F a l l 2 0 1 9 • S T U F F 3 7
S T U F F M a d e I n C T . c o m
"We make a difference. Our final judgment makes a big
difference," Ramsay said.
Started at the bottom
In Eastford, Mark LaMountain is a business unit manager at
Whitcraft, which manufactures parts for the F-35 fighter jet
engines, as well as parts enabing the planes to take off and
land vertically. As you might imagine, precision is key, along
with quality, and the skill level of the people working on the
parts.
LaMountain oversees an approximately 50-person team at
Whitcraft. He began working in the aerospace industry at the
age of 20, having been attracted by the industry's reputation
for job security. He worked his way up, starting on the
production floor.
"The more I did it," he said, "the more I learned to love it. . . .
It's enjoyable work, challenging work."
LaMountain is particularly fortunate to work for a company
investing in its employees, he said.
"The company pays for my college, they've put me through a
year-long apprenticeship program, they sent me overseas to
study. There's a lot of opportunities to learn," he said.
But he also enjoys the challenging nature of his job.
"Every day when you go in, there's a lot of engineering
problems to overcome, and we work . . . as a team to overcome
these things," LaMountain said.
The parts have grown more complex over time.
Mark LaMountain
POSITION: Business unit manager
COMPANY: Whitcraft, Eastford
AGE: 35
RESIDENCE: Putnam
SALARY RANGE FOR THIS TYPE OF JOB:
About $75,000 for entry level, progressing to
$100,000+ with experience.
GAP YEARS:
"I'm a bit of a traveler. I took a
couple of years off to travel around the country."
Pratt & Whitney tests jet engines at its Middletown facility.
PHOTO
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RJ
Larussa
