After his first day at Gentex in 1986, Mike Mitchell didn’t have long-term hopes for his career at the company.
“I went home after the first day and at the dinner table I told my mom and dad that this would be a short-term job until something better comes along,” he said. “I told them that Gentex was a very small company that makes a mirror that flips up and down, and that the main business is smoke detectors for commercial applications, so I don’t think they sell very many.”
“Boy, was I wrong!” he said.
However, hindsight is 20/20 and at the time, Gentex’s position in the market wasn’t as clear as it is today. When Mike started at Gentex 38 years ago, the company was just starting to grow into the automotive market. The team at the time was so small that he knew everyone’s first name across the business.
He started with his time split between the warehouse and maintenance duties. However, when his supervisor left Gentex, Mike quickly found himself in charge of keeping Gentex maintained all on his own.
“I was the only maintenance person for the company at that point,” he said. “I was responsible for all machine maintenance; but also facility maintenance, such as mowing the lawn, spreading bark, remodeling the bathrooms, shoveling, and painting the building at Chicago Drive.”
As Gentex grew, Mike’s role became more focused on production maintenance, and less on facilities. When Centennial West was built, he moved there and started working on Process Engineering for mirrors, hiring other maintenance technicians to help support the work as well as a PM crew for 3rd shift. As the manufacturing operations grew, and FA split from EA, Mike stayed with EA and helped to evaluate and purchase the Electrical Assembly Lines.
“I managed the Process Techs and PM Techs for the next 28 years,” he said. “During that time my responsibilities grew in the Engineering area, working closely with design on PCB Layouts that would work best for manufacturing.”
Today, Mike still works in the Process Engineering space as a Process Engineering Manager. Alongside the team he helped build, Mike oversees printed circuit board production across EA, ensuring that Gentex has the best possible processes and equipment.
Looking back on his career, Mike is quick to note changes that he didn’t expect to see when he started (besides the fact that his “short-term job” has kept him employed almost four decades).
“The amount of people here now is astounding! Watching the company’s production shift from 95% fire protection products and 5% mirrors to the other way around has been a huge change as well. And he stock price growth was unexpected, too!”
Among all that change, Mike credits Gentex’s longevity to its culture and the people that make up the company.
“Gentex is unique as an Electronics Manufacturer in the US, especially one that has been growing every year since I started – that’s unheard of in this industry! But the people are what’s kept me around – this place feels like my second family,” said Mike. “I would say if you’re looking for a place to allow you to find out where you excel at and grow into a long-term career, there is no better place than here!”
With years of experience to back him up, Mike offers a piece of advice to interviewees when they apply for a job at Gentex.
“I’ve told everyone I’ve interviewed over the years not to look for a job just because you can make good money, but also to make sure it’s a job that you can be happy doing—even when there are some rough days, most days you are still happy with your job,” he said
“I can honestly say that’s what I’ve found here at Gentex!” he said.
If you or someone you know is interested in starting a career at Gentex, we encourage you to explore our open positions on our job portal. Click below to get started!
