I was a young man now working for Northco out of Luverne, Minnesota. Northco was a company that made confinement egg laying buildings. I joined the company as a service manager in 1977 moving from Moorhead, Mn.
Northco had just developed a new four deck system. This means four levels of bird cages that had automated egg gathering and automated feeding. I was to install the first building near Wall Lake, Iowa and shortly thereafter put on an instruction school for dealers from around the United States.
We were nearly completed with installation when our CEO came for a visit to see our new facility. While touring him around the poultry barn He asked me if my passport was in order. Well being a little naïve in these matters I sheepishly asked what he meant by passport in order. He told me that he wanted me on a plane to Tunis, Tunisia Monday after our dealer meetings latter next week.
I was so taken back that I said what do I do? Where is this Tunis place and what am I going to be doing there? He said that the office manager would get all of the arrangements made. You are to go and take a look of a building in Tunis and get it running so we can get paid our money. I honestly hadn’t even remembered hearing of Tunis.
I went home and we got the map out and found out were I was going. When I went back to work the next day I learned that an Italian company had built the facility and the owner was withholding funds as things weren’t running properly. The communication was not good enough to determine exactly what was wrong the building.
I had flown before but it wasn’t a common occurrence for me. The week really went fast as I had to get ready for the dealer meetings as I was to instruct them on how to install the four deck system as well as get ready for the Tunis trip.
The dealer meetings went very well. The new four deck system was putting us in the lead for the largest egg laying systems being built. A highlight of the dealer meetings was the dealer dinner at Magnolia Steak House in Magnolia, Minnesota. I was attending for the first time also. The new people were told that they should order the house steak. I was lucky that I was a staff member and had duties to do before ordering. I saw what was brought to the table ala cart before the steak. The food was in quantities where I couldn’t imagine being able to eat and the steak hadn’t come out yet. Well the steak turned out to be a 32 ounce steak that hung over the edges of the plate. The plate of onion rings was as high as it was wide let alone the vegetable and potato plate after salad at that.
I boarded the plane for Tunis at Sioux Falls on Republic Airlines for Chicago and beyond around noon for the connecting flight in Chicago to Frankfurt Germany and then to Tunis. At 10 PM I was still the check in line and afraid of missing my flight. It was my first time in Ohare in Chicago. The rest of the story gets even more exciting! Look for part 2 of First Overseas Serious Business trip. Check out www.loveforbookwriting.com and www.myovercoat.com
Written by Conrad Larson 7/16/09
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