Introduction:

I was born in Oneonta, NY, USA and grew up in the small town of Maryland in NY's central leather stocking region. I am the oldest of three, and have a brother Anthony and sister Bethann. Our parents are all you could ask for and more. That's us at the kid sister's graduation. She's the smartest one, top in her class, but I think Tony and I raised more hell over the years.

The Early Years:
I have known my best friend Orrin since our diaper days. We have shared many adventures over the years.




I grew up playing in our 5.75 acre /2.3 hectare back yard and as I got older, the surrounding area. The hills were great for sledding and racing pedal cars down, but my first means of going faster were cross country skis. We used to jump on the ice in the creek in the winter, build dams in the summer, Crayfish hunting in the larger stream near by.

Growing Up:
I spent all of my K-12 years at Schenevus Central School. I played trumpet in the band, played soccer and baseball in middle school and kept playing baseball till I graduated. In those years, I was also active in Scouting. Some think you're crazy, to go out in the middle of winter, pitch a tent and not have anywhere to go inside. I find it one of the most rewarding things to do, to leave the TV, to go out in the fresh air, play cards and eat around a campfire. I spent 4 amazing summers working as an instructor in that time period and 2 more later on. I met a lot of good people. Joe, my brother and I would spend the second half of our high school days going to school dances, playing pool, going bowling and making trips to Crossgates Mall in Albany. Some of my crowning achievements were graduating Regents with Honors and receiving my Eagle Scout Award.

Exchange:
While most people were getting ready to go off to college, I was getting ready to risk it all and go into the unknown. I was going to be an exchange student in Augsburg, Germany. Of all the risks I've ever taken, this one has paid off the most. Mind you, I didn't speak a word of German before I left. I learned it the best way possible, by doing it. I met Melanie N. in my first week and we started trading letters after that. We became great friends and I'm happy to say she still helps me to improve my German.

My first host family was Petraks. It was interesting at first, cause Rainer's English was on par with my German - nonexistent. I owe it to him that I got the chance to kayak in the canal used for the 72 olympics, which was only half a mile down the road. We had a good understanding on things. I had the chance to revisit my childhood obsession of steam trains when we went to Nordlingen on a steam train. The model train layout he has in the attic is one of the most impressive things I've ever seen. We also had a good time playing trumpet together. I played a lot of hands of spades with Martin, Miriam and Renata when we had dinner at her place. My host sister Melanie was great. Having just come back from Argentina, she understood what I was going through. We were the same age and it was fun to hang out with her. She was a big help when it came to reading Melanie's letters and trading them back and forth would have been a lot harder without her, as I was in a different school than them, reading even harder. I would go to her with manuscripts of translation with huge blank spots in the beginning. We had a great Christmas together.

It's standard practice to switch host families as a Rotary Exchange Student. After New Years, it was time for my first change. I went to Königsbrunn to live with Nietsches. By this point in time my German was getting fluent and it was easier to get to know Rita, Julia, Günter and Christopher. I learned the most schwäbisch German I ever have from Günter. Rita always made sure I had everything I needed. Julia, Christopher and I would watch Stefan Rabb and laugh till no end. Julia was great and gave me all the advice on girls that you can't get from your bros at a time when I needed it the most. We had a lot of fun going out to the movies with the Königsbrunn crew. We went skiing for a total of 10 days in the Austrian Alps. I have never skied in so much powder in my life. The nights up in the hut were filled with games, and we were always the first out on the slopes. They were great in hosting my family when they came to visit, to which we are forever grateful (not the right word, but my English is getting poorer).

When May rolled around, it was time for Koren and I to swap families and I went to live with Prillers. Sebastian is the forth generation owner of the family brewery, the largest in the city, with the younger Sebastian (Basti) getting ready to make it five. Silvia was always very helpful and it was interesting to discuss political/social issues with her and Sebastian. Dominikus(Mini) and Hanna made sure that my social life didn't suffer. We would watch the Simpsons, sometimes with a 20 piece nugget and BBQ sauce in hand. It was a gorgeous summer and we frequented the beer gardens. Silvia, Hanna and I went to the Worlds Fair in Hannover. It was a summer that goes like most, too fast, but the whole year was like that.

