ILMA Compoundings April 2018 - 64

PORTRAIT
George Abernathy
Chemist/Sales-Marketing
Department Manager, Battenfeld
Grease & Oil Corp.
"Trust, but verify. I think inherently we all want to
trust people in life, but there are times for all of
us when we get taken (sometimes in large ways,
other times in small instances), and we asked
ourselves 'Why?' 'Trust but verify' is always a
good axiom to follow, as you won't be blindsided
because you were not diligent enough in asking
the questions to verify if something is real, true or
worthy of trust. Be true to oneself - trust yourself."

LEARNING WHAT IT IS TO BE EARNING

PROVEN IN THE INDUSTRY
"I have been a stainless steel smelting chemist since college,
researcher in plating, and my first lubricant manufacturing
opportunity was for rolling oils at D.A. Stuart Co. I developed
their various products, and then I went into the field for trials
and made sure they worked.
"I was then offered a position at Fuchs Lubricants Co. in
their [research and development] lab or sales department.
I chose sales because I like the idea of being compensated
based on how hard I could work, and if I didn't work hard, I
wouldn't be working long! I interviewed with the vice president
of sales, and his concern was the lack of salesmanship in my
background: 'No one has ever come from the lab and was capable of doing this job.' This made me so determined to do the
job that I doubled my territory in the first six months and kept
going from there. We've been good friends ever since!"

AUTOMOBILES AND ACREAGE
"I love mechanical things - autos, motorcycles, guns, watches,
pulling tractors - anything that moves or you can get more
horsepower out of. My true passion, though, is older cars. They
had style and a certain engineering to them back then. In the
early days of cars, they didn't all look the same, as they do
now. I have a dozen cars but have a particular love for BMWs,
Jaguars and Mercedes. I first got the spark with a 1972 GTO
convertible I bought when I graduated high school in 1974.
"I also love spending time on my land and pond. I bought 27
acres a block south of Lake Ontario. The wildlife here is abundant and wonderful to photograph, fishing is a block away
and there is plenty of hunting out back. Sunsets are grand
overlooking the pond with a drink in-hand."

APRIL 2018

| COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG

"Something that probably shaped me the most growing up
was a rule my parents had for me in which I needed to earn
half of anything I wanted, such as a new bike, BB gun or fishing rod and reel. I mowed lawns in the summer and shoveled
snow in the winter around my neighborhood. I also learned
that if I did a good job, or did a little extra for the task, I would
get rewarded with a tip - a little extra something, even if it
was advice or another lawn to mow. I learned the value of
each dollar I worked for."

MASTERING MUSIC AND SPORTS
"It might surprise some folks, but I was actually offered a
scholarship to Penn State for playing the oboe. I played classical music and played saxophone, flute, clarinet, bassoon -
everything but the brass instruments, basically. It also might
surprise some that I played for and against USVBA volleyball
teams for over 22 years - indoor and beach ball all over the
East Coast. I keep the trophies I won in a box for my grandkids
to see one day because I got tired of dusting them off. Those
were some great memories, especially the ones on the beach."

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ILMA Compoundings April 2018

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