2 minute read
Mike Koon Retires After 42 Years
by OneWatco
Mike Koon is a man of few words, so he doesn’t have a lot to say about his career. That doesn’t mean there’s not plenty to be said about it, though.
He retired May 1 from Watco’s Grand Rivers Repair and Maintenance Terminal in Kentucky, just shy of 42 years of service. Grand Rivers is near the confluence of the Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio rivers, and not far from where they all join the mighty Mississippi. It’s along these rivers that Koon built his life.
“I started right out of high school and always loved the barges,” Koon said. “I ran backhoes, graders, dozers, loaders, trucks; just about anything to do with the quarries or coal and loading barges.”
He held supervisor positions for 15 years and adapted as the location’s and customers’ needs changed. He loaded barges, operated heavy equipment, and transitioned to railcar repair as the facility changed again and he became terminal manager.
“I liked it because it was always steady work,” Koon said. “And that’s all I needed because I was trying to raise a family and enjoyed my work.”
That stability, and more importantly, his team, will be what Koon misses during retirement.
“I’ll miss these folks. I think the youngest person’s been here 27 years, which means I’ve been working with them for that long,” Koon said. “We’re like family.”
The new terminal manager, Missy Faughn, said Mike’s experience, dedication, and ability to adapt will be missed.
“Mike has been a mentor and friend to many team members over the years,” she said. “He’s maintained relationships with our customers, barge lines, the railroad, local emergency responders, and vendors. He is a walking example of Watco’s Foundation Principles. It’s truly the end of an era in Grand Rivers.”
He has no plans on slowing down, either. His retirement plans include ... going back to work.
“I’ll miss being busy and I still like running equipment,” Koon said. “I know a lot of the local farmers and I’ve already got jobs lined up running dozers and backhoes for them. Once you do it, it’s just with you. You don’t want to stop.”
