Announcement and Thank You

[Andy Baker]

(I had the opportunity to make this announcement at IRI, and am happy to go into some more detail here on ChiefDelphi.com.)

Dear FIRST community,

With much gratitude and respect to you all, I am very happy to announce that I am leaving my job as Sr. Mechanical Engineer at Delphi Electronics and Safety on September 1st. Mark Koors and I have grown our AndyMark company to the point where I can work full time at AndyMark. We started this company 3 years ago, with our intent of leaving our day jobs at Delphi. Now, that dream is being realized. Mark's departure from Delphi will take place over the next year or two.

We owe a great thanks to you all for this success and my transition. You have been good friends and customers as you have watched us grow as a company. We have debated issues on this website, discussed how our products can be improved, and many of you have tirelessly supported what we are doing. I can’t thank you enough.

Up to this point, we have worked hard to support FRC teams, while being distracted with my responsibilities at Delphi. From this point on, my focus will now be 100% on AndyMark, and that will mean better support and service for FIRST Robotics teams.

AndyMark is also moving into a new home, as we will be tenants at Inventrek Technology Park in Kokomo. Inventrek is a high-tech incubator focused on helping new technology-driven companies realize their potential in developing technology-based initiatives. We move in next week.

Although I will be leaving Delphi, I will continue to be a mentor on the TechnoKats Robotics Team. However, I will not be the lead mentor as I have for the past 8 seasons. We are working on a transition now and my limited responsibilities for team 45 have not been redefined. I would like to thank my TechnoKat teammates, as they have supported us through this whole process. Specifically, I want to thank Mark Koors for being a wonderful teammate and business partner, venturing down this path with me.

Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Mary, for supporting me unconditionally through this process. Without this support, none of this would happen and I would not be in FIRST. My role as husband and father is more important than my role as FIRST mentor and teammate, and I appreciate that she has let me “play with the robots” for so long.

If you are familiar with communicating with me through my Delphi email, you will need to use one of these two addresses to contact me in the future: andybaker45(at)gmail.com or andyb(at)andymark.biz. Also, our mailing address will change to this:

AndyMark, Inc.
700 E. Firmin St.
Suite 114
Kokomo, IN 46902
765-455-1376

Thank you very much,
Andy Baker

[Koko Ed]

Good luck on your endevour, Andy!

Good luck! Having had a parent move from a big company to their own endeavor, I wish you the best of luck!

Also, I'm guessing we're going to see the AndyMark line expand, and improve a bit, due to the full time commitment now?

[Madison]

I'm really excited for you, Andy. When I first read about the announcement you'd made regarding this at IRI, I had a big smile on my face.

It's not only amazing that both you and Mark have been able to build a successful business in AndyMark, but that you've done so while continuing to be exemplary mentors and members of the FIRST community. Where we typically think of business ventures -- especially startups -- as being competitive and secretive, the two of you have offered your help and have been honest with all of us at every turn. It's really amazing and noteworthy.

AndyMark's service and products have all been simply amazing -- especially when compared to some of the larger companies we've dealt with -- and all of us on team xbot are looking forward to doing our part to keep you employed in 2008 and in the future

Way to go

[Josh Murphy]

Congratulations Andy, and best of luck to you.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I got a literal tear in my eye (2 really) when I heard this at the IRI. I'm happy to see you following your dreams and succeeding. Congratulations!

[AndyB]

Best of luck! This is in my opinion, great news for the robotics community. I look forward to seeing AndyMark grow in the coming years.

[Katie Reynolds]

Aww, yay!! Congratulations, Andy!

[JohnBoucher]

All the best. You deserve this.

[Andy Grady]

Congrats Andy on your new direction. May you and Mark continue to be successful by providing something that saves the proverbial kiesters of those of us who don't know a lick about designing a gearbox!

I would proudly put an AM sticker on our robot any day!

Keep it up!

-Andy Grady

[Herodotus]

I can't say I know you as well as some of the other guys on here but I know all about how much work and dedication you have put into your team and into FIRST as a whole. I also know of the high quality parts you put out for the benefit of all teams as we've used plenty. I wish you all the best of luck in continuing AM and look forward to all the goodies you'll be able to make

You say thank you to us, but I say thank you to you for putting out such amazing products and for, more importantly, adding so much to FIRST.

Good luck.

[Kyle Love]

Andy,

I want to formally thank you for impacting my life in the past 4 years that can never be beat. You took me from a freshman who knew nothing, at all, to a confident senior who wasn't afraid to describe the robot to anyone. In the time in between, you (with some other adults also) taught me how to use a mill, lathe, how to run pneumatics, how to design with actually using math that we learned in school and many many many many more things.

At first, I was very intimidated by FIRST, but you have taught all TechnoKats that there is nothing to be afraid of. I can never say thank you enough. It will feel odd this next season going to a new shop and not seeing you there. Even though you are leaving the team lead position, you will still impact ALL future freshman on TechnoKats. You are, and always will be, a legend in the realm of FIRST and you will be rightfully so.

If there is anything you need, ever, do NOT be afraid to ask me for help. You are one of my best friends now, as I said earlier in this note, I can NEVER say thank you enough. Good luck with AndyMark and I hope you and Mark become very successful.

Thank you for all of the great times!

Your friend,
Kyle Love

[Michael Sperber]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

We started this company 3 years ago, with our intent of leaving our day jobs at Delphi. Now, that dream is being realized.

Andy, I wish you and Mark the best of luck. It looks like your dreams are starting to come true!


To all the students on FIRST teams: learn from what Andy and Mark (and so many other mentors) are doing! They had a dream, put a plan together and with hard work and dedication, slowly but surely made that dream come true! It may not happen overnight, but in time if you keep focused and keep working hard, it will become a reality.


-mike

[Wetzel]

Rich said about what I wanted to. (Funny how often that happens...) Andy, I'm glad you have created the opportunity to become self employed, and here's hoping that Mark can join you soon.

Good luck and have fun!

Wetzel

[Erin Rapacki]

Congratulations Andy! You are an inspiration, and I hope to follow in your foot-steps one day. I wish the best of luck to your company to keep growing and growing. Just wondering, would you be willing to consult on custom jobs?

edit:

Oh, just read your website. I might be shooting you an email within the next few months.