My Story

     Married to the love of his life Mary Jane for 63 years, Tom worked extremely hard as an auto mechanic at many dealerships in the Greater Metro Detroit Area. After nearly 20 years Tom was at a crossroads. The work he had done to help raise his family had taken its toll. Tom was on his last day, when preparation, hard work and “going the extra mile” his whole life was about to pay off. On that day, an Inspector came in having troubles with a futuristic car 3-5 years from production, from the General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan. Tom was assigned the task and as the day drew to a close, Tom mentioned to the inspector it was his last day working on cars for good but he promised that he’d stay one more day to fix that car before pulling his tools for the last time. The following day, as promised Tom diagnosed and finished that car for the inspector! Impressed with Tom and his abilities, that inspector pulled out an application for a job at those same proving grounds and the rest is history.

     Tom spent nearly 30 years as an Engineering Technician for General Motors Corporation. Tom became an expert in testing, diagnosing and developing safety and security systems you will still find in production today. His role with GM took him and his bride around the world and because he loved what he did so much he often brags that the day he went to work for GM he never “worked” another day!

     As a kid, in 1956, Tom lived with his family at Camp Mc Gill, in Yokosuka Japan while his father, Chief Warrant Officer Robert W. Beattie, served as Camp Commander.

     Today at 80, you’ll find “Pops”, a proud American, caring for his wife, checking things off his “things to do” lists and running Utopic’s Shipping and Receiving Department.

     When you’ve got Tom helping you, rest assured you’re in good hands, because since Tom started with Utopic, he hasn’t “worked another day in his life”!