Success Story
For most of his professional life, planet Earth was Wayne
Marshall’s gameboard. Using the computer on his desk, he moved
his company’s electronics products across the nation and around
the world. Then his Huntsville-based company downsized and Wayne
saw his 25-year career as a global logistics manager come to an
abrupt end.
At the same time, he was facing another loss
— his sight. The condition was congenital progressive myopia
compounded by macular degeneration and had worsened in recent
years. As a unemployed middle-aged professional with a wife and
college-age son, Wayne’s worsening vision only made his job
search more difficult. Despite his impressive credentials and
after nearly a year of job interviews, there were no offers. “We
were stretched financially,” Wayne said, “but the layoff focused
our faith and strengthened our family.”
One day at
church, a deaf friend who was familiar with Alabama Department
of Rehabilitation Services suggested he contact the department.
For Wayne, it was a hard phone call to make.“I had to swallow my
pride to get help from ADRS,” said Wayne, “because I didn’t
understand what the department did.” It was Wayne’s first giant
step back into the world of work.
Vocational
Rehabilitation Services Counselor Roosevelt Love and Employer
Development Coordinator Crispin Terry teamed up to prepare Wayne
for his comeback. Wayne’s first lesson was how to explain, not
hide, his vision problem to potential employers.“Progressive
companies are very understanding about disabilities and more
than willing to make accommodations,” said Terry. “Their biggest
concern is finding quality employees.” As Terry reviewed her
employer contacts, one such company seemed like the perfect
match for Wayne — Huntsville’s Sanmina SCI, a leading
electronics manufacturer with more than 160 facilities operating
around the world. The company also had a strong relationship
with ADRS and a history of employing people with disabilities.
Tom Avery, Sanmina’s human resources manager, said SCI is
committed to a diverse workforce that includes people with
disabilities. After the company saw Wayne’s qualifications, his
vision problems “didn’t bother us in the least,” he said.
Today, Wayne is back at his computer, his gameboard a lot
larger than before, moving Sanmina SCI products around the
globe. “We prayed a lot when I was out of work,” said Wayne. “We
prayed for the right job with the right people and the right
company. Our prayers have been answered.”
