--- In danwesson@yahoogroups.com, "sheehanm58" <sheehanm58@...> wrote:
>
> I'm the son of John(Joe) and Joyce Sheehan, both part of the
> management structure at DW in the 80's / 90's for the separate
> corporate entities of Dan Wesson Arms and Wesson Firearms. Both are
> alive and kickin, and I write these words with their permission, but
> without editorial constraint.
>
>
>
> My father was hired by Dick Rosenfeld as plant/production manager to
> launch the .44 mag, a task which he engrossed himself in, as he had
> all other precision manufacturing endeavors he nursed in his career.
> His experience's at P&W Aircraft along with his successes as an
> aftermarket motorcycle accessory manufacturer made him the logical
> choice for hire.
> Dad has always been a focused manager, sometimes viewed as cold or
> curt by subordinates, non-deferring to superiors, and having worked
> with him directly during his cycle fab days I can see where the
> perception is valid. When he's in the shop, he owns it, and treats
it
> as such. For his efforts, he was awarded and presented an engraved,
> dove gray DW .44 mag bearing a desirable serial number,.... a piece
> which he owns to this day. He stayed with the company from 1980 to
> 1990. Painfully aware of the circumstances of the company's demise,
he
> sometimes laments on what "could have been". He finds a great deal
of
> beauty in the design of the .44, and once in a while he, myself and
> brothers will take his presentation piece out and pass it around,
> admiring it, critiquing, remembering.
> After Rosenfeld's partner Bob MacWilliams bought him out, Dad's
> influence in the company was overshadowed by petty background noises
> not uncommon to smaller company structures. That's as eloquently as
I
> can express that subject at this time. He and most others `in the
> know' believed Dan Wesson Arms would have fared well under
Rosenfeld.
> Dismissed by MacWilliams in 1990, he later joined the restructured
> "Wesson Firearms" under Seth and Carol Wesson and Ed Arventes , not
as
> management, but under the title of "tool grinder"….great euphemism
for
> a manufacturing guru, but hey…Pops was always in it for the
challenge…
>
> Mom recalls being hired in 1985 as a part time parts clerk and
didn't
> stop working until the doors closed. Through 2 corporations and all
> the expected positive and negative dynamics, Mom is a trooper.
> Always task capable and meticulous, she quickly advanced to filling
> the full time slot. No stopping Ma from there, and her talents were
> applied to several administrative staff positions to include
materials
> procurement and vendor accounts. She was also contracted by Bob
Serva
> to identify, ship and catalog the parts inventory he acquired when
he
> purchased the company. My folks went to NY and met with Serva on the
> backside of this activity to make the transition of property as
smooth
> as possible. They left NY satisfied that the Dan Wesson legacy that
> once was, would be again. Prior to the CZ acquisition, I'd hit the
DW
> website….report to my folks what was going on with the company….they
> were always pleased.
>
> Mom and Dad are open to fill in any blanks that they can on the
> subjective history of the company during their employment. If you
> have any questions, feel free to ask……..
>
> Mike Sheehan
> Springfield, MA

Thanks you for the above info it will come in handy.

Fred
>