It’s the end of January, and that means it’s time to showcase another one of Abt’s amazing employees. This month’s Employee Spotlight shines on our lead electrician, Lincoln Buchanan, who has been working here for nearly 18 years. That’s just his career: “I’ve been a part of the Abt family for almost 40 years now. My dad Mike still works here, and we’re blessed to be part of a company that treats their employees like family.”
But in reality, we’re blessed to have Lincoln here at Abt. When he began his career here, he first started out in the woodshop, then switched over to work on our trucks. There he spent days delivering orders, helping to install appliances, hauling old ones away and bringing smiles to people all across Chicagoland. Eventually, Lincoln returned to the woodshop and we’re happy to now call him our lead electrician. When asked what his favorite thing about his current position was, he replied that he loves his team. “There is no job too big or small for the crew we have on hand. Without the teamwork needed to make this building work daily, it would be chaos. I appreciate the opportunity to grow and excel in my trade through training and some challenging builds.”
Wisdom, Hard Work & A Great Playlist
Lincoln tries to keep the shop a fun place for the entire team to work every day. “I enjoy listening to music on my boombox while I work. I am literally all over the map when it comes to genres, but when someone hears, smiles, and throws a hand up or gives a head nod, I know I’ve made their day a bit brighter. In my eyes, that is what life’s all about.”
With an Abt career spanning 18 years, he was able to learn a thing or two from Bob Abt as well: “What I take from Mr. Abt is to do a good job, whatever the job may be. I treat this place as if it were my own. And when I look at the end product of whatever I do, I know he would be proud of the job!”
Lincoln and his father have been here long enough to see our store grow and change in many ways. From the company’s earliest days, we’ve been focused on looking forward all while remembering our roots. Lincoln summed it up well by saying that “Abt is an ever-changing and growing company and it still amazes me to this day, even though I’ve been around it so long. There have been many great people to come through these doors and I’m blessed to have known most of them. I’m proud to be part of this family and be tasked with taking care of the facility. When people ask (what I manage) I say everything from lightbulbs to 4000 amp circuit breakers, and it’s pretty awesome!”
Recently diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy for a second time, Lincoln considered declining this month’s feature, but he chose to go through with it. And we know everyone at Abt will support Lincoln with all the strength and positivity he brings to work every day. If you read this and see him, throw up a hand in a wave, or smile and nod if you catch him in the halls. You might just make his day a bit brighter, and isn’t that what life’s all about?
When he’s not here with his work family, Lincoln has a lot to love at home. Hobbies include watching his two beautiful daughters play competitive softball, and he has lots of fun practicing with them. “I’m also a USCG licensed captain and fishing guide specializing in walleye and panfish on the Fox Chain of Lakes, both open water and ice fishing.” It’s closer to ice fishing weather, so now might be the perfect time to take a page out of Lincoln’s book and head out on the ice
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