At Tait, we take great pride in serving the organizations that are so integral to our way of life: they keep communities safe, our lights on, transport flowing and provide the raw materials for modern life. To provide them with the great support Tait is renowned for, we have a dedicated team of individuals all over the world that work hard to deliver results. In this blog, we meet Jeff O’Neal, Technical Trainer at Tait.
Jeff O’Neal joined Tait as a Technical Trainer six months ago. In addition to bringing a wealth of experience, Jeff brings vision and energy to everything he does. Jeff is a Navy Veteran in military communication. He has over thirteen years of LMR experience starting with Motorola P25, EF Johnson P25 and Harris P25. He spent the past 3 years working at L3 Harris as a Sales Engineer, where his primary responsibility was training and providing technical support to the dealer channel and market product release strategy, as well as growing the direct-to-customer business opportunities.
Want to get to know our team? You can find other Tait Staff Spotlight posts here.
In his spare time, Jeff enjoys fishing, golf and hunting. In addition, he’s a licensed drone pilot and has flown for commercial real estate and Duke Energy.
Tell us about your experience in the Navy?
I worked on two different vessels. One of the ships that I worked on was the command ship carrying a three-star admiral. Onboard the ships’ communication shop, we had to make sure the entire battlegroup was clear of the mission at hand.
I will always remember the incredible beaches in Thailand and the crystal clear water, but my favorite experience was a humanitarian mission in Djibouti Africa. The highlight was a performance of tribal music that the community put on for us – it was really special.
Do you have any interesting stories from being a drone pilot for an energy company?
I was flying in a residential area when I was confronted with an unhappy customer. After listening to her concerns, and explaining how the information from the drone would help her, she brought me some BBQ right off of the grill. My corporate call sign was born: “McRib”.
In the past, you have worked for dealers and with dealers. What were these experiences like?
Working for a dealer is like being in a family environment. It is also a great opportunity to wear a lot of different hats. Keeping the customer happy is always job number one.
What Football team do you root for?
Cowboy/Saints.
Mississippi BBQ, North Carolina or Texas?
Mississippi hands down, but Texas BBQ is a strong second, especially Texas brisket.
If there was a subject you could study just for fun, what would it be?
Science.
What is something you admired about Tait before starting here?
Integrity and a family-like environment.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
To be a better version of me than the day before.
What would the title of your autobiography be?
Laugh Your Face Off
What is one of your hidden talents?
I can play the “Blues” on the Harmonica.
Get in touch with Tait
If there’s anything Jeff or the team at any of our regional offices can do to help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