Not to be forgotten, is Holbein Gymnasium, where I went to school. Frau Brenner took great care of all of us exchange students. We had a lot of good meetings up stairs in the alt Bau. I also learned a lot of (and all of my) British English in her 11F class. Participating in Frau Seger's college level English was interesting and entertaining. We had a lot of good class discussions. I could still do some math and physics, no German required. Dr. Lorbeer was also a good mentor. I spent a good portion of time playing in the Holbein Big Band. Herr Kellerman did a great job with us. The concerts, the practice week, the trip to England, and even the weekly practices were awesome.

In a year I experienced what it meant to be German. Most people think Autobahn, Oktoberfest and beer when they think of Germany, but that's like saying the USA is shopping malls, the Statue of Liberty and White House. I had three great host families who helped me make my year one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I became fluent in German and experienced a culture I've fallen in love with. I could go on and on, and to some of you I have. My experience as an exchange student is a book in its own right and the people are the heart of it.

College:
After my year, I started college at RIT, Rochester Institute of Technology in western New York studying mechanical engineering. G7, our dorm, was a happening place. John and I built my first computer, we used to hang out with Brandon, Marci and the rest of the crew. I picked up a part time jobs patrolling the dorms to make sure things were cool and took notes for deaf students taking German. They liked my thoroughness, and I was requested often for the following quarter. I participated in the Leadership program, LEAD my first two years and spent a year as a resident advisor my second year. In the early days, it was a struggle to find the right balance, to see where I wanted my college experience to take me. The time management lessons learned in my fist two years helped make my remaining three years an even greater success. Learning to balance girlfriend, school, work, formula and fun time comes hard when there just aren't enough hours in the day. I have to agree, "The quality of a university is measured more by the kind of student it turns out than the kind it takes in." ~Robert J. Kibbee I'd like to think I'm proof of that, but that I also had something to do with it.

Once in a while Jeremy and I would get together with people and go backpacking in the mountains between south western and northern PA. There's nothing more refreshing than throwing a 40 lb (20kg) pack on and walking through the wilderness for a good 18 mi. (27km). It also became a standard ritual to make the annual drive out to Indianapolis to visit fellow exchange student Scott. Scott went to Purdue and became Pilot and we had a lot of fun flying to Chicago and going to the races.


Far and above all my other activities, I joined the RIT Formula SAE race car team. My 4 active years on the team are almost as indescribable as my exchange. It's hard to explain what it means to be part of a group that designs, builds and races a car, let alone one that successfully competes internationally. I was lucky enough to participate as a group leader and driver in 4 events including two competitions is Australia. While I would have liked to have sampled all the things RIT had to offer, I learned in high school that to be a part of something and make a difference, you have to focus and devote yourself to a couple things and not everything. Some work and party or have hobbies. I devoted four years to formula. I will always miss not having the fifth year, but I had the means to support myself via a good part time job at B&L and decided it was time for me to step up to the plate and do that.

RIT has a good program and professors such as Kozak and Scarborough made learning what it is suppose to be. I might have left RIT with a BS in Mech E, but what I really left with is a great group of friends. I'll always remember the good times with Erin. I am as strong as I am today because of her. Erika taught me to have faith in myself, and see the things others see in me, and the things they don't. I spent a lot of good times with Pam and Aaron, and there aren't too many people who will go to the ER with you. Aaron & Erika made it their mission to remind me that there was life outside of formula, and it would be good for me to enjoy it once in a while. If ever there was a booming voice ringing down the quarter mile that was ready to burst our giggling, it was Liz and it was sure to be an interesting night if she was along.


Co-Ops:
I also had the privilege of working with several great groups of people through my co-ops. While working at Amphenol Aerospace, Bausch & Lomb and Honda R&D, not only did I learn how to be a better engineer, I learned how to be a professional. Each experience gave me some great memories.

Amphenol Aerospace - Sidney, NY I started work the day after returning from racing in Austrailia for the first time. It was a depressing morning, I had been pulled over for doing 92 in a 65 (that's 150 in a 110 for you km/h people) the night before. Oh well, you'll have that. I was working in the test lab, rigging up stuff, testing material samples, analyzing field failures. I learned how to solder. The best memories are drinking coffee while eating my morning bagel and talking to John L and the daily lunchtime pitch games. The table talk was hilarious. I can still hear Phil saying "without knowing." There was Kevin "the kid," Biviano, Barbie girl and the girls (all 30+ mind you) in the room where the plasma chamber was. It was an interesting time, what with me driving out to Rochester every weekend to work on the race car and to try and chase a girl. If there was ever a winter where I proved my driving, that was it.

