Tony is a mechanical technician at the Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence in Melbourne, Florida, and is celebrating his 40th year at Northrop Grumman. He joined the company in 1981 and has worked on many programs, from U.S. Navy aircraft to the Joint STARS program. But perhaps the accomplishment he takes the most joy in is now working side-by-side with his son, Antonio.
Working at Northrop Grumman is a family affair for their extended family: Tony’s father, brother and uncle have also been employed at the company over the years.
“It’s an amazing and unique experience that not everyone gets to have. It’s something that has tightened the bond with my son, and our family can always look back on these years with happiness,” Tony said.
Being in the same high bay and sharing the same name has led to some hijinks and gaffes, Antonio said. Errant emails sometimes crisscross, and Antonio has developed a unique relationship with colleagues who have known his dad for years.
Their experience is shared by many other family duos across the company. When Colt joined Northrop Grumman in 2010, he said he felt the added pressure of being “Frankie’s son.”
Frankie, an Army veteran and a supply chain manager in San Diego, started his Northrop Grumman career on the B-2 Spirit program in 1986. Over the years, Colt said his dad earned a positive reputation for being an exceptional employee, including earning an employee of the quarter award.
“The only thing that I thought of was, I have big shoes to fill. ‘Don’t screw this up,’” Colt said. “My father is a good leader, hard worker and smart guy. He makes sure he gets what’s needed done and taken care of no matter what.”
While in college, Colt worked in the receiving dock. After he finished his degree, he was hired in Operations, then transitioned to Global Supply Chain before taking on a new role that was more aligned with what Frankie does in logistics management.
Colt said working at Northrop Grumman has allowed him to live his values and proudly follow in his father’s footsteps.
“Working here just reminds me of where I come from; the values I share and the things that are important to me,” he said. “I have the ability to serve my country by helping the warfighter and I am doing it alongside my father and other people and their fathers too.”
Frankie said it is the company’s best culture that motivates him to refer family members to work here. Frankie’s sister and nephew work at Northrop Grumman in Palmdale.
Frankie continued, “I know bringing in Colt who shares the same caliber work ethic and dedication toward the mission, that will not be forgotten,” he said. “It’s like the baton being passed on to the next generation. I’m very proud of creating that legacy for my family.”
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