Meet the Team: David Bashford

Written by on Saturday, May 10th, 2008

I never got to finish introducing the team members last year, and we’ve been adding new ones this year, so I don’t know if I’ll ever get everyone, but I’ll try. To kick off the latest round of “Meet the Team,” I’d like to introduce you to David Bashford. I was lucky enough to get introduced to Dave by a mutual friend who worked with Dave at Philips/Sonicare. It’s easiest to let that friend do the talking:

Dave has 30 years of experience as the computer/technology electro mechanical technician/jack of all trades, and has worked for companies as diverse as Coinstar and Philips/Sonicare. Dave brings several things to any team he’s on. First is his ability to organize parts, tools and information, something that is easy to overlook and underestimate until you see it in action. Second is his ability to ask the annoying questions just when they most need to be asked (“shouldn’t we move that mirror first?”). Third is his ability to take a rough paper napkin sketch, a badly thought out electrical schematic, and a ten minute discussion of overall concept and turn them into a working proof of concept for a sub system. Dave has the patience for long hours of tedious repetitive work and the practical thinking to turn an idea into moving parts. In a room full of “big thinkers” he’s able to engage in their flights of fancy, but can bring things back to earth when its time to turn a wrench.

Dave himself describes himself as a tinkerer:

I have ALWAYS been a tinkerer. I built my first ‘vacuum cleaner’ when I was 4 (cardboard is a good building material, right?). I built things from kits when I was old enough, short wave radios and such. I mean, what else are you going to do in the dead of winter in Iowa? When I was a teen I built my first car. A ’67 Camaro. I learned lots, including you can’t out-run a radio… As a young adult I got involved in IBM Mainframe repair which led to a 15 year career in field service and consulting in the computer industry. From NASA Ames to Lockheed. Apple to Intel. You name it, I’ve probably worked on it (or sold it).

My R&D career began in ’94 when I joined a small startup company, Coinstar (NASDAQ: CSTR). We designed and perfected the ‘Coins-To-Cash’ machines you now see in most grocery stores in the USA. Designing computers, building prototypes, testing new designs, embedded systems integration, electromagnetic coin recognition research and development, starting and operating the R&D labs… Now I’m at Philips Oral Healthcare helping the R&D group design the best toothbrush in the world! (And doing all those ‘other’ things too…).

I have been married for 27 years and have 4 wonderful children. My free time is spent playing with cars, boats, pets and the kids (and now a grand daughter) and spending time in outdoor pursuits. Oh yeah, and I still tinker in the workshop when I can.

Needless to say, Dave is a huge asset to the team. Not even including the fact that he carries an entire workshop around in the trunk of his little sports car, Dave gets things done and helps keep us on track.

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