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Alumni Career Feature – John Walls

We feature alumni with interesting careers from a variety of career areas. To find out more about the alumnus profession contact them via the e-mail provided. Or if you are interested in being featured, e-mail us at alumni@pct.edu.

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John Walls

• A.A.S., Electronics, 1984
• Calyx Metrology, Inc
• jwalls@calyxmet.com
• Employer's Web site

Career beginnings

While studying at Williamsport Area Community College, he participated in an unpaid internship at the Williamsport Hospital. This internship gave him the opportunity to have more extensive hands-on training in replacing basic electronic devices. This experience eventually helped him land his first position in the field at Meridda Erie in Carlisle. After gaining more knowledge there, he knew he wanted to work in biomedical electronics. He was then offered a position at Sunbury Community Hospital. They never had a biomedical engineer; therefore, John was responsible for building the department.

Abbott

While working for Sunbury Community College, he contacted Abbot, which is based in Houston, TX, to learn how to fix IV pumps. While Abbot did not offer the training program that was needed, they were looking to expand their company in Pennsylvania and were about to branch into infusion device technology. They offered John a position in Boston to begin his training and career with them. After some time in Boston, he was eventually relocated to the State College facility. In time, John’s position was eliminated at the State College plant. He was offered higher-ranked positions in both Phoenix and Los Angeles, but John was content in the State College area. John worked with Abbott for sixteen years and in 1995, he was presented with the Vice President’s Award, which is Abbott’s highest honor. When his position was eliminated, he decided to look at unemployment as an opportunity instead of a hardship.

Calyx Metrology, Inc.

After the elimination of his position, John decided that it would be beneficial to have a facility that specializes in calibration. Calibration is checking the accuracy of measurement instruments. He had a vast array of experience in calibrating for hospitals and labs and also had performed a great deal of market research. In 2002, he began his own company, Calyx Metrology, Inc., which focuses on calibration and making sure products meet National Insurance Standards Technology (NIST) guidelines. NIST is the organization that develops and references all types of measurement points. Calyx Metrology, Inc. mainly works with biomedical equipment.

Future plans

John would like to continue to develop his company as one of the best calibration facilities in the world. In time, John would like to work as a consultant. He also currently speaks to students at Pennsylvania State University regarding electronics technology and would like to continue working with students in the future. In 1991, he opened the Acoustic Brew Coffeehouse (www.acousticbrew.com) in Lemont, PA, and would like to continue exploring his interests in acoustic music.

Advice

Throughout his career, John has learned many valuable lessons that he would like to share with future and current students. When starting out at Sunbury Community Hospital, he found that he needed help from people who were already in the field. He soon realized that most people are willing to mentor young people in the field and especially those who are eager to learn. He continually thought, “Who can I learn from and who can I look to for advice?” These two simple questions helped him to gain a lot of useful knowledge that benefited him throughout his career.

In the earlier stages of his career, John was very willing to move and go where interesting jobs were available. To get the best opportunities, one must be willing to pack up and go. He contributes a lot of his success and positive opportunities on the fact that he did not stay in one place and limit himself to the possibilities there. Once he started a family, he wasn’t as willing to move, but he still looked for the opportunities that could arise instead of just what was being offered in the area. It is important to be flexible in the career world.