Welcome to Advanced Automation, a podcast by Calvary Robotics, where you'll find industry leaders and experts sharing their thoughts on the world of automation. Hello, everyone. I'm Josh Gravel, your host for this installment of Advanced Automation podcast by Calvary Robotics. Today, with us, we have Chris Passero. Thanks for being with us, Chris. Thanks, Josh. It's good to be here. Yeah. I mean, when you look through the history of Calvary Robotics, you are one of the first names that's gonna pop up. Over thirty eight years in the automation industry, you have under your belt, and twenty five of which has been with Calvary right here. So, just kinda wanna have you take us through what led up to before Calvary. Yeah, Josh. So I was, I did my apprenticeship program at a, company called Rogers Associates. And from there, I learned, you know, everything that I needed to to become a machine builder, tool maker. I learned how to weld, paint. We took blueprint reading courses, all the math courses you had to take, and course, assembling machines was a big part of it. And, that's what, led me to where I am today. Over these years, thirty over thirty eight years, how many automation systems do you think you've built? Josh, That's really hard to say. Hundreds, I guess. It depends. I mean, some years, you might only work on one or two machines if they're really large. And, sometimes you'll work on those small cells, and you might pump a bunch of those out in one year. So it it varies. But, all in all, I'd say I have done quite a few. Yeah. It's it's hard to pinpoint, but, yeah, it's it's out there. Right? Yes. When Mark Chaney, our CEO and founder, started the company over twenty five years ago, You were one of the first employees. What like, technically, what number were you on the roster? I'm employee number three. Number three. And we, you know, we have over two hundred people. You know, some people come and go obviously, but just keeps growing here. That's it's incredible to think that you were number three on the team here. That's that's awesome. And over twenty five years with the company. I think a lot of people strive to wanna to wanna have that history, you know? I've been very fortunate. Calvary's been a good place to work. Yeah. I agree. What was it like, you know, in the early years of Calvary? Take us back to some of those days that we've seen pictures of maybe or just heard about, you know, the listeners kinda wanna see through your eyes. Well, in the beginning, when we were really small, it was always interesting. It was fast paced. You're always doing something different. You had to wear many hats. Like, for instance, I might be doing payroll one minute, and then I get called out to the floor to help do some assembly out there, you know, run to the store and pick up this or that, and just multiple things you had to do, clean the bathroom. I mean, did it all. You had to do it all back then. We're there's only a few of us. I'm sure some of those tasks you might not miss. I don't miss some of them. What what are your some of your favorite things though over the years? Well, some of the best things at Calvary, of course, are the people. I've met a lot of great people here and friend made friendships with them. Some of the equipment that we make is just mind boggling. It's really highly innovative and technologically advanced, and it's just fun to watch. So I I love doing stuff like that. Yeah. I mean, this this industry is just naturally seems to change by day almost. And to have to for too once again, twenty five years, over twenty five years or thirty eight in your whole career, you've probably seen so much. It's great to see Calvary grow from its infancy from, you know, like I said, just three or four of us in the beginning to, like you say, over two hundred now. It's just it's it's mind boggling. It's it's really gives you a sense of accomplishment and it's great to see. It is. Is there a job that stands out to you that you've done? Or I'm sure you've done, like you said, hundreds of jobs, but But tell us about one that really stuck with you. Well, there's been a lot of jobs that really stand out, but one in particular was a recent one we just did, last year. It was to help, develop, COVID testing, and it was a job that we had little time to develop, assemble, install, debug, and it we did it. We made all the, dates that we had to make, and it it was, knowing that it was going to the COVID and helping out with everything, it was just it was just a great sense of accomplishment. That's incredible. Could you tell us more or tell us about Mark's investment in r and d throughout the years? I know that's a big point for him in keeping up and seeing what's out there. Can you kinda delve into that for us? Well, as long as I can remember, Mark is always looking to improve things, how to develop certain better processes, being