Senior Engineering Technician Jerry Polashak Retires
The ME 395 and 495 labs won't be the same since Senior Engineering Technician Jerry Polashak retired last August after 22 years in the Mechanical Engineering Department. Through the years, his experience has been an invaluable aid to faculty and students setting up and conducting experiments.
"I came to the University of Michigan in 1984 after working for Clark Equipment in Jackson Michigan for 17 years as a mechanic in the Research and Development Department," Polashak said. "When the company closed their doors and moved overseas, I applied for an Engineering Technician's job."
Before joining the ME department Polashak served four years in the Air Force, three years as a jet mechanic, and one year as a crew chief on a B52 airplane before coming back to Michigan and going to work for Clark Equipment.
As might be expected, the Benton Harbor native has a wealth of memories. While he was wary of naming any specific events or people to avoid possibly offending anyone he might not mention, several people and events stand out for him.
"I really enjoyed working under another technician, Bill Highzinger," said Polashak. "He showed me a lot about setting up labs and also preparing the samples for experiments. I also enjoyed working for Lynn Buege. He has been my supervisor for at least 15 years, and he would do anything he could to help me solve problems that may have come up. No matter what the problem Lynn was always there. I have also been glad to be working with Todd Wilber. We have shared the same office for a lot of years, and we work together to get the labs set up so that the experiments go smoothly.
"I also really enjoyed working with Emeritus Professor Joseph Datsko and Professor Richard A. Scott. Over the years, they both taught me a lot about metals and mathematics, especially concerning torsion and strain."
Polashak also recalls his collaborative discussions with his colleagues. "Years ago, all of the technicians would meet at 10 o clock for a 15 minute coffee break," he said. "The discussions we had would cover a variety of problems and possible solutions, and it was very helpful to all of us."
Still, his greatest satisfaction came from working with students through the years. "I was always happy working and helping students with their class projects. The way the students think is quite interesting," he said.
Polashak has been married to his wife, Nancy, who also works at the University in the Materials Science and Engineering Department, for 40 years. The couple has lived in Jackson, Michigan for the past 37 years in a house Polashak built. They have two sons, Carl and Stephen, and six grandchildren and two great granddaughters, who all live in the Jackson area.
Polashak may be retiring, but it doesn't mean he won't be working. For the past 15 years, he has been carving scenes in wood using a scroll saw and selling his work at craft shows. His works include deer, wolves with mountains in the background, lighthouses, and other scenes.
"Nancy and I have gone to some 12-15 shows annually for the past 15 years, mostly in Michigan," said Polashak. "We have a motor home and haul an enclosed trailer to carry our crafts and equipment to the shows. Nancy helps me in setting up and tearing down our booth, as well as helping with the sales and packaging of my work."
Ultimately, Polashak said, while he will continue to work with wood, "first I have to finish the wife's 'honey do' list, which is quite long. Down the road, when my wife retires, we would like to do some traveling in the western part of the country."
