In 1971 I was asked to help on a proposal at the Bunker Ramo's Eastern Technical Center (ETC) in Silver Springs, Maryland and soon realized that the work they were doing was more interesting to me than the work in California. After making many trips there, and having a glowing letter of appreciation addressed to the Vice President, I decided that it would make sense for us to move to Maryland. With the companies blessing (and money) I took Esther and Suzanne, by then the only one at home, to Maryland where we bought a house.
But it wasn't to be. On the day we received the first interesting offer on our Woodland Hills home I was told not to sell it -- the company had decided to move the Maryland people to Westlake where there was a lot of empty space. By then I had stayed overnight once at the Maryland house on a cot loaned to me by the real estate agent. We eventually sold the house and, since the company picked up the agents fee, came out about even on the deal.
Was it a wise move by the company? Many thought it was not. Much of the ETC work was with the intelligence community and their proximity to Washington was of considerable interest to the client. They probably lost much of this support.
My problems at Bunker Ramo were just starting. The Corporate Office decided that the Westlake group would have to pare its expenses and I was let go. The Vice President followed about two weeks later.
That did not cut me off from the company, because the group that had moved from Maryland decided they should hire me as a consultant. I stayed with them until I made connections with the Hughes Missile Systems Group. They had taken over the Canoga Park facility and working for them required a much shorter commute. I might have been better off if I had stayed as a consultant. I stayed with Hughes for about nine years, but I wasn't very happy about it after the first couple of years.
On to The Hughes Missile Systems Group
Top of Page
Back to Table of Contents
Back to Sidney Bertram
Back to Jacques & Anne
Back to The Abramovich & Wilder Families
Back to Bertram Home Page
Master Index