on the cutting edge. It's, maybe develop, our own product line so we're not dependent on other businesses to keep this place busy. So he's always looking for the next best thing, always looking to improve and, being on the cutting edge. Yeah. And I know pre engineered solutions, for example, that help take down the amount of engineering time and things and the build times. All everything's streamlined from a to b. Right? You've seen that happen where more standardized products come out of this place. Yeah. Standardization seems to be a big thing right now. So if you can do that and streamline everything else, it it makes the flow go much faster. What has, kept you passionate about this industry for so long? Well, I find the work, very interesting. I like to watch the kids come in. You know, when I did my apprenticeship, there was a lot of senior guys there that taught you what to do, better ways of doing things, basically, how to become a good toolmaker. And now it's come full circle, and I'm at that age now where the young kids are coming in, and I like to help progress them so that they can become a tool maker or become a machine builder, and it's just satisfying. Become the next Chris Passaro. Right? Yeah, I don't know about that. That's a Shoes are too big to fill maybe there. No. No, but I know mentoring is a big deal to you and you don't take that lightly. Even me personally, being in a marketing role, you've taught me a lot of things. And, you know, it's to keep an organization going, having people with that tribal knowledge is such an important part, and it shows, I think. Well, the kids are our future. So, I mean, if Calvary wants to endure and go on and we gotta get them up to par and so Calvary can succeed, beyond, you know, the next ten, fifteen, twenty years. Well, I'll say thank you on behalf of all of us right now for for all your teachings. But you have a lot of years left, so we're not it's not like we're closing the door on this yet. Not not quite yet. Yeah. Right. I got a few left anyway. Right. And speaking of, you've lived in the Greater Rochester region your whole life. What keeps you here? Yeah. Josh, I've been here my whole life. I like Rochester. I my family's here. Calvary's here. I can't imagine working any place else. I like the seasons here, although I find winter a little at this age, a little bit too long. There's always a concert. There's always a festival. There's just a, you know, you can there's the waterways around here. You can fish. You can go boating. There's just a lot to do. It's a it's a great place to work. Great place to live. Yeah. Rice family, all that. I totally agree with you. Yep. Come visit us, really. So crystal ball, Chris. In your opinion, what does the future of the industry look like? Well, that's a good question, Josh. Because when I started my apprenticeship all those years ago, there was multiple, multiple machine shops, tool and die shops all around the Greater Rochester area. And right now, there's really not that many. So in that aspect, it's kinda discerning, but at the same time, I think the industry is just getting more and more technological, and you need to stay up on the cutting edge. You need to do your due diligence and find everything that you make your niche in the market, I guess, was what you wanted I am trying to say. Yeah. Absolutely. And and that shows. Right? You you've seen that happen with Calvary. Right. Calvary Calvary has, endured because, you know, and been successful because we're very flexible, we're innovative, and, you know, everything's fast paced. It's we're very adaptive. We can we can do things quickly here. Yeah. And all those industries that you might not traditionally think is gonna have automation, you might be surprised. That's that's, you know, wide open. Right? Right. What would you give a recommendation to for future generations that are looking to get into the industry? Well, I think that this business, is a great business to get into. If you like to work with your hands, if, you like technology, it's a great field. Now you couldn't if you even wanna do machine building, you could be, an engineer. So, I know right now robotics is a big thing, and, the kids all like coming out of college. They a lot of them don't wanna get their hands dirty, but they like the robots. So they that's what they wanna do. And it's a it's a it's a great field. It's always interesting. You're always learning something now. Right. It's true. It's very true. Well, I appreciate you doing this, Chris. I, you know, I almost wish we could have audience chime in and ask any questions. You can always email us, but thanks for doing it. Okay, Josh. Thank you. Appreciate it. Yeah. And And thanks everybody for listening. We have other episodes to listen to. Check out our website, calvaryrobotics dot com, and we'll have more in the future. Have a great day.
