When you have a passion for manufacturing, your product becomes your masterpiece. Luckily for Goodman, Dewone Thomas demonstrates his passion for manufacturing excellence every day as Area Leader!
We recently sat down with Dewone to talk about his journey from the automotive industry to HVAC, his unique professional experiences, and his motivations.
Where did you grow up?
“I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. I lived there until I was 8 years old and then my mother moved us to Houston. After I had graduated from high school, I left Houston for Detroit to attend Davenport University. I earned a degree in Business Administration at Davenport, and eventually earned my MBA there too.”
What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
“I was a 14-year old selling newspaper on the corner at Kroger for $1. They don’t do that anymore. I learned responsibility from that first job. It taught me how to get up in the morning and get ready for work. It also taught me how to save money, which was the objective at the time.”
What prepared you for your current job?
“When I was a child, I used to play with Legos, and I think that was my first exposure to manufacturing. Of course, I didn’t know that at the time! I would also take clocks apart and tinker around the garage. I liked to see how things worked."
"But I think it was really my family that prepared me for my current job. Growing up, I wasn’t privy to a lot of things. My mother was a young parent and wasn’t able to provide for us as she wanted. I wanted more out of life. I knew that if I worked in school, it would prepare me for a career and I would be successful. There is value in education – that was what I was always taught. I listened to my mom when she said that!”
What has been your greatest professional challenge and how did you overcome it?
"I have been in the manufacturing industry for 20 years. I was 24 years old when I started with Daimler-Chrysler. My biggest professional challenge was building cars. We had to think about the business and safety side of things, as well as build the cars right the first time. Folks drive these vehicles every day, so I had to make sure they were safe! We had to put quality first and make sure all the details were covered. It’s a lot like we do here [at Goodman]!”
What path led you to HVAC?
“I was laid off from Daimler Chrysler during the automotive crisis of 2008. As a result, we moved back to what I knew best – Houston, TX. My family was here. At the time, I knew Houston didn’t have a large manufacturing presence, so that made me nervous because all I knew was automotive and manufacturing. I was recruited by a company called BAE Systems that built military trucks for the government. But the company lost their military contract, and once again I found myself back in the market looking for work. Then I ran across this great sign that said, “Goodman Manufacturing.” And that’s where it all began for me!"
"I wasn't looking for a career change at the time because I didn’t know anything other than what I knew. But sometimes those are the best opportunities.”
What was one of your proudest professional accomplishments?
“Being promoted within Goodman has been one of my proudest moments to date. I’ve held many positions before, but Goodman is special. I could have gone to other companies, but there is something about this organization that struck me as the place I want to be! I have been here since 2011, and I am not looking to move anywhere else.”
What does your typical day look like?
"I try to make it look easy, even when it’s not! A typical day for me includes preparing for the day and reviewing the schedules, inventory and parts availability. From there I give schedules to the warehouse personnel to make sure they are able to fulfill the parts that are required to run through the night. Then, it’s just pure execution of the plan!"
What is your favorite part of your job and why?
“For me today, it’s teaching the younger “kids” that come into this organization. You have to have patience and understanding. It’s not an easy job, but the interaction that I am able to have with these folks on a day-to-day basis means the most to me. I have to ask myself, “How can I keep them motivated? How can I get them to keep a winning spirit?”
"I don’t want them to just show up for a paycheck. I want them to be here because they love what they do. That is when I get the most out of my job!”
What is the biggest misconception that people have about you?
“That I am mean! But I am not mean! Apparently, I don’t smile often! I have been that way since I was a child and people would always say that I frown too much. But I really don’t! It’s funny; 20 years later that frown would take me to where I am today because this industry is tough!"
"Each day is a gift! But I can’t “let my hair down” on the manufacturing floor!”
Who is your personal hero?
"My mother! Everything I have done in my life, I have to point back to my mother. She made a lot of sacrifices for my sister and me. All she ever wanted to do was see us grown up and be somebody. My sister and I have done very well for ourselves.”
What words describes how you work?
“Hard! Hard! Hard! I multi-task and juggle, and I have been told that I have a gift for that! I don’t just get up every day and come to work to earn a check. My goal is to come into this organization and make a difference.“
If you could master one skill, what would it be?
“Pathology! In my early years, before I committed myself to earning my MBA, I briefly attended a mortuary science program at Wayne State University. I was infatuated with it! It was a passion that I had back then. I think it’s because I am very analytical. I am the person that wants to know “why and how?” I stopped the program because I couldn’t work on younger people who had passed away. That was hard. But I always want to have a deeper knowledge of why things happen and how they happen."
What do you do for fun?
“I used to build motorcycles, but I’ve put that hobby aside. But the truth is that my hands are full! I like to spend time a lot of time with my family. Have two boys (13, 18) and a girl (20). I enjoy being with my kids.”
If you could go on a trip with anyone, who would you choose and where would you go?
“My sister. We haven’t been able to spend much time together like we could when we were kids. Now that we are older, we are busy. Life is busy! We would probably go to a small island off Belize -somewhere away from it all where we could have fun and laugh!”