My visit with John Fluke (only of interest to old Fluke DMM aficionados)

[drtaylor]

I attended a meeting with potential consulting clients today (13 July 2018) at the Seattle Yacht club. Due to a signed NDA, I won't reveal who the client is or what they want me to design, but to my pleasant surprise, I was introduced to John Fluke Jr, who is, at least peripherally, associated with the clients. I probably met John Jr back in my early years at Fluke, but at most said hi to him when passing in the hall. He was not directly in my Business Unit. I had many conversations with his father during my career, but John Jr was less familiar to me. Anyway, John knew of me, and we had a great time talking about the old days at Fluke. We discussed the important people at Fluke at the time. He gave great praise to Dick Van Saun (designer extraordinaire, inventor of the Recirculating Remainder A/D)  and credited him with much of Flukes growth from a fairly small company to the well respected company it is today. Dick Van Saun was my BU manager for years, and I learned much from him. I heard much of the inner workings of management of Fluke at the time, some decisions that he was involved with and just all kinds of interesting banter. I shared with him some of the stories that forum members that have read my posts here or listened to my Amphour episode are familiar with. He liked the one about when a model rocket landed right outside John Sr's office and I went on the roof to get it. John Sr saw me and gave a little wave. Later I got in trouble with the building manager because I went on "his" roof, but John Sr told him to lay off. Great man!

John was articulate on many subjects and it was great fun to listen to him. He had a very interesting view on Trump...but I don't want to start a war about that.

Anyway, it was a great trip to the past. I felt honored to meet John again, and he bought me lunch! There's so much more I would have liked to ask him such as what, if any, is his involvement with Fluke now after the Danaher buyout and then the subsequent spinoff. But we finally had to start discussing the project. I could kick myself for not getting a business card or something...oh well.