Today we’d like to introduce you to Allan Musterer.
Hi Allan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I came to San Diego with my wife in 1970 on a job transfer as an Engineer. Shortly after arrival, I became an ordained minister in the New Apostolic Church. My engineering career took me though several San Diego area companies until I co-founded 4-Ward Tech, Inc. That company continues to today as 4-WARD Design, Inc. In 2008, after 38 years in ministry, I retired. Just prior to my retirement, I attended a service for an abandoned baby at Graden of Innocence. It was the 100th baby to be buried at the Garden. I was so deeply moved that day that I embraced the organization and its mission to provide dignified burials of unidentified and abandoned babies. I now serve as president and director of Garden of Innocence San Diego. In 2019, I published my first book, Solomon’s Recipe. I am in the process of writing three additional books, Grieving, Turning Points of Life, and The Evolution of a Sushi Chef Through the Eyes of His Father. I have an active blog, The Turning Points of Life, since March 2015. I continue to be active as a small group discussion leader/facilitator at my church.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My life journey has been fraught with constant challenges from childhood to the present. However, I have been blessed to have had extraordinary parents who raised me with faith and wisdom that gave me a profound relationship with God. My life has been a constant stream of turning points that have fashioned my ability to navigate each challenge that life has presented to me. One of the most profound turning points prompted my first book Solomon’s Recipe. My ability to effectively manage traversing extreme challenges has inspired me to write and share my success with others. My morning prayer includes, “Lord, make me a blessing to someone today. Give me a heart with skill to listen so I can hear even the whisper of the Holy Spirit’s guidance and the courage to act to do Your will.” I am profoundly grateful for all the people God has brought into my life, as each is a unique blessing. I believe that there are really no strangers, just friends I have not yet met. My father planted in me a thirst to read, making me a prolific reader of a wide genre of books that have shaped my perspective, thus preparing me to have a substantial resource for overcoming the bumps in my road of life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My first job after graduating from Bucknell University was with Foster Wheeler Corporation. I was assigned to a nine-month training program. I had some reservations about my education because my grades were just average. The training program gave me some “breathing space,” so there was less pressure to perform at a high level. The first assignment was at a power plant in Pasadena, California. My first assignment was to install a baffle in the steam generator to resolve a vibration issue. My performance resulted in a successful resolution, and more importantly, I did it at a cost of half the budgeted amount. That attracted the attention of the Executive Vice President. Unknown to me, he directed my next assignments. When I returned to the office after my final training assignment, he asked me what I wanted to do in the company. Not prepared to answer, I blurted out, “I’m not sure, but if I were your son, where would you want me to be?” He immediately took me to the Nuclear Department manager’s office. He said, “This is the future of the company and where I would want my son to be.” I then entered graduate school and graduated with an MBA. That prompted my promotion and the transfer to San Diego.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My Father who taught me lessons in who to trust, the power of reading, the way to authentically love. My Mother who taught me how to pray and how faith in God brings us through the most profound challenges in life. My Uncle Albert who taught me to dream big with Godly wisdom. My math teacher Mr. Hubiak who taught me the profound lesson “You can’t get something for nothing”. My minister, Alex Klein who taught me how to commune with the Holy Spirit and how to overcome depression. My wife Carol has been a perfect support for my life pursuits and an inspiration in all that I do. She taught me from the start of our marriage that we needed to live below our means and thereby be fiscally sound. She was a master partner in parenting our son Randy. My son Randy has been a great teacher and has shown me how small moments in the relationship of father and son can reap huge rewards for both.
I have a long list of such people who have been there for me to grow as a person of value and to be a benefit to others.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lifeturningpoints.org and www.allanemusterer.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allan.musterer
