The Workers of IBM Kingston

Gary VanVliet, Customer Engineering, IBM Kingston, 1972.  Photo by Bruce Whistance

Gary Van Vliet is wearing the classic white shirt and necktie that male IBM employees were encouraged to wear, especially if they interacted with clients outside the plant.

Lunchtime in the IBM Kingston cafeteria, 1972.  Photo by Bruce Whistance

Eating lunch are, left to right, Gary VanVliet, Bill Moore and Jerry Rozensky.   Note the cigarettes, the Boice Farms milk cartons and IBM badges.

Bill Leong in 1974 working with 3330 disk drives.  Photo by Bruce Whistance

Bill Leong was recruited by IBM in Detroit and came to Kingston for the SAGE air defense system program.

Bill Leong, IBM employee, outside on a lunch break playing chess.  Photo by Bruce Whistance

According to Bruce Whistance, Leong often was the only person in the room who could name the capital of every state of the United States, having memorized all 50 for the naturalization test.

Mercedes Wright, Information Systems operator, on a raised testing floor at IBM Kingston plant, 1979.  Collection of Bruce Whistance

Mercedes Wright is pulling paper from a 3211 printer.

Mercedes Wright, IBM Kingston employee, relaxing in a lean-to during a canoe trip along an Adirondack chain of lakes, 1979.  Photo by Bruce Whistance

Peggy Almquist in her office, 1993.  Collection of Peggy and Frank Almquist

Peggy Almquist was a Systems Security Tech. in Interdivisional Security Systems Control at IBM Kingston.

Peggy Almquist at a Quality Recognition luncheon for her department, c. 1990.  Collection of Peggy and Frank Almquist

Lowell Thing at his 3270 Terminal, n.d.  Courtesy Lowell Thing

Lowell Thing began work at IBM in 1969, was transferred to Kingston in 1970, and retired from the Poughkeepsie plant in 1996. He was a technical writer, officially known as an “Information Developer.”

The Thing family in front of their house on West Chestnut Street, Kingston, 1989.  Courtesy of Lowell Thing

Lowell and Suzanne Thing and their daughters, Emily and Hillary, moved from a modern house in Saugerties to a Colonial Revival House in Kingston in 1972. Lowell became interested in Kingston history and served as President of the Friends of Historic Kingston.

Donald Quick, former Mayor of Kingston, 1980 to 1984.  Courtesy of the Quick Family

Donald Quick was a manager in the Product Test area in Kingston.  IBMers worked and volunteered in a variety of public service areas, even getting elected as Mayor.