In high school, Ben Keller enjoyed working on tractor engines. He would tear them apart and put them back together, and even earned a John Deere mechanic degree after high school.
So, it only seems natural that Keller has spent the last 20 years with the world’s largest engine manufacturer: Honda. Keller joined the Anna Engine Plant (AEP) 20 years ago as a general associate and now works in the Service area of the Assembly Department building engines by hand each day.
“We build non-current blocks and non-current heads – whatever needs to be built,” Keller said.
In Service, Keller and others build engine blocks and heads from old models that are no longer made in mass production at AEP. The engine blocks and heads fill parts requests from all over the country.
“We build them all from hand,” Keller said, adding that they follow a process similar to that of building engines for the Acura NSX. Each block and head has a process they follow for Honda quality and reliability. “It is cool to see another block or head done and ready to go out,” he said.
For someone who loves to work with his hands, it’s a good job. “I enjoy engines and have always worked on engines,” Keller said. “I like knowing these will go out to the public and help them get around and go on vacation. It makes you feel good.”
Outside of Honda, Keller and his wife get hands on with bees – the couple got into beekeeping five years ago and now have 26 hives (below).
Beekeeping started when Keller saw a flow hive – a hive designed for honey extraction through a spout instead of opening the hive. “I kidded with my wife that we should do it because she likes bees and flowers,” he said.
But it soon became a very real hobby for the couple, and Keller is currently the area representative on the Ohio State Beekeepers Association.
“Bees always keep you on your toes,” he said. “It’s fun to open up the hive and see the bees. As the year progresses from spring to summer and then fall, it’s very interesting to watch them. Bees are just like any other insect or animal; they’re always doing something funky.”
With 26 hives, Keller takes a large reward from his work. Last year, the hives produced 10 five-gallon buckets of honey.
Keller also enjoys hiking and backpacking, an activity he took on thanks to one of his three children. Keller has hiked at Yellowstone, and his longest trek so far was 42 miles last summer at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan.
Motorcycling is another hobby Keller enjoys outside of work, rolling through the hills of southern Ohio. In fact, he said the Triple Nickle from Zanesville to the Ohio River is his favorite route to take on his 2006 Honda Shadow.
It’s just one more way engines – especially Honda engines – have powered Keller’s passion.
