Alabama
Teacher's Aide
Marshal County Schools
Guntersville, Alabama

With a passion for working with children, Madeline Quattlebaum has been able to make a difference in the lives of children needing special education when no one else has been able to help.  She feels that what all children need most is patience and nurturing.

After a career as a homemaker, raising four children, and working as a secretary for an automobile dealer, Mrs. Quattlebaum decided to dedicate her life to another type of child, those in need or special help.  More than 15 years ago she started as a special education teacher’s aide at Marshall County Schools and has dedicated herself to the advancement of these students.  Sometimes she’ll have one “problem” child to work with all year long, or at other times she’ll work with multiple students over a number of years.  Her goal is to help them stay in school, learn and grow. She says, “Children are my priority.”

Over the years, Mrs. Quattlebaum has kept her skills in working with special education children up to date with ongoing in-service training, ranging from courses in special education law, to literacy and programs in gifted education. 

Outside of the school, she stays active with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, who love to have her visit.  An active cook who shares her creations with co-workers, she also enjoys bowling and golf, and keeps her mind active by doing crossword puzzles every day.  She says the key to her success has come from, “Having compassion. Thinking of others.”
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Arizona
Marie V. Trudeau, 78
Admissions Assistant
Life Care Center of Tucson
Tucson, Arizona

Marie Trudeau’s return to work wasn’t planned.  After spending 25 years as a homemaker, a community volunteer and a mother, she was widowed.  She decided to enroll in classes at the University of Arizona and Pima College, and took several computer courses.  Her return to the workforce in 1991 was the result of a job offer at Life Care Center, the residential facility where her father spent his last years.  The director thought Mrs. Trudeau would be perfect to greet visitors and residents at the center’s reception desk. 

Mrs. Trudeau joined the Navy Waves in 1951, had assignments in Atlantic City, Pearl Harbor, and finally Washington, D.C.  After her discharge in 1954, she went to work for the airline industry in New York, where she met her husband.  Their travels took them to air bases around the world, including a return to Washington, D. C., for her husband’s assignment as a colonel at the Pentagon.  But Tucson was to be her “retirement” home.  She has been a resident for 20 years.

At the Life Care Center, she works full time and is well known for the personal attention she gives to residents and visitors.  She opened her home to an out-of-town co-worker who needed a place to stay while getting medical treatments, and she spearheaded a fundraising drive to install a fountain garden in memory of another co-worker.  She hopes one day to become an admissions director. 

Mrs. Trudeau’s extra efforts have been recognized.  She was selected for her company’s nationwide “What Ever It Takes” award.  The key to her successes, she believes, has been to just keep moving forward.  As her supervisor says, “What impresses me most about Mrs. Trudeau is that she shows the younger staff what true professionalism is.”
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Arkansas
Dorothy Mulson, 88
Administrative Assistant
River Valley Health & Rehabilitation Center
Fort Smith, Arkansas

An inspiration to everyone she comes in contact with, is how her coworkers at River Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center describe Dorothy Mulson. 

As administrative assistant at the center, Mrs. Mulson answers the phone (4 lines, sometimes ringing at once), and greets all visitors, residents, and their families with a smile and a kind word as they enter the facility. 

Although she doesn’t drive herself, she has managed to be at work everyday.  In earlier years she would walk the two miles from her house to work and back.  Now her retired son drives her.  She has had perfect attendance the past 10 years and according to her supervisor Debbie Fort, “We can’t even convince her to take any vacation!”  Mrs. Mulson is always willing to learn new things and has recently learned how to input all of the ancillary charges into the computer. She says that the use of computers is the most significant change she has observed in line of work since she began, and she says, “Working beyond the traditional retirement age has kept my mind active.” 

Mrs. Mulson has been the Employee of the Month and Employee of the Year several times.  A few years ago the mayor of Fort Smith, Arkansas, proclaimed it “Dorothy Mulson Day” due to her longevity in the workforce.  Mrs. Mulson is a very generous person who gives money to those in need and less fortunate than herself.  She is very thoughtful and never forgets a birthday or special occasion.
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California
Ruth Gottstein, 83
Owner/Publisher
Volcano Press
Volcano, California

Countless scores of women and families lead safer, healthier lives throughout the county because of Ruth Gottstein’s publishing work.  She has worked in the publishing business for over 30 years.

