Silvia Rivera Cardoza joined the former Hughes Aircraft company - now Rockwell Collins - in May 1973 as a production operator in Mexicali, Mexico.

Now a production training head in personnel, Rivera said the opportunity to advance in our company has kept her job rewarding.

"Being recognized for my work and being considered for new positions keeps the job exciting," she said.

Evolutions in technology during the past 35 years have vastly changed Rivera's different roles in our company.

"The manufacturing process used to be very manual," recalled Rivera. "Now, several processes have been automated, and the equipment and machines are high technology."

While working on a radio manufacturing program, Rivera's team was challenged to drastically increase output capacity. Being able to meet and exceed these increased quotas is one of her favorite career success stories.

One of the most important lessons Rivera has learned while working at Rockwell Collins is how to effectively work with other departments to improve efficiency.

"I've had to work with engineers to change the way we train people," said Rivera. "There is no way we could have done it without their technical support and commitment."

A Rockwell Collins sports league veteran, Rivera enjoys pitching on the Mexicali facility's softball team and has been a member of two championship bowling teams.

"I really like learning different things and being able to work in several departments," she said. "But what I enjoy most is the good friends I have made at work."

Barbara (Barb) Struchen joined the former Collins Radio Company - now Rockwell Collins - in July 1968 as a line operator. After graduating from high school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, she was looking for a job in the area and our company was the perfect fit.

Now a production specialist in the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) stock room, Struchen's face is familiar throughout the C-Ave Campus in Cedar Rapids.
"I ride a bike around to pick up and deliver parts to employees, and many people know me through this aspect of my job," she said.

Building and sustaining relationships with co-workers has always been a top priority for Struchen throughout her 40-year tenure with Rockwell Collins.

Each month, she provides employees in two separate Cedar Rapids buildings an opportunity to join together by organizing a "Movie of the Month" at a local theater.

"I have most enjoyed the people I have gotten to know," said Struchen. "We spend a lot of time together at work, yet still make time to see each other outside of the work-day hours."

In her free time, Struchen enjoys going to country music concerts, spending time with her daughters and grandchildren, and taking pictures to share with her co-workers.

She has accrued several weeks of vacation during her 40-year career, and is enjoying the opportunity to take time off to travel.

"I am so proud that I have worked here for 40 years," she said. "I watched my two daughters grow up here in Cedar Rapids, and I am now enjoying seeing my grandchildren grow up as I continue my career with Rockwell Collins."

Carlos Urrea Vasquez joined the former Hughes Aircraft company - now Rockwell Collins - in July 1973 as an electronics technician in Mexicali, Mexico. His decision to join our company came after a visit to our facility as a student.

"I liked what I saw when I visited the company and knew that was where I wanted to work," said Urrea. "It was my first job and has been the only place I've worked for the past 35 years."

Now an IPT production manager, Urrea said his ascent from assembling digital watches to managing the second shift has been an exciting one. He currently oversees employees building communications and entertainment systems for commercial airliners and business and regional jets.

Attaining production goals is the most thrilling aspect of the job for Urrea. One of his best successes came when a team he was overseeing as a manufacturing project manager in audio projects reached the highest level of achievement.

"It was exciting being able to meet such a challenging goal while working as a team," he said.

In his free time, Urrea plays on multiple Rockwell Collins sports teams, including many championship teams. His most recent success was on the 2007 championship bowling team.
Vazquez said he has stayed with his first and only job for so long because of an enjoyable work environment and friendly co-workers.

"Love what you are doing and have passion to work every day," he advised.

Larry Westergren joined the former Collins Radio Company - now Rockwell Collins - in July 1963 as an engineering laboratory technician. Today, he is an electrical engineer in our Advanced Technology Center (ATC).

A native of Bertha, Minn., Westergren heard about the opportunity to work for our company while on a trip to apply for a job with another company in Minneapolis, Minn.

"I was planning on applying for a job with the company where my uncle was working," said Westergren. "I read about the job at Collins Radio in a Minneapolis newspaper, and after an interview there I was flown to Cedar Rapids for another interview. I never did apply for that other job."

During his 45-year career, Westergren says improved Global Positioning Systems (GPS) capabilities are the most noticeable difference he has seen.

"In 1976, the first GPS receiver I helped design required racks of equipment and was flown in a cargo plane over a transmitter since there were no satellites in orbit," recalled Westergren. "Today, most cell phones have a GPS receiver and can fit in our pockets or purses."

The opportunity to work on innovative projects is what has kept Westergren's job exciting. He cites the PR-66 radio program and the chance to work with engineers from our facility in Toronto, Canada, as one of his most interesting opportunities.

While on the project in the mid-1960s, Westergren worked in Toronto for seven months as a lab technician, assisting in testing the frequency synthesizers of the radios.

Westergren said he is most proud of his involvement with the Collins Radio Stabilized Master Oscillator (SMO) group.

"The group was recognized as a core technology," said Westergren. "We were known as a worldwide leader in Frequency Synthesizers."

James J. Woodhouse III (Jim) joined the former Collins Radio Company - now Rockwell Collins - in July 1973 as a Manufacturing Test Technician in the Collins Radio Commercial Division's Microwave Test Department.

Today, Woodhouse is an industrial engineer in the Product Support department in Richardson, Texas. His principal responsibilities include overseeing repairs of some of the oldest equipment our company still supports. In some cases, this includes supporting the estimating department in the development of test labor hours for either major or spares bids.

A native of Norfolk, Va., Woodhouse enlisted in the U.S. Army for three years following graduation from high school. After basic training, he spent a year in the Army's Ground Control Approach (GCA) Radar school at Fort Monmouth, N.J., and later attended Non-commissioned Officer (NCO) School where, for the next 12 weeks, he studied the Army's supply system.  After completing NCO school, his next assignment was in South Vietnam.

After arriving in Vietnam with his company, Woodhouse learned there were too many radar technicians, and was reassigned to one of its detachments in Vin Long, where he was placed in charge of the Avionics Supply System. This was the first time he heard about a company named Collins Radio Company.

A few months later, Woodhouse was presented with an opportunity to work as a "Module Jockey" with the ARC-54 Radio, which was a Collins Radio Company manufactured unit. Little did he know that in three years he would be working as a test technician for the Cedar Rapids-based company.

 "I feel very fortunate to have worked with and around engineers who had been with Collins Radio Company for so many years and who have taught me so much," said Woodhouse. "The main reason it has been so much fun working at Collins Radio - now Rockwell Collins - is because of the opportunity to work in various disciplines.

Over the years, Woodhouse has been a test technician, cost estimating administrator, manufacturing electrical engineer, test supervisor/manufacturing electrical engineer, and an industrial engineer, which is a position he describes as a "jack of all trades and a master of none."

When it comes to the next generation of Rockwell Collins leaders and employees, Woodhouse has some words of wisdom.

"Learn as much as possible about our products from those who know, listen to the ideas and opinions of others, and accept responsibility for your own actions."