Tom graduated from the Communications Electronics field but while at Ranken he had a class in Drafting, and he loved it so much it became a career. Upon graduating he was hired by National Vendors as a Junior Technical Illustrator. His electronics proved invaluable in laying out schematics and wiring diagrams. Turns out Tom was a natural at laying out complex schematics and wiring diagrams. At National Vendors he also learned Trimetric exploded views of equipment. After six years he moved on to Emerson Electric where his technical illustration skills really took off. When computers came into the picture, Tom was the first one in the department chosen to transfer the schematics and wiring diagrams to the computer. Later on, Trimetric exploded views were put on the computer as well. Over the years Emerson spun off their military division and that company was bought and sold and merged with other companies, but Tom always stayed with the same company and retired in 2010 from DRS Technologies. Tom Said, “None of it would have been possible without my Ranken education.”