“That same family culture Rick established at Edgewater St. Joseph applies here, too.”
– Scott McNabb, Edgewater Automation SC
Not many can say they’ve worked with both their father and their son, but Scott McNabb can, and he’s happy to say it’s been enjoyable. He and dad Steve – who was “employee number 3” at Edgewater – used to carpool together. His son, Jett, now 21, is a plumbing apprentice and aspiring machinist at Spartanburg.
A native of Sawyer/Harbert, Scott met wife Jada, eldest of Rick Blake’s 5 children, in high school. “Our families were friends growing up. Jada’s brother Ryan’s was one of my best friends. She and I started dating as juniors, and later attended Lake Michigan College, then got married in 2000,” says Scott.
Scott joined Edgewater in its first year, along with Scott Lundin. Both were machine-builder apprentices. Scott worked by day and went to Lake Michigan College evenings. He was at Edgewater for just a week when their son Jett was born. He and Jada, a school nurse, would go on to have three more kids – Sam, 20; Ella, 17; and Max, 15.
Much as his children have grown up, Scott has graduated from one position to another during his Edgewater career since being an apprentice, going from machine builder (13 years), to shop floor management (3 years), to project management (5 years), and now apps engineer.
Scott joined Preston Patnoude and six others, including brother-in-law Jamen, when Rick opened Spartanburg. “I’ve loved learning the ropes with Jamen, growing and being challenged together,” Scott recalls. “We’re a little different here. For instance, Preston brought to South his way of doing more high-speed precision machines. But that same family culture Rick established at Edgewater St. Joseph applies here, too.”
Another trademark Edgewater South has become known for is the standard way they make their machines with a halo at the top to hide the wires. “We try to make them look clean and uniform. Preston had seen this and wanted to adopt it for our shop. And the ideas we all get to share at the ‘continuous improvement’ meetings he holds with our groups – mechanical engineering, controls, floor managers, etc. – have made us feel like we’re all part of what’s going on,” Scott says.
As for Southern living, “We’ve really enjoyed living here, it’s been good for the family. There are a lot of opportunities for the kids and there are good schools. And people are a little more friendly here. That Southern hospitality thing is real,” Scott says.
As for hobbies, the family likes to hike. “There are a lot of beautiful places to hike around here. A real highlight was hiking Mt. McKinley, at 14,500 feet, the tallest mountain in the continental U.S. – my son Jett was along. This summer, I climbed Yosemite with Rick, Ryan and son Max. Along with hiking, I enjoy running – kind of! And I used to enjoy golf.”