NCR^3 - RIT Rochester, NY I think if it hadn't been for Bill M. out in the lab, I woulda shot myself. Everyone should have a job they don't like, it teaches you what to watch out for. Nothing wrong with people, just not my cup of tea.

Bausch & Lomb RD&E - Rochester, NY This time around, I decided not to start the day after returning from Australia. I was still jet lagged, but I can remember being in a conference with Travis - TREVOR, Dave B, Tom & Jerry. I was to work on wet vision, whatever that meant. After learning about plumbing from Ray and Ryan, I would soon find out.

In the early days, we didn't know what to expect, no one had ever tried this before. So I spent some time working with Kim, imaged lenses and wrote my first report. Things were always hopping, there was always something new. Process development, software development, hardware improvement, you'd never think it took that much to make something so small. That machine became my baby. I saw concepts of the line and knew the guys from PMD. My understanding of the Irish accent would improve with every weekly conference. I would go to bed at night counting lenses rather than sheep. At a time in my life when people were selling me out left and right, the team, my family at B&L was helping me see and realize my potential.

They kept me on over the summer as I brought Placé and Much up to speed. I don't remember how many cans of coffee I went through that summer, but it would be my finest ever. Wednesday nights were all nighters, but progress had to be made and I had to stay in school. Sleep wasn't a priority. At the end of the summer, I left to check out the automotive world at Honda.

After Honda, I came back for more, and more lunches. Placé and I would tag team the vision system with Much Baaaahhhhh-ing all the way. We were working on our senior design project. Double your pleasure, double your fun, we were going full bore. It would be another TLA (three letter acronym) with LBI. After graduating, and with the arrival of the line, the all out onslaught began. We were processing lenses faster than we could process data, it was great. It was also great to see the concepts, how they had changed, changed again and finally been built into one awesome lens making machine. We had to bring John G JR on just so we could focus on vision. I've seen robots do things I never knew they could and met the CEO. I left knowing the meaning of requirements and acceptance criteria.

The end was bitter sweet. I had a family there, I was the grandfather of wet vision. I was going to have to stop riding the lunch train. It was great to play my first game of golf at the beginning of September with Joe, Tom, Travis and the rest of us hooligans who were PAQ. The going away party the next Friday ranks up there next to golf as some of the best times I've had. I was never so sad for a night to end as I was riding back in Bill's boat after partying for 12 hours straight. It was so good, I had to stop in one last time afterwards, just to see everyone one more time, and get one more free lunch(thanks guys). Thank you Tom, Bill, Much and Placé, you guys were the best.

Honda R&D - Marysville, Ohio Up until the point I moved down to the small city outside of Columbus, all I knew is that it took forever to drive through Ohio. Honda was unlike anything I've ever seen. We had white uniforms with our names on them, but they washed them for you. I would have been willing to wear a uniform all through college for free laundry. There were 5 of us co-oping in the group. We all lived in the near by housing complex, we all suffered from the same illness, we were all a bunch of crazy mo-fo's. In no time at all, we had a full program. Mondays and Thursdays were Soccer with our group in the Honda league. Tuesdays we went to Buffalo Wild Wings with all the other co-ops social enough to go out for wings and beer. Wednesdays we went climbing and the weekends were always filled with something crazy. We played drunken Gran Turismo 3 with spec racer mini (Cooper, the original), autocrossed, or went to one of the many parties being hosted by a fellow associate. With all the activity, we were able to start our own weekly newsletter. We were the co-op crew and we had almost as much fun at work as we did outside of it. If I could remember all the co-op jokes. But I remember k-factor, kgf, and DAQ. I'll never forget going out to Stone Hause with Joan and Krista, Chris's 21st, the 555 TT, pimping out the Breeze with Paul, Riding around in the TL with Chris, setting up equipment with Howard, Jeremiah & John (not to mention getting busted on), and playing soccer with Fink, Hutter, Wyatt Earp, Andy "A-Train" & Ryan. I learned that you can drive a shuttle car like a shuttle, but don't need to go through NASA training to do it. Paul's halloween party was a religious experience thanks to Pete. Luckily I wasn't the one who should have been going to confession the next day. I'll never be able to look at another nurse the same again. I'll never forget hearing Nick screaming "That's right!" from his perch in the indoor hall. My P&%§$§ will always hurt, but I will never forget to drive 90 and swerve a lot. My going away party at the Stone House was amazing. I don't remember how many beers everyone bought me, but I do remember the meatball sub. There was Honda Prom last Dec. and I had the pleasure to catch up with some of the gang last March. If I'm ever in town in the fall, I'll be sure to bring my cleats and shin guards. It was the busiest three months of my life and I was happy to hear that I was more than what Brain and Richard thought I'd be.

