In our series of "20 Questions" blog posts, we'll dive into the minds of the partners within our company. Sometimes, you'll learn more about the people you may already know, and others, you'll be introduced to the people behind the scenes that you may have never met before.
We're going inside the minds of the people that make it happen. Day in and day out, they are extraordinary people creating innovative solutions, making life easy for our customers, and providing the integrity and dependability our company is built upon.
2nd Edition:
John Loser
Technical Training Manager
John is veteran of the U.S. Army (1972-1975) and was a Chief Master Sergeant in the Michigan Air National Guard (1981-2007). He worked for IED (Innovative Electronic Designs) before MiTek Corporation acquired the company and merged it with Atlas Sound to become AtlasIED. He has been with the company for 11.5 years and conducts training classes on AtlasIED systems out of our Louisville, KY facility. MiTek Corporation is the parent company of AtlasIED and MTX Audio.
1. What is your role at MiTek Corporation?
I am the lead training manager at the AtlasIED Louisville campus. I create, prepare and deliver training on our products to dealers and their staff, end users and consultants. This includes in-person classes in our Louisville Training Center, on the customer’s site and by Webex. I also create training videos on specific topics about our products.
2. What do you like most about working at MiTek Corporation?
I get paid for doing what I like to do.
3. How has MiTek Corporation changed since you first started?
I joined IED in late 2006, pre-merger with Mitek. The largest change I have seen is a move toward sophisticated electronic products in addition to our lines of metalworks and analog electronics offerings. Since January 2008, Mitek has added number of DSP or network-based products. The recent addition of a large number of employees in our engineering departments bodes for a leap in our technology offerings. I would not be surprised to see AtlasIED become the industry lead for professional audio DSP/network offerings in the future.
4. What is the one thing, you can’t live without?
Music. I enjoy listening to many forms and genres. “Classic Rock”, jazz, classical and some dubstep.
5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Actually, there are two. The first is from my basic Training Drill sergeant: “You can take anything, survive anything for five minutes. If you can’t do it for five, you can for three. If not for three minutes, you can for one minute.” The second is from a good friend: “When someone offers you a hand up to the next level, take it.”
6. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to be a naval electronics officer. I chose the next best thing by working in the electronics industry.
7. What does a typical day look like for you?
Is there a “typical day”? I can be doing anything from preparing training or giving classes, to making videos, to doing a photo shoot or helping a customer work through an issue with a system that is being installed. That’s what I like. Never the same day twice.
8. What is your favorite restaurant?
The Irish Rover in Louisville. I love the atmosphere; it’s in an 1880’s mercantile/bar. The food is authentic Irish – and delicious. The proprietor, Michael is jolly and he always has a story to tell.
9. How do you define success?
Being able to do one’s job well with an amount of acknowledgement from family, peers, superiors and others. While money can follow success, not all successful people have a lot of money and not all people with a lot of money are truly successful.
10. If you could have any job for just one day, what would it be?
Astronaut on a distant planet. I would love to see what other worlds actually look like.
11. What three traits define who you are?
I believe they are honesty, loyalty, and patriotism.
12. What is the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery?
Fully-funded college education for my grandkids.
13. What is an ability you wish you had?
I wish I could read music in such a way that I actually hear the music in my mind as my eyes scan the notes on the page.
14. What is the best vacation spot you've been to?
Venice, Italy. I love walking through the winding streets and seeing all the shops. (And the food is to die for in some of the restaurants there.)
15. What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to read and watch old movies. In the past year I have read “Killing Kennedy” and “Alexander Hamilton”. I have watched “The Thin Man”, “My Man Godfrey” and several Humphry Bogart films.
I also enjoy photography.
16. Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us.
I am one of sixteen siblings and steps. I have five brothers, two sisters, four step sisters and four step-brothers. (of the 16 children, 15 are still living.)
17. If you were stuck on an island what three things would you bring?
Presuming that I could obtain food on the island: A knife, a solar powered music player and a good book.
18. If you had your own late night talk show, who would you invite as your first guest and why?
Living person: Alan Greenspan. I would love to understand why our economy works the way it does if he could explain in relatively simple terms.
No longer living: Dual guests- Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters. I love how they interact to cause great laughter.
19. If you were famous, what would you be famous for?
My award-winning Chili or my soon-to-never-be-published novel “It was a Dark and Stormy Night”.
20. You have to sing karaoke, what song do you pick?
"Tequila"