Welder plans to keep working for HISD until he retires
When Charles Payne Jr. was hired back in 1989, George H. W. Bush was still in the White House, Madonna was dominating the airwaves, and the classic baseball movie Field of Dreams was making its debut in theatres.
Now, it’s a quarter of a century later, but the 1988 graduate of Jordan High School has no plans to go anywhere.
“I love my job,” said Payne, who works now as a welder in Construction and Facility Services. “I just want to keep working here. It’s a great place.”
Payne first joined team HISD as a janitor, but after earning a number of certifications from Houston Community College, he started working as a welder in 1999. Most of Payne’s projects now involve iron fencing, but “I love any kind of welding. I love to be focused and to complete projects.”
Payne officially marked his 25th anniversary with the district on May 8, but several other employees have also marked theirs this week (May 4–10). See if you know anyone on this list:
25 years
- Consuelo Becdach, bus driver, Transportation Services
20 years
- Jaime Iniguez, repairer, Construction & Facility Services
- Mark Ortega,teaching assistant, Deady MS
15 years
- Antonio Garcia, plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
10 years
- Timothy Bryant, teacher, Sam Houston MSTC
- Arthur Jones, crossing guard, K. Smith ES
- Abram Maurice, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
- Rodolfo Silva, officer, Police Department
- Roy Toliver, bus driver, Transportation Services
5 years
- Margretta Abrahamson, teacher, Pin Oak MS
- Charles Benson, teacher, Milby HS
- Donna Bolden, nurse, Dowling MS
- Janet Campos, clerk, Sutton ES
- Jerlene Dotson, crossing guard, Dogan ES
- Kyanna Ferguson, after-school program specialist, Marshall MS
- Otis Jasper, crossing guard, Travis ES
- LeBruce Peacock, warehouse, Food Services
- Maria Peña, production attendant, Food Services
- Samuel Spiller, teacher, Sharpstown HS
- Debra Taylor, accountant team lead, Finance
- Deandra Waters, teacher, Bonham ES
| Check back next Friday for more May Milestones. Leave a comment below if you’d like to congratulate any of the above employees. |
Congratulations Charles! It is a great honor to have met someone as loyal and dedicated as you are. You are an inspiration to all. We are very proud of you here at the HISD Deaf Program. Keep up the great work.