ROCHESTER, N.Y. – For years it seemed the only thing we’ve reporting about Kodak is job cuts.
So it caught our attention when we saw two large signs on the Kodak building at the corner of Lake Avenue and Ridge Road that say “Now hiring.”

Peter O’Hare is a supply chain planner. He started at Kodak 18 months ago after his wife saw the hiring signs.

Berkeley Brean, News10NBC: “Did you apply for the job because you saw the big sign at the corner of Lake and Ridge?”
Peter O’Hare, new Kodak employee: “I did, actually. Yes.”

O’Hare says it was his wife who saw the signs and found the jobs page.

“And she goes – you should apply to Kodak,” O’Hare said. “And my initial reaction was, wait, Kodak is still here?”

Berkeley Brean: “So when people come up to you and saw ‘what do you do?’ And you say ‘I work at Kodak,’ what kind of reaction do you get?”
Peter O’Hare: “Well first it usually goes the other way around. I’m proud to tell them I’m working at Kodak.”

O’Hare is one of roughly 800 people hired at Kodak in the last five years.

Berkeley Brean: “When you hear Peter talk, what do you hear?”
Terry Taber, Sr. VP AM&C and CTO: “I just hear the echo of all the effort that people have put in to grow Kodak again.”

Terry Tabor is the VP of Advanced Materials and Chemicals. In Kodak’s earnings report this week, AM&C grew 15% in the last three months, making $82 million.
AM&C is the part of Kodak that makes all the film for movies and cameras.

“People are getting back into film because it’s tangible. It is a different look,” Taber said. “We will be the last film manufacturer standing.”

In the early 80’s Kodak employed 60,000 people in Rochester. It was the biggest company in the world. It was a main Olympic sponsor.
Over the last three decades it laid off thousands of employees and demolished buildings. Now Kodak is the 21st largest employer in Rochester with just under 1,300 people.

Peter O’Hare: “My experience was knowing the trauma that Rochester went through.”
Berkeley Brean: “But now you’re on the inside. And what do you tell me people now?”
O’Hare: “I tell them to look for jobs and come be a part of the future of Kodak. Because I’m very bullish about the future and I’m seeing what’s happening here and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Let’s go in depth on Kodak’s earnings report released yesterday. Revenue in the last three months was $269 million. That’s up 3% from last year’s third quarter. Its profit was up 51%. The company says the financial problems raised in the summer are fixed. And it’s back in the Olympics. As we’ve reported – Kodak is the sponsor of the U.S. Bobsled Team.

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