Most of 1965 was a good year for work for me, but near the end of that year, l found myself unemployed, again. A few days before Christmas, Ben and Ted crossed my mind, and soon l was looking for a periodicals distributor for whom l could sell subscriptions in San Jose as l had done for Ben and Ted in Reno. By then, l was a much better salesman and l closed a higher percentage of my presentations than l had in Reno, but commissions paid for subscriptions to magazines yielded much less money than l had earned managing Patio Village. Dahlia though, had been promoted a few times by then and was making serious money, still working for lBM. So, l was able to spend plenty time looking for "The
Job of My Life". l didn't call it that when l was looking for it. lt was while l was doing it and after l left it that l knew it would be my best job, ever.
The ad read: "LOCAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTOR SEEKS EXPERIENCED AGENT
to represent us to Bay Area clients." l was interviewed the same day l applied and was notified that evening, by phone that l was one of two agents hired that day. l was assigned the Silicon Valley territory (with it's four hundred accounts, strung from lBM at it's South boundary, through all of the Valley and ending with
the United Airlines shops in San Bruno. The other hire-ee was assigned all the
industrial accounts in Fremont, the fastest-growing city (at that time)in the Bay
Area.
Martin Power Transmission, (MPT) with stores located in San Jose, Mountain View, Fremont, Stockton and Modesto was the largest bearing and power trans-
mission products purveyor in Northern California. The San Jose location was the
company's headquarters and original location and the highest grossing store in the chain. Since Silicon Vly. would be my calling territory, my assigned office was San Jose, which was , itself in Silicon Valley. My desk was located just out side Ray Davilla's office. (The President and CEO of MPT)
When a former prison inmate is on parole, he/she should, in most cases have a job and his employer should be aware of the parolee's history. My first job after Soledad was obtained for me by my dad. He had talked to the owner about my recent history as well as my long work history a few weeks before l was released. l was still on parole when my step-dad vouched for me with his friends at ARD mining and they were also aware of my history when they hired me. But when l completed the eighteen months of parole l stopped sharing my
criminal history with prospective employers. Sometimes, if l felt that my employer valued my contribution to his bottom line l would seriously consider
sharing. But, l didn't share with the people at MPT until l had been there for several months and felt that my position there was secure.
John Martin, the Founder and Majority Partner of MPT had started the Company
just one year out of high school with the financial help of his father who was then the president of Crocker Bank, now a non-existent entity. John managed the store from it's first day of operation, while somehow, finishing his degree in
engineering during the first five years of operation.
Ray Davilla started at MPT when he was in tenth grade. John was his mentor and Ray made him proud. Starting as a bicycle deliveryman,he was also in charge
of shipping and receiving. When l started there, Ray was in his late forties, was in charge of five stores and owned about sixty percent of the company. ln later
years, (after my time there) Ray formed a partnership with another small power
transmission distributor, which, by the mid-eighties had grown to 450 stores,
nationwide. Ray had only one employer in his entire life. Seems impossible,to
me.
My first two weeks at MPT were spent in the San Jose store so l would be familiar with how the stores work. During that time l helped customers across
the counter and over the phone. l met them and helped them get what they needed. Four of the days in those two weeks were devoted to bearing schools.
Four bearing manufacturers, SKF, FAFNIR, NEW DEPARTURE and TIMPKEN sent
teams of instructors who familiarized all the staff in the San Jose store with
their products, old and new.
Dave Harris was our Chief of Operations, the number two guy at MPT. both Ray and Dave were involved in the operation of all five MPT stores. Silvia Scott was
counter manager, San Jose. Bob North was lnventory Manager for all stores.
Ken Morton worked the counter and assisted Bob North with inventory management (San Jose). Greg Corey was the financial guru that would raise the money needed to grow the company more than a hundred-fold in just about
seven years.
After the two weeks of orientation, l was given the book containing the accounts located in my territory and all the pertinent details of them. l'm not sure of my exact start date at MPT, but l think it was in early August, 1966. On the first day there, l was provided with a 1965 Ford sedan and was told that my new 1967
Ford would arrive in about two weeks. l thought the 65 Ford was good enough
and l said as much to Ray. He said the car was not for my comfort. lt was really for our prospect's impression of MPT. That's why we were required to keep our cars clean and uncluttered and washed once a week. (Paid by expense account,
monthly, as is gasoline , maintenance and repair)
A very big part of this job was just spending time with our prospects. We were expected to take our prospects (and sometime members of their families) out to
lunch, to dinner, an evening's entertainment. There is nothing wrong with the prospect being your friend. Golf is always good (as Ray mentioned to me on day one)but l have never had any interest in any kind of sports neither as spectator or participant. l did try; l must have spent $200.00 at the driving range on basket after basket of golf balls, but to no avail. When l told Ray as much he never brought that subject up again, and l appreciated that. But, though l was unable to do golf, l sure did wish (then) that l could. The golfers were the big guys in the company and l wanted to "rub shoulders" with them. l wanted Ray
to like me as much as l respected (and admired) him.l resolved to put my energy into being the most reliable supplier's represenative in "my"Valley.
The first day l spent in territory was devoted to IBM. The morning, l spent intro-
ducing myself to various departments listed in my territory book, including
dept. heads, engineers, purchasing agents. Anyone listed in the book was sought and most were found. l counted that morning as a large plus. Everybody
that l met, let me know that MPT was considered an important source. Many of them requested that l visit their department with some regularity, as the agent
as the agent who preceded me had.
Dahlia and l had lunch in the IBM commissary, after which she introduced me to her fellow workers . ln the afternoon l visited those listed in my territory book.
By the end of the day, except for a few absentees, l had introduced myself to everyone at IBM who was in my territory book. l also met a few newer people
who belonged in the book. Before end of that day, l talked to Dave about my day at lBM and ran the new names that l thought should be in the book. He agreed and remembered a couple of new guys at lBM that he had met but had not yet put them in the book.
Happy days! my new Ford company car arrived.A maroon 1967 Ford Galaxy 500
two-door hard-top with 390 v8 engine.
