“Rantings of a Machine Tool Salesman”

Scott Walker, Chairman of Mitsui Seiki USA Inc., Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, never planned to write a book. As a dyslexic growing up in the 1950s and 60s before the condition was addressed in the school system, he avoided reading or writing and remembers not studying much, but instead listening and talking to his teachers, memorizing his way through school.

When a co-worker suggested he start a bi-weekly newsletter to 'tuck in the paychecks' of all the employees, Scott understood it would be a team effort and as President, he would contribute the occasional newsletter while others from different departments in the company took turns writing newsletters.

By the end of the first year, Scott found he was writing all the newsletters and after almost twenty years of writing, he's compiled his favorites into this book, a brief look at a company and the people who run it.

The book includes “looking back” comments, as well as a “looking forward” one, to update and elaborate on some of the newsletters. A smattering of photos and illustrations helps to visually describe some of the topics covered. The newsletters sometimes describe business activities at Mitsui Seiki. More often, they convey information about Walker’s family, travels and hobbies. Selling machine tools isn’t all that Walker does. His past and current interests include throwing darts, diving, playing guitar, making wine, woodworking, oil painting and reading.

Curiously, Walker wrote that reading for pleasure was impossible for him because of his dyslexia until the age of 40, which is when he started painting “and something clicked in my brain. I haven’t any idea what it was, but I started reading and haven’t stopped.” Read more