By Julia Hartbarger Duvall, Contributing Writer
Peachtree – Understanding that the products manufactured are going into the hands of consumers is something John Johnson has carried with him in his decades-long career at MOOG Inc.
“In high school I was always tinkering with some sort of machine, mainly lawn equipment,” said Johnson, a member of the Western Carolina University Class of 1992. “My dad was an electrician, so it just kind of came naturally to want to go into an engineering field.
“I originally had no plans of going to college, but my senior year I talked with our guidance counselor at Murphy High School and he gave me a brochure from WCU’s engineering school and that was the start of my journey.”
Johnson started courses at WCU in 1987, went to Tri-County for a year, then went into the National Guard during Operation Desert Storm. He finished his courses and graduated from WCU in the summer of 1992.
“I had a bit of a non-traditional experience as a college student, but I had a wonderful time at WCU and the professors in the program were great,” Johnson said. “Two in particular stand out, Dr. (Jerry) Cook and Dr. (Aaron) Ball, they both had industry background and gave us practical, hands-on assignments.”
After graduating from WCU, Johnson continued in the military for a few years. He then taught math and history at Cherokee County’s alternative school in Martins Creek while he was looking for an engineering position.
“In 1996, a friend of mine from high school was an engineer at what was then known as Clifton Precision and was leaving to go to another organization and he encouraged me to apply for his job,” Johnson said. “I had applied before but never heard anything. This time I got an interview and was hired on as a manufacturing engineer.”
Clifton Precision was established in 1965, then changed to Litton Poly Scientific, which was purchased in 2001 by the Northrop Grumman Corp. MOOG purchased the building and property in 2003. MOOG manufactures electromechanical devices, including parts for the aviation and medical industries.
Johnson’s day-to-day duties as operations manager includes managing personnel, facilities, customers, government-regulated documentation, in addition to high-level meetings.
“It has changed corporate ownership a few times since I started in 1996, but the whole time it has been the same products produced and same people overall,” Johnson said. “It has been a great organization to work for. We always keep in the forefront of our mind that the person using our finished product is someone’s loved one.”
Robinson and Johnson said they work with several fellow WCU alumni at their respective organizations and many WCU interns have been welcomed over the years as well. Whether in Cherry Point or Peachtree, the impact the College of Engineering & Technology has significantly impacted not only the lives its graduates, but the economy and advancement of the region and state.
NAVAIR continues to partner with WCU on capstone projects and Johnson said WCU engineering faculty have frequently visited MOOG to discuss economic impact and student involvement. NAVAIR continues to partner with WCU on capstone projects, and Johnson said WCU engineering faculty frequently visit MOOG to discuss partnerships and student engagement.
“It is a huge asset to have an engineering school this close to Murphy,” Johnson said. “This allows people to get a quality education and be job-ready without having to leave the area.”
The writer is with the Western Carolina University Magazine.