ARTICLE
By Dustin Steiner, Vice President Government & Industry Relations Last week, on a beautiful San Diego fall day, industry and Boy Scout leaders alike gathered at the Paradise Point Resort to honor one of our own, Good Scout of the Year, Bill Haithcock of Casper Company. Sean Roy, the CEO of the San Diego – Imperial Council Boy Scouts of America, served as Master of Ceremonies and kicked off the event with a scouting update and a tribute video in which Bill’s family and friends praised the guest of honor. The keynote speaker was Captain Jim “Guido” DiMatteo. A TOPGUN pilot and instructor who regaled the crowd with photos, anecdotes, and what I can only hope is a rare cockpit “selfie” of him high above San Diego holding a picture of Mr. Haithcock. Captain DiMatteo is a third-generation fighter pilot. His father, with whom he clearly has a close relationship, used to carpool with then-Ensign and later AGC President Doug Barnhart. He shared a photo of his father’s 102nd birthday much to the delight of the crowd as well as several journal entries from the 1940s. Captain DiMatteo was a national champion rugby player at his beloved alma mater, Cal, and also discussed his work as an advisor on the movie "Top Gun" including a few clips of him in the background where he showed off his prowess in the…bar. He joked that when he agreed to be an “extra,” he thought it would be flying, but that “(Producer Jerry) Bruckheimer and (Tom) Cruise” thought he did an exceptional job just sitting in the background having a drink. “Guido” admitted he is good at this, sharing a photo of himself pouring drinks at his former bar, San Diego Gaslamp favorite, Jimmy Love’s. The man of the hour, Bill Haithcock, took the stage next with his beloved bride, Randi, by his side. He said they met in high school when they used to “share homework.” Later, Randi admitted the “sharing” was a one-way street…Bill’s response, of course, was his famed radiant grin – a sure sign of guilt. Bill and Randi will be celebrating 45 years of marriage in February. They have two grown sons, Chris and Ryan, and two grandsons, Ethan and Cameron. Family is clearly the center of their world and the many photos of active outdoor dinners, golf, surfing, Tae Kwan Do (that’s right – Black Belt!), and vacations were a testament to that. In several photos, Bill was wearing an Autism shirt in support of their youngest grandchild. In addition to an active family life, Bill spoke of moving from employee #8 at Casper Company to President, a post he has held since 2002. He also talked about his involvement with AGC. A former AGC President, he gave a nice pitch for the AGC Apprenticeship program as a learning hub for future leaders of the industry. In a touching moment, Bill recalled his love of scouting as a boy saying it came to a rather abrupt end due to complications in his home life. Then, with a twinkle in his eye and a grateful smile, he thanked the crowd knowing that this honor made it all come full circle. Well done, Scout!
By Dustin Steiner, Vice President Government & Industry Relations
Last week, on a beautiful San Diego fall day, industry and Boy Scout leaders alike gathered at the Paradise Point Resort to honor one of our own, Good Scout of the Year, Bill Haithcock of Casper Company. Sean Roy, the CEO of the San Diego – Imperial Council Boy Scouts of America, served as Master of Ceremonies and kicked off the event with a scouting update and a tribute video in which Bill’s family and friends praised the guest of honor.
The keynote speaker was Captain Jim “Guido” DiMatteo. A TOPGUN pilot and instructor who regaled the crowd with photos, anecdotes, and what I can only hope is a rare cockpit “selfie” of him high above San Diego holding a picture of Mr. Haithcock. Captain DiMatteo is a third-generation fighter pilot. His father, with whom he clearly has a close relationship, used to carpool with then-Ensign and later AGC President Doug Barnhart. He shared a photo of his father’s 102nd birthday much to the delight of the crowd as well as several journal entries from the 1940s. Captain DiMatteo was a national champion rugby player at his beloved alma mater, Cal, and also discussed his work as an advisor on the movie "Top Gun" including a few clips of him in the background where he showed off his prowess in the…bar. He joked that when he agreed to be an “extra,” he thought it would be flying, but that “(Producer Jerry) Bruckheimer and (Tom) Cruise” thought he did an exceptional job just sitting in the background having a drink. “Guido” admitted he is good at this, sharing a photo of himself pouring drinks at his former bar, San Diego Gaslamp favorite, Jimmy Love’s.
The man of the hour, Bill Haithcock, took the stage next with his beloved bride, Randi, by his side. He said they met in high school when they used to “share homework.” Later, Randi admitted the “sharing” was a one-way street…Bill’s response, of course, was his famed radiant grin – a sure sign of guilt. Bill and Randi will be celebrating 45 years of marriage in February. They have two grown sons, Chris and Ryan, and two grandsons, Ethan and Cameron. Family is clearly the center of their world and the many photos of active outdoor dinners, golf, surfing, Tae Kwan Do (that’s right – Black Belt!), and vacations were a testament to that. In several photos, Bill was wearing an Autism shirt in support of their youngest grandchild. In addition to an active family life, Bill spoke of moving from employee #8 at Casper Company to President, a post he has held since 2002. He also talked about his involvement with AGC. A former AGC President, he gave a nice pitch for the AGC Apprenticeship program as a learning hub for future leaders of the industry. In a touching moment, Bill recalled his love of scouting as a boy saying it came to a rather abrupt end due to complications in his home life. Then, with a twinkle in his eye and a grateful smile, he thanked the crowd knowing that this honor made it all come full circle.
Well done, Scout!