When a farmer in Newton or McDonald County turns on the fans in his chicken house, or a dairy farmer turns on his milking machine, he gets instant help for his farm chores. And that help comes to him, in part, by Carl Childress.
Childress is the chief mechanic for New-Mac Electric. He is the man who keeps the trucks rolling so linemen and other technicians can keep electricity flowing throughout the countryside.
If you ask, he describes his position simply: "I am the sole mechanic for both the Neosho and Anderson New-Mac facilities."
With the exception of some body work and machining, Childress does everything.
His time is devoted to three different areas. He does "normal" mechanical work, but he also does modifications to make the equipment do a better job than then it was expected to do, and he does fabrication where he actually builds a new piece of equipment.
Childress is most proud of the rock drill truck he designed and built several years ago. This came about when New-Mac had to move transmission lines for the new highway through McDonald County.
The company had to run new lines for the Wal-Mart facility south of Jane. The area was solid rock, and a crew with a regular boom truck was taking ten hours to dig a hole for a single utility pole. After the rock drill truck that Childress made went into service, the crew could dig each hole in half an hour.
"That truck doesn't owe New-Mac any money," Childress said with pride as he looked over his creation. "Several people have been here to look at it," he said. "It has been 'farmed out' to several other districts, too."
While walking through the garages and sheds at New-Mac, Childress can give a history of each vehicle and machine. He might say," See that old truck over there. It's a makeover. We got the truck from Al's Gas."
Pointing to another truck, he explained, "That truck has 750,000 miles on it."
Then he might point at another machine and say, "I rebuilt that motor, the bed on the mower, and the hydraulics on that machine."
Childress' interest in mechanics began when he got his driver's license at age sixteen. His dad had been a mechanic, but young Childress really took to the trade when he began repairing automobiles for himself and his friends.
In high school he worked for local mechanic Jay Carnes. "I like hot rods," he said.
After high school, he served in the United States Air Force for almost four years as an aerospace ground equipment mechanic. Near the end of his service, he also served as a technical instructor.
Childress was also a mechanic in the Missouri National Guard's 203rd Engineer Battalion until his retirement. While some of his formal mechanical training was received in the armed services, he also has a Crowder College degree in automobile technology. He has attended many mechanic classes, especially to learn about new equipment. "Otherwise, it's just hands on," he said.
Several things have changed over the twenty-four years he has been with New-Mac Electric. Machines have gotten more sophisticated and use more computer controls. The workload has increased. He now oversees sixty vehicles instead of the twenty he had when he started. And, things have gotten much more expensive.
New-Mac recently added two new trucks to its fleet. They cost about $250,000 each. But these trucks will get good care, and enjoy a long and productive life, thanks to Carl Childress—the man who keeps the trucks rolling.
Neosho, Mo. —
