Wed, Sep 08, 2010
Fort Walton Machining Owner Lost When T-6 Went Down In The Gulf
Of Mexico
Tim McDonald had owned Fort Walton Machining for 13 years, and
by many accounts was the company's driving force. He was the chief
marketer, personally involved in business development, and invested
heavily in the company to be sure its people and equipment were
top-notch.
File Photo
So it's no surprise that when McDonald was fatally injured when
his T-6 Texan went down in the Gulf of Mexico July 2nd, it left a
major void at the top of the org chart.
But McDonald's family has regrouped and moved ahead, keeping
Fort Walton Machining alive and thriving. McDonald's son, also
named Tim, said the accident made the company pull together and
work harder. "Everyone felt that they needed to pick up the slack,"
the younger McDonald told the Northwest Florida Daily
News. "It just made us drive a little harder toward the end
goal."
The company is now overseen by a seven-member board of
directors, which includes McDonald's widow, his son, Greg Britton,
the company's general manager and senior vice president, along with
four others. The elder McDonald, who already had his retirement
well in the works, had mapped out a succession plan which
turned over the company to Britton and his son. In 2007, he had
placed the company in a trust, leaving it to his family in the
event of his death. The family said selling it was not even
considered after the accident.
Fort Walton Machining has about 60 clients, according to the
paper, including Boeing, L-3 Communications, and Lockheed Martin.
The company is projecting growth of about 19 percent this year,
despite the accident and the economy, and is building a new
metal-finishing facility in the Fort Walton Beach Commerce
Technology Park.
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