A Passion for World War I and World War II Airplanes keeps Terry Neighbours' head in the clouds sometimes. Nevertheless, the 24-year veteran of ABB Inc. (Cary, North Carolina, U.S.) makes sure his feet are planted firmly on the ground when it comes to what's important in life, such as family, friends and career.

“I try to live life and love life each day by doing things that offer me rewarding experiences and unique opportunities,” said ABB's manager of engineering & project management, power products division — medium-voltage products in Lake Mary, Florida, U.S. “You never know what the future holds or when you will be able to do the things you enjoy again.”

During his almost quarter-century at ABB, Neighbours has worked in nearly every department, including wiring, assembly, paint and quality assurance (QA), at several of the company's factories. He has steadily climbed his way up the corporate ladder to become a project engineer, QA manager, project manager and, ultimately, engineering manager. Despite his successful career at one of the world's leading power and technology companies, Neighbours admitted he did not plan on a career in the power industry.

“I grew up in the rural town of Inola, Oklahoma,” he recalled. “My entire family was involved in the aircraft industry. My grandmother was a ‘Rosie the Riveter’ type who built P-51 Mustang parts during World War II, and my father worked at the Tulsa, Oklahoma, McDonald Douglas and Rockwell factories during the Vietnam War and Cold War. I always figured I would follow in their footsteps.”

But Neighbours' parents encouraged him to get a career in something other than the aircraft industry, because the work was so inconsistent.

“That meant it was either feast or famine,” he explained. “Instead, I decided to pursue an engineering degree while still keeping a passion for flight.” Neighbours attended college on an academic scholarship and played baseball, but dropped out before graduating.

“Back then, I thought I was too smart for school,” he laughed. “So I went to work as lead electrician for a company that built commercial mobile home units for railroads. From there, I joined a company called BBC. BBC merged with Asea and became ABB. I've been here ever since.”

Neighbours eventually earned a degree in organizational management, and his career took him to Lake Mary, where today he manages 35 people at ABB.

“I enjoy my job because of the challenges that arise from day to day,” he said. “There are similar circumstances, but the details are different enough that it seems like a new scenario.”

Living in Florida has allowed Neighbours to indulge his enthusiasm for “warbirds.” He volunteers at the Valiant Air Command Museum in Titusville, which is dedicated to finding and preserving historic aircraft.

“The museum houses a mix of planes, including those from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and modern aircraft,” he noted. “We attract more than 120,000 visitors a year. My involvement in the museum has allowed me to participate in restoring three aircraft.”

Although that may not seem like a large number to some, Neighbours said warbird restorations can take four to 10 years. To raise funds for the renovations, the Valiant Air Command hosts the TICO Warbird Airshow each March, which Neighbours helps organize.

“I have plans to get my pilot's license, so I can actually fly these planes,” he added.

As passionate as Neighbours is about flight, he is equally as zealous about delving into new opportunities and continues to learn more about all aspects of business at ABB.

“I'd like to learn more about sales and marketing and product development,” he said. “I'd also like to become more involved with the customers in our business.”

For those wanting a career in the power industry, Neighbours recommends finding a college with an electrical engineering program that has a focus on power systems.

“This is a hard field to get into with just an electrical engineering degree,” he remarked. “People who walk in here want to be an engineer for switchgear. They know the basics of electrical engineering, but they know little about switchgear systems, controls and the product line itself. I tell them to educate themselves about our products and learn as much as possible about design standards such as ANSI 37.20.2 and ANSI 37.20.3 that relate to switchgear. They need to do a lot of research, and they need to be prepared for a lot of on-the-job training.”

When he isn't working or volunteering, Neighbours enjoys bird hunting, fishing and scuba diving. He recently added another hobby — training his Labrador Retriever puppy, Dixie.

“I have so many hobbies that I don't have time for all of them,” he joked. “However, my wife and I are setting aside plenty of time in December, because that's when our first grandbaby is due.”