Tim Barnes says he spends maybe 40 - 50% of his time traveling - he was headed out the next day to Chicago and Milwaukee when we spoke on the phone. Though his immediate destinations may seem commonplace for the business traveler, Tim has spent time in some pretty interesting locales. The most exotic? Turkey. Tim spent about 10 days in this Middle Eastern country and found the history of the place amazing. A trip to the United Arab Emirates found him at a dinner where goat was the main dish - not something he was going to run home and fix for himself but - "It was OK." - he said.

When Tim travels, his enjoyment of reading helps pass the time. Interested in adventure and history, especially in the time frame of WWII, he finds it interesting that many technological advances in warfare that we think are new were actually developed long before the present day. Did you know that Reisen gas was actually developed by the Germans in WWII?

Tim's job is to find business for the company where he says he's "part of a team" - the company's and the customer's - and he never feels like "just an employee." His hope for the future is a broader acceptance of Motorized Roller Technology that he really believes is coming of age. With the combination of increased utility costs and decreased technology costs (Tim recalls purchasing his first VCR for $500 - "Can you even still buy one?" - he wonders.) The time is right.

Look for Tim at the 2009 Material Handling and Logistics Conference, September 13 - 16. He'll be presenting a session on Conveyor Systems That Adapt to Your Changing Business.