David R. Wilkowske, author of The Chronic Job Hopper: My Ongoing Battle with Attention Deficit Disorder 1969-2005
After graduating from Morristown High School located in Morristown, MN in 1977, Dave Wilkowske went on to the University of Minnesota. In 1982, he graduated from the U of M's University College (later merged into College of Continuing Education) - Inter-College Program (ICP) in horticulture and business. University College is for polymath's and Dave definitely is a polymath since he did not fit in with the traditional horticulture or business degree program.
In August 1981, Dave presented his undergraduate research project on In Vitro Propagation of Rose. This turned out to be one of the earliest attempts at cloning a rose plant inside of a test tube. Here is a link to the scientific abstract which briefly describes the process: http://www.davidwilkowske.com/Hortws/ab474.htm
After graduation from the U of M, for the next 13 years from 1982 to 1995 Dave worked in the horticultural field as a landscaper and nurseryman as well as holding part-time jobs in the janitorial field and office temporary industry. During one of the long winters in Minnesota he worked as a fill in janitor for the cleaning company that had the contract to clean Cargill's corporate headquaters in the Twin Cities. Cargill had a intricate mural of all of their business ventures and one thing that stood out in the mural was the salt mine located 1,600 feet below Lake Erie.
In 1995 he completed DePaul University's Computer Career Program (CCP) in Chicago, Illinois. This helped him launch a new career as a computer programmer and systems analyst.
Over the next six years from 1995-2001 he worked directly or as a consultant for the following high-tech firms:
MetroMail (aquired in 1998 by Experian) - Client Services Specialist (Employee)
TruServ Corporation - Now Tru Valu Company - Chicago, IL (Contract-for-Hire Consultant and Employee)
Armour,Swift,Eckrich-Downer's Grove, IL for Maxim Group (Maxim Group Staff Consultant)
Maxim Group - Staff Consultant at Sentinel Technologies of Downer's Grove, IL for Lockheed-Martin of New York, NY on NYCTA Y2K and WANG to HP-Unix System Migration Project
CNA Insurance Headquarters - Chicago, IL - (Employee)
MCI/WorldCom - Cedar Rapids, IA for Maxim Group (Maxim Group Consultant)
Allied Van Lines (now a SIRVA Company) Corporate Headquarters - Naperville, IL (Contractor and Employee)
In October 2001, one month after the September 11th terrorist attacks Dave Wilkowske was laid-off from Allied Van Lines due to the economic downturn which occurred at that time. The pace of Dave's job hopping actually increased from 2001 to 2007.
Now eight years later in 2015 Dave has finally reached stability and he is able to tap into his work history to help him navigate through the ups and downs of his current job #75 where he is beginning his third year!
Dave Wilkowske brings over forty-seven years of job-hopping experience to life in The Chronic Job Hopper. In 2015, Dave and his wife, Cathy, live in Farmington, Minnesota.
TCJH Current Job Timeline-Left off at #63 on Page 220
