Virginia. The first thing anyone had to do when they started working there was to spend a few weeks working in the shop, actually being trained to pull materials, cut/punch/bend/fabricate the casings, measure/cut/bend the tubes, assemble the coil components, braze the tube ends, and pressure test the final product.
Working in the office, I had to design each coil based on physical size and performance, adjust the coil circuiting, and write the CNC machine programming to cut the sheet metal for casings and tube sheets.
The CNC machine was old, and parts were no longer available. It only took the old low-density 5.25-inch floppy discs, and the programming could only be written in ASCI format text. Adding to the confusion, the programming of the X-axis was mirrored. The machine’s monitor was also broken, so you had to memorize the DOS-based menus to upload a program from the floppy disc and initiate the CNC machine.
Everything was a bit of a mess…
However, we were able to receive a busted/corroded coil from a client on Monday morning and ship out a replacement by Friday afternoon! The majority of the work was replacing major manufacturer coils because we could custom fabricate a water or steam coil faster than the manufacturer could pull one off the shelf and ship it!
There were elements of the job that were incredibly informative about the custom manufacturing process. Although, there were certainly struggles/challenges working for a small company with a limited budget. A lot of “make it work” mentality was required. 🙂
What was the first job you got a physical paycheck?
YMCA Camp Kon-O-Kwee / Spencer, Fombell, PA (outside of Zelienople, north of Pittsburgh).
What does being part of an ESOP mean to you?
Community. Not just an employer, but a part of a team with a common goal.
What do you like most about the ESOP?
Input. All members of the company have opinions, and all are valued. They may not always become reality, but they are heard.
What do you love most about your job?
Finding solutions to allow a client to “have it all” when they would otherwise need to sacrifice one benefit for another. Solving additional problems for a client as a byproduct of the necessary work. “Bonus” value added.
If I wasn’t an Engineer_____, I’d be?
Doing something that makes people happy, relieves stress, or makes their lives better in some way.
What’s your favorite sport (professional, college, or other)?
Football. But I’ve definitely fallen out of my “fandom” since my son has become pretty averse to sports.
I’m seldom without?
My phone and my work backpack.
Favorite pizza topping?
White pizza with chicken and broccoli is a good one, but buffalo chicken is great, too. I’ve recently learned that I’m a big fan of pepperoni & banana peppers, also!
What’s on your “stranded on a desert island” playlist?
Black Keys, Clarks, AJR, and a mix of music and “one-off” artists that bring back good memories.
What’s your hidden talent?
Making popcorn and pepperoni rolls, I guess(?)
What’s the one movie you can watch over and over again?
Old School.
What’s on your bucket list?
To generalize: Experiencing the culture in different places. No where specific, just wherever I have the opportunity to be.
When I go to a cookout I hope there’s ____________ to eat.
Grilled/BBQ’d meats!
What’s your favorite holiday and why?
Thanksgiving. I have always loved that the main part of the holiday is followed by more “recovery” time with family and friends (not like Easter, which is immediately before returning to the regular life schedule). And, Thanksgiving rolls pretty smoothly into the Christmas holiday season.
Best book you’ve ever read?
Moby Dick.
What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve ever been given?
“There is nothing you can do that can’t be fixed.” This was related to self-performed home renovations, and finding a way to get past the fear of “messing something up”. But, it can apply to many aspects of life. Don’t be afraid to try.