By: Jake Trybulski, Content Strategy and Carolyn Wester, ES Communications

There are 35,000 reasons why BAE Systems, Inc. is a global leader in international defense, aerospace, and security.

”What are they,” you might ask? The better question is: “Who are they?”

It’s the roughly 35,000 employees that believe in our mission – We Protect Those Who Protect Us®. No amount of technology or funding could ever have the impact each and every employee contributes to the company’s success. It's a fact: employees at BAE Systems are the company’s greatest strength.

The first Friday in March is National Employee Appreciation Day. While the other 364 days of the year are just as important for recognition, it’s a dedicated time for employers, managers, and colleagues to take a moment to say, “Thank you for all that you do.”

When we share gratitude for our peers’ efforts, we make them feel valued for their contributions, boost motivation, foster inclusion, improve morale, and encourage collaboration.

So to all involved, thank you for all that you do. Your hard work and efforts do not go unnoticed. We’ve been through challenging times together, even a global pandemic, and still made notable strides and accomplished so many things. That’s because of you and your commitment to your craft, our customers, and our mission.

There are people coast-to-coast, continent-to-continent that deserve kudos.

But perhaps two of the company’s greatest assets are welding specialist Preston “Pret” Taylor and administrative assistant Connie Patterson – both operating out of York, Pennsylvania.

Highlighting their hard work, dedication, and loyalty is a must this year.

Consider this: when their careers began, gas averaged 40 cents a gallon and the minimum wage was $1.60 an hour.

“When I first started, our earplugs were a piece of cotton wrapped in cellophane,” Taylor said.

“They trained us over the years on the different programs going from the typewriter to the word processor to the computer,” Patterson added.

It was 1971, the same year they graduated from high school and started at the company then known as Bowen & McLaughlin York (BMY). Taylor began his career as a shot blast operator and Patterson as an inventory clerk.

Throw in multiple company name changes and fast-forward a mere half-century.

In June 2021, Taylor celebrated his 50th anniversary at the company. Patterson followed suit with her 50th anniversary in December 2021. Even more impressive, they have spent all of that time at the York facility.

These are two of the first three people to achieve this incredible milestone at BAE Systems. Among other things, they received a personal letter from company leadership and a brass eagle statue in recognition of their achievement.

Pret and Connie honored with thier statue and letter in 2021. Connie poses with Vice President/General Manager of Combat Mission Systems, Andy Corea.

“In my era, people always stayed at the same job until they retired. Their job was almost embedded in them. Longevity at a company was a huge thing then. I never thought about making a move somewhere else because I always just enjoyed working for the company,” Patterson said.

“It’s the old saying, if you love your work, you’ll never work a day in your life,” Taylor said. “That’s the way I look at it. Fifty years later, I’m still here!”

Still here is an understatement, considering neither are in a hurry to call it quits anytime soon.

“You never wait ‘till you retire to start enjoying life because that’s not a good way to think,” Patterson said. “So my philosophy is to enjoy life while I can.”

“I’ve had the same handcart for close to 30 years. A lot of these young welders, when they go to a different building, they will grab an electric cart and load everything up. And they say, ‘Why do you always push everything around in your handcart?’ I tell them, it’s good exercise and I use the few extra minutes it takes me to get there to think about what needs to be done.”

Pret's trusy handcart circa 1990s. After nearly 30 years, he said he's replaced the tires twice and added mudflaps./Marquee outside of York facilty congratulating Connie on her incredible accomplishment.

It’s nearly impossible to conceptualize the amount of work the duo has completed or influenced over the years. A 900-word blog will surely not be able to tell the complete story of what their commitment has meant to the company.

Nonetheless, it’s a great reminder that as time goes on and technology advances, people will always be BAE Systems’ greatest strength.

“They tried robots years ago, and a robot cannot read a weld. Simple as that,” Taylor said.

All employees appreciate heartfelt, sincere, specific recognition no matter how long they have worked somewhere.

These ideas are vital to maintain our culture, accelerate growth, and ultimately help us be seen as an employer of choice. It will enable us to continue to Protect Those Who Protect Us® & Innovate For Those Who Move the World™.

Whether you’re working from home, in the office, or in the field – take a moment today to thank someone for all that they do.

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