So, now I can let the cat out of the bag. Effective in a couple of weeks, I’ll have a new job at Kraft - I’ll be working as a Program Leader in our “Lean Manufacturing” group. In plain English, my job will be work with our production sites to improve the efficiency of their people and equipment, using a lot of different best practices from multiple manufacturing industries (most of the ideas come from Toyota, but we’ll shamelessly adapt good ideas from anyone).

I’m looking forward to this change - it’s a big step up in responsibility, the work is the kind of thing I already enjoy doing, and I’ll get to travel to a lot of places (in theory, anywhere in the world that Kraft has a plant). I’ve been looking around for a new position over the past few months as my Tassimo work has been wrapping up, and this job just seemed like a great thing to do. Now I’ll be in a job that has basically nothing to do with my degree…but it’s not like milk and petrochemicals had a lot of overlap anyhow.

As a random aside, all of a sudden, it seems like a huge chunk of my high school graduating class has been linking up over on Facebook. I was originally thinking that I’d blow off the 10-year reunion, but now I want to catch up with everyone from EHS…

After a couple of years, we decided to add another kitten to the house.

Pictures of Molly can be found over in the photo galleries.

Yes, I know, it’s been a while since I posted here. It’s been a combination of things:

• I had some problems with Wordpress (the software that runs this blog) that kept me from logging in to make new posts. That’s all fixed now, though.
• Work’s been pretty busy as of late.
• We’ve been getting a lot done around the house. We just painted the master bedroom this week.
• Marcie and I got married! See the pictures over at my photo gallery. Credit for these photos goes to several of our wedding guests, most particularly Marcie’s aunt Julie. If you’ve got some, send me an e-mail at ben (at) ben-johnson.org and I’ll put them up!
• Planning the honeymoon. We’ll be in Australia for 2 weeks. Lots of pictures to come after that!

So, that’s what’s been new lately. Once we’re back from the honeymoon I’ll start posting a little more…really, I promise!

Marcie and I now have a wedding web page. Go check it out at www.benandmarcie.org!

I popped the big question to Marcie on Saturday while I was down in Memphis…

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So, you stumbled across this site from Google, clicking on my signature on a forum somewhere, or something like that. Maybe you’re wondering to yourself, “Who is this Ben Johnson guy?” Well, your question is about to be answered…

I’m a guy in my mid-20s who’s currently living in the northwest Chicago suburbs. Why am I here? I work for Kraft Foods doing research and development work on cream cheese. Basically, I work on developing new cream cheese-based products and improving the existing Philly cream cheese line. Originally, I’m a native of downstate Illinois, more specifically the metro St. Louis area. I’ve also lived in upstate New York for a brief period in 2003-2004.

Some other useful tidbits to know about me:

• I am not related to the notorious Canadian sprinter or the Western actor
• I went to the University of Illinois and got a BS in Chemical Engineering
• Other stuff I enjoy…computers (hence a website like this), listening to music, and all manner of gadgets (as Marcie will attest to)

last updated 2004-08-25