Hi tom.
Words cannot describe how happy I am right now, Other than a few new testing machines, and of course a new model, Kirby was everything I remember when I was there as a training manager in 1981.
As for the pictures, this is common, most companies prohibits photographs. If you recall, Stan Kann told us the same thing at the Fox theater in 06. In fact, I recall the stage manager threatening to call off rehearsals for Phantom of the Opera unless people stopped taking photos of the stage. 'No pictures' was a requirement in every Broadway show. As for Kirby, my sales crew had to sign the same type letter stating that we would not photograph anything. Electrolux also told me that in 1968 when I sold the 1205, so it's not strictly Kirby.
Do I care? no! I saw the machines in development, and have that picture in my mind forever. Hoover, Air-Way, Electrolux and countless others were closed mouthed about new models, in fact, as you know, because you were there, the V.C.C.C. was lucky enough to be in there, the models vault at Hoover was off limits to most staff. Only the top of the top brass got in there. That's why it was such an honor for me in 1980, and John Lucia and I in 82 to be in there, as well as the club in 94. And I'll go further, when John Lucia and I had an interview with Jackie Love at Hoover for the Hoover News, telling of our interest, it was pulled because I worked for Kirby. The reason? conflict of interest. Kirby did not pull that on us, but opened their doors.
You of all people know how hard I fought to get vacuum cleaner companies to answer my letters in the first months of the V.C.C.C.! Only now, are companies like Kirby, Filter Queen and so on embracing the V.C.C.C., so why bite the hand that feeds us?
The same stands true of the security guard watching us, that's his job, and would do it if the tour was a high school group, or any organization you can name. So business and technology are what they are, I'm not offended in the least.
A very happy Alex Taber.
