With corporate mergers, down-sizing, head hunters and salary jumpers, longevity and commitment are as extinct as black and white televisions. But, not at American Tramways. If you trace the history of this business back to 1954 when Hall Ski Lift first started designing and producing lifts in upstate New York, you would find that one of the first 20 employees was Robert Davis.
Davis began his career with Hall, September 15, 1959 at the age of 22, following two years of active duty in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany. He was hired to work in the paint shop and as a general laborer at the original Burdicks Crossing facility, earning $1.50 an hour. Hall and his family moved to Watertown and opened a new facility in the fall of 1960. Davis was relocated to the Watertown operation in the winter of 1961 and continued his duties as general laborer for about a year before being transferred to the shipping and receiving department. While in shipping and receiving, he also became a production scheduler during the mid and late 1970s, at which time Hall Ski Lift was at its prime, running two shifts, employing more than 100 people and building more than 50 lifts in one year.
When Hall sold the company to Von Roll Habegger in 1983, the new owners recognized Davis’ abilities and production knowledge and he was assigned the extra duties of costing field-service trips. Even after a merger with Doppelmayr Lifts in 1996, Davis continued his work at the plant. Currently, Davis is shipping/receiving supervisor, traffic manager and costing clerk.
When reviewing Davis’s employment record, one can see how, through the mergers and acquisitions, he was always kept on as a valuable contributor. For example, his total sick time for the 40 years of employment is three weeks. The commute he has made through the past 40 years has accumulated to over 728,000 miles and 20,800 hours of travel.
On September 15, 1999, Davis celebrated his 40th year of service with the company. In honor of his commitment and dedication, American Tramways presented him with an inscribed watch and a specially embroidered jacket proclaiming the appreciation for all he has contributed. Davis continues to work, but is planning to retire in 2001.
