Bryan Wickman is a thirty-five-year-old who first worked for the Engelmann-Becker Corporation part-time, after school, as a shipping clerk. Upon graduation from high school in June of 1979, he began to work full-time for Engelmann-Becker. His first job title was “receptionist.” In my memory of those days, however, it seemed to me that Bryan was more a combination of Boy Friday, gopher, and whipping boy. He did all those jobs no one else wanted to do, and when anything went wrong, we could all yell, “WHERE’S BRYAN!”
As a testimony to both Bryan’s thick skin and his native intelligence, he advanced his skills and position at Engelmann-Becker through the years, into positions such as office manager and production manager for the many instructional programs produced at “The Corp.” Today, Bryan’s various roles at The Corp include a seat on the board of directors, the office of treasurer, office manager, and production coordinator. One of Bryan’s critical jobs is doing computer-based layout and design work for new programs and revisions.
Throughout his career at Engelmann-Becker, Bryan has been “on loan” to the Association for Direct Instruction. He assisted in the 5th annual Eugene Conference in 1979 and began managing the conference the following year. When ADI formed in 1981, Bryan continued to manage the Eugene conference (and other ADI conferences). He has managed every Eugene Conference since, with a brief hiatus in 1993. Overall, he has run at least fifty conferences for ADI all around the country. At one time or another, he has worked on every aspect of ADI business: bookkeeping and finance, products, production of Effective School Practices (formerly ADI News), and membership.
Because of Bryan’s vast range of experiences at both The Corp and with ADI, and because of his long term of service, he is often called upon as the Corporate Memory for both organizations.Bryan is a husband (to Trish) and father of son C.J. and daughter Kasey. He taught both to read at early ages, using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and has been an active father in many other ways as well. He coaches his daughter’s soccer team, teaches computer classes at his children’s school, he’s a parent representative and chairperson of the Site Council at that school, and he’s the President-elect of the parent-teacher association.At some point over the years, Bryan’s work stopped being a job and became a career. He’s personally and professionally dedicated to the causes of Engelmann-Becker Corporation and the Association for Direct Instruction. Both organizations are fortunate to have him. What’s in Bryan’s future? He’s giving some thought to running for the Eugene school board, and he will undoubtedly play major roles in what appears to be the very bright futures of The Corp and ADI. But no matter to what heights Bryan arises, some of usp;whenever anything goes wrongp;will instinctively yell out, even in an empty room, WHERE’S BRYAN!”
Bob Dixon
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