Germany - The Return:
Sometimes you just can't get enough. People say they'd always see a glow in my eye every time I'd talk about my exchange. I couldn't stay away. I had to see what it was like to be here again, and on my own. I had to see if I could run across the same dream twice. I heard the best of the best were here, so I thought I’d come check it out.

Since the end of October 2005, I've been in Würzburg. I'm working for Siemens VDO, the automotive subsidiary of Siemens. I started off as an applications engineer. By May 2006, I was fairly well worked in and could pick up stuff and run with it. I kept improving over the summer and at the start of September 2006, I was handed my first project. I was unofficially given the PM. I joined the few, the brave, the project managers. By the end of the month, things had changed and I was to take over 2 additional projects. Things went from two suppliers and one customer then multiplied in both directions. Everything was tight, but it worked out in the end.

2006 was an amazing year. I spent a lot of time hanging with Jochen, Manual and the rock star crew. I’ve enjoyed their concerts and enjoyed the nightlife with them. There have been a lot of activities outside of work with my colleagues, where it has been nice to enjoy not talking about work. Everything from breakfast with the girls to full out get-togethers. I have enormous respect and admiration for everyone in our group. With the amount of time I spend with them, they are in many ways, my family away from my family. The occasional road trip with Brian and Jessica has always been an adventure. There has been the internat (high school) dorm crew and that has rounded things out. The times playing soccer, grilling down on the Main and late night chats with Jonnas, Marcel, Fanzi, Lili and Verena.

Inside of a year, I had made it to the point where people inside our project management and apps team wanted me to get hired in. I was loving the work, loved the team and couldn’t complain too much about life. I was completely willing, but it would be a tough up hill battle. It has been an honor to work with Oli, Gitte, Erkan, Roland, Jessica, Carina, Karen, Daniel, Rainer and Peter. That’s our immediate team. Their approval has meant a lot to me. As ’06 was drawing to a close, I was also overcome with how many other people were so concerned and hoped I’d stay.

You might have well taken the water tower from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and painted “Save Frank,” instead. It felt like that. Motor R&D, logistics, quality, purchasing, the sample shop, people out on the floor, customers and maybe even a supplier, or two, they were all crossing their fingers for me.

Before the year closed out, we hit our targets. I had had a bit of help. I have a damn good team. The last 3 months had been quite a killer, but we came out alright and I went home for the first time in 1 year, 2 months, and 21 days. Some would argue I had more than earned it. I had done more than anyone ever expected from me, especially at the start. I had gone above and beyond the duty of a co-op, but maybe that’s because I never saw myself as one. I only earned the co-op wage.

Coming back was a double edged sword. It had been wonderful being home, but, like always, I had something here to do. I wasn't done yet. At the start of ‘007, things looked like not even Bond himself would be able to save my ass. But who needs Bond, maybe all I needed was Dirty Harry, but I suppose a lot of people would say the same thing, “You earned it.” Well, I’m not going to discuss it. If you know me, you know I try to keep it on the down low, modest and let things speak for themselves.

There might be a method to my madness. It looks like I’m going to extend my time here for another 2.5 years, as long as they give me the German equivalent to a green card. So there it is, I kept it low key and did just what I set out to do. I got everything except the girl, but you'll have that at times.

In Closing:
It's closing time. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. I haven't forgotten anyone or anything, there are some memories that are just for me.

To the ladies out there who inspired me to write, draw, speed, drink, and above all else, be the best that is me, I'd love to go into the details, but that wouldn't be right now would it. You know who you are.

I look forward to any feedback you might have for me. Feel free to sign the guestbook and leave me some lovin. There is now an email address as well.

I still haven’t really spell checked anything. Why would I do that.... hehehe
"It's a damn poor mind that can think of only one way to spell a word." Andrew Jackson
My English continues to deteriorate, but I hope it’s still entertaining. It's still good enough to educate those around me on terms like SNAFU.

This post has been rated PG-13, but don't be surprised if you exceed R should you feel the need to snoop around. Children be warned, you might learn something.

Your Editor,
Frank Capristo III

capristolive@googlemail.com