Biography for

Chuck Kopf

Chuck spent almost eight years after graduating dodging the draft. During those eight years, he worked for Joanne Vlasak's dad for a couple of years. He enrolled in Kent, flunked out, enrolled in Cuyahoga Community College and worked at Brecksville Shell while he commuted to TRI C. He went back to Kent, got re-admitted, went one quarter, and flunked out again. He went back to Shell Oil, but this time he and his two brothers took over the franchise and the three of them ran the Shell Service station for a few years. Chuck 's draft board caught up with him and told him if he didn't go back to school, he would be drafted. Back to Kent he went, where he charmed the Dean and was re-admitted again. This time he got serious and finally graduated in 1968. While at Kent, he decided to take one summer off and travel through Europe with Bunny and Irene Johnson. He quickly ran out of money, went to Monte Carlo, and won enough money playing roulette to finish the summer in Europe and also pay his tuition for the next couple of years.

Chuck was drafted in 1969 and spent two years in Berlin defending the Wall. Shortly after he left Berlin, without Chuck's vigilance, the wall came down.

Chuck got a job at Seiberling Tire in Akron after his discharge from the Army. Shortly after he left Seiberling to take a promotion at the Firestone Corporate Offices, Seiberling went out of business. After spending a number of years as a Corporate Trainer, traveling around the country to all the Firestone Plants, Chuck went to work for Warner and Swasey in Cleveland as their Training Manager. Without Chuck, Firestone was forced to sell one of their golf courses, eliminate all tire manufacturing in Akron, and ended up being purchased by a Japanese company.

Chuck spent almost nine years with Warner and Swasey. During that time Warner and Swasey was bought and sold three times, finally closed their plant in Cleveland, moved to Solon, and fired Chuck.

Chuck was offered a job in Connecticut working for Avco Lycoming, a defense contractor that made the engine for the Army's newest tank. Chuck was quickly promoted to Avco Lycomings Program Manager for their Business Ethics Program. Shortly thereafter, Avco Lycoming was purchased by Textron, lost all their government contracts, closed the plant, and laid off Chuck.

One good thing did happen while at Avco Lycoming. Chuck met Pat and got married in 1989. Chuck quickly got a job with the Bic Corporation in Milford, Connecticut, as their Training Manager, responsible for training in all Bic's plants worldwide. Chuck spent three years there before his boss was fired and his new boss fired him.

After being out of work for a number of years, Chuck got a job with the DeGeorge Company in Cheshire, Connecticut, as their Sales Trainer. That lasted a year and DeGeorge went belly up and Chuck was out of work.

Chuck decided self employment was the way to go and started doing Home Improvement projects. While working on his own, an opportunity came up as a Customer Service Rep for the IRS. Chuck took the job and the first year was for training. After a year on probation while being trained, the IRS decided that Chuck was never going to be acceptable as a Customer Service rep and declined to hire him after his probation period was up. Back to Home Improvement projects.

His wife Pat decided she wanted to move back to Buffalo, New York, to be closer to her family; and since Chuck didn't have a real job, they moved to Buffalo. It should be noted that Chuck was not too keen on the move. Before he was married and while he was still in Cleveland, he hooked up with his high school sweetheart, Jan Meyers, who was living in Buffalo, New York. So for a number of years he drove Cleveland - Buffalo on the weekends. Chuck wasn't really thrilled about Buffalo but he made the drive every week end. Things didn't work out and Jan moved to Florida and left Chuck in Cleveland. At least he would never have to go to Buffalo, New York, ever again (so he thought).

Chuck and Pat built a house in East Aurora, New York, which is about 12 miles from Buffalo. Chuck retired when the house was finished, and Pat retired a couple of years later. Chuck keeps busy working on his cars, and Pat loves working in her flower gardens.