Meet David Chandler

On occasion you meet someone who has a special story to share. David Chandler is such a person. This little introduction will only scratch the surface of what is a deeply colorful and rich tapestry of his life experiences. I am grateful for having the chance to sit with David to hear some of his stories and to share a glimpse of them with you.

David is married to Monica, and together they have two sons. Matthew 18 and Christopher 16. David and Monica both served in the military. David was in the Marines and Monica in the Navy. During their service, they were both stationed in Hawaii for several years. Since Monica has family in Michigan they decided to move here after leaving the military and now live on a forty-acre farm in Burleigh Township near Whittemore.

David and Monica homeschooled their sons until third grade, after which they attended Emmanuel Lutheran School in Tawas. Both boys now attend Michigan Lutheran Seminary for high school. Matthew, a senior, plans to study engineering at Michigan Tech next year. David proudly shares, “Putting my sons through school is my highest priority right now.”

At age 21, David decided to join The United States Marine Corp. This was after rescuing a horse that had broken through ice into a pond. While others stood around trying to decide what to do, he took charge of saving the horse and decided he should enter a career requiring decisiveness, courage, and leadership.

David went on to serve in the Marine Corp for a career spanning twenty-five years. As you can imagine, a twenty-five-year career in the Marine Corp would be filled with many diverse experiences and colorful stories. As David says, “I have climbed mountains, saw and served around the world, and spent time in The Gulf War.” While there are many stories David shared just a few that stood out. One story was about 9/11. Since Hawaii is in a very different time zone it is effectively sleeping while New York is well into its day. So, on 9/11 he received a call in the middle of the night about what had happened with the towers. It was his responsibility to alert the entire base, a task he carried out with urgency and precision.

Throughout his career in the Marines, David earned numerous commendations, completed many rigorous training courses, and excelled in many physical fitness programs. One of his most challenging courses was to become a Marine Combat Instructor of Water Survival. Reflecting on it, David shared, “This course almost killed me.” The training required participants to swim and stay afloat in full gear, often with their hands or feet bound, testing limits comparable to Navy SEAL standards. With his lean physique and minimal body fat, it was an especially grueling challenge.

While stationed in Hawaii, David embraced off-duty activities, including sailing. He owned two sailboats during this time: a 32’ Chesapeake first then a 42’ Westsail. Both are beautiful boats for which he has many fond memories but is also relieved not to have the expenses associated with sailing. While sailing offshore, he would often catch Skipjack Tuna and Mahi Mahi to feast on.

David’s Marine Corps journey culminated in his promotion to Master Sergeant (E8), a role that reflects his leadership and dedication.

David joined the Vantage Plastics team almost three years ago. He started as a production operator; he quickly expanded his roles to include assembly and off-breaking before being promoted to Safety Coordinator at the end of his first year. This is a role with responsibilities that David takes very seriously. When asked what he thinks about being on the Vantage Plastics Team he says, “I always have a never-ending list of things to do. It is not boring. Whether it is training, working with maintenance on lock out tag out, machine upgrades, addressing groups and individuals on safety it keeps me busy.” He also says, “I love this place. It’s very exciting. There are always lots of things going on with new projects, products, and innovations. The people are great and there is always room for pursuing excellence.” David is affectionately referred to as “Safety Dave,” within our facilities which is a testament to his passion for the role.

Besides managing his farm David keeps active in politics and serves in official roles related to those in government and related legislative issues. His dedication to civic engagement is evident in a book he has written titled “A More Perfect Union- A Common Man’s Common Sense Guide to Self-Government.” In the book, David explores the concept of liberty and outlines a vision for a government rooted in natural law and individual freedom. It is available through Amazon where this description is used; “In “A More Perfect Union”, David Chandler defines the Rights and corresponding responsibilities we must share in order for our society to be peaceful and prosperous. He delves into the concept of Liberty and what is necessary to secure it for ourselves and our posterity. He describes a sound and sensible representative form of government subject to the principles of Natural Law where each individual is lifted up in Liberty. He explains how this upgraded form of government is socially, economically, and spiritually beneficial to all Mankind.”

We are honored to have David Chandler as a member of our team and to have had this chance to share just a small portion of his story. As a member of the Vantage Plastics Family of Companies Team David is clearly helping us fulfill our Mission of Forming Better Lives, Forming Solutions, and Forming Sustainable Futures. David’s unwavering commitment to excellence, leadership, and safety enriches not just our workplace but everyone who has the privilege of working alongside him.