Born and raised in San Francisco, she married young and raised three children.  Her first job, in 1939, was at the San Francisco World’s Fair.  Subsequent jobs included working in a meat market, managing a union office, supervising a voter registration headquarters, organizing civil rights campaigns, and directing community relations for a neighborhood legal-assistance foundation.

Ms. Gottstein began working for the Glide Foundation in the 1970s and became its publications director.  In 1976, she published the first book in America that addressed the issue of domestic violence.  Titled Battered Wives, it is still in print.  When the foundation’s emphasis changed, she had the opportunity to acquire the assets of the publications program, and in 1984 Volcano Press was born. 

She moved to the tiny community of Volcano and set up her business in a historic old brewery building.  Not content to simply publish a variety of groundbreaking books covering topics that help change lives, she became active in her community.  She is currently in her second term with the Amador Commission on Aging, has served on the Amador Domestic Violence Council and the Volcano Community Association, and has been instrumental in the development of the nonprofit Women and Children's Support Resources.

Ms. Gottstein was recognized with a Woman of Distinction award (Soroptimist International) in 2004 and as Amador Woman of the Year in 2000.  The latter honor stands out as a defining moment because she knows her beliefs and values differ from many who supported her for the award.  Her accomplishments continue to touch countless lives in ways she doubtless could not have envisioned when she started her first job at the World’s Fair.
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Colorado
Frank Parrish, 76
Pan Channel Letter Fabricator
Adcon Sign Company
Johnstown, Colorado

Some people just can’t stay retired and Frank Parrish is one of them.  He tried in 1996, but a year and a half was enough.  In 1998, at age 68, he realized working is what he loves to do, so he got a job with Adcon Sign Company. 

His working years began at age of 8, when he sold newspapers on street corners.  In 1948, he enlisted in the Navy, serving as a jet mechanic on an aircraft carrier during the Korean Conflict.  His next job was with Boeing Aircraft as a flightline jet mechanic.  In 1962 he found his real calling in the sign business, and he worked at various sign companies until 1970 when he opened his own company.

His current job with Adcon includes manufacturing individual aluminum pan channel letters for lighted signs.  The process starts with blueprints, fabrication of the letters, and construction of a raceway to mount the letters on.  The final steps include adding the transformers, doing the electrical wiring, and attaching the plastic faces.  Frank enjoys the satisfaction of seeing a sign go from blueprint to a finished lighted sign and considers finished signs a work of art.  A true craftsman, his philosophy has always been “do it right, or don’t do it at all.”  So whenever Adcon needs a sample letter made for a potential customer, Mr. Parrish builds it.  
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Delaware
Paul F. Mahoney, 72
Manager, Procurement and Records
City of Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware

It takes an understanding of your organization from top to bottom to be successful in purchasing, and that’s exactly what led Paul Mahoney to a career in procurement and records for the city of Wilmington.

A lifelong native of the city, Mr. Mahoney started out his career at the NVF Company, learning all the operations of the plant.  He held positions in quality control and time and motion studies before transferring to the purchasing department. He left NVF after 13 years. Following a three-year stint in sales at Briggs Rubber, he applied in 1971 for a position at the city of Wilmington and found his true calling. He’s been manager of the procurement and records division for more than 35 years and still finds the work interesting and enjoyable. Mr. Mahoney’s department manages all the purchases for a city of more than 70,000, and that includes items as diverse as police cars and tractors to stationery and pens. The department even gets involved in purchasing professional services, such as for city construction projects from building a road to fixing a water main. Says Mr. Mahoney, “I really enjoy the work and the people. There is always something new.”

Though his 50-plus-hour work week doesn’t allow for much time to pursue hobbies, a love of sports from his high school days led him to playing on the softball team at work and coaching a girls basketball team. Just recently he has taken up tennis.  Outside of sports, Mr. Mahoney has been very involved with the Knights of Columbus, is an usher at his church and is past president of the Purchasing Managers Association of Delaware.
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Florida
Ann SmithThompson, 75
Founder/Executive Director
The House of Refuge
Orlando, Florida

Ann Smith always knew she was destined to help others.  While raising a family in central Florida, Ann worked as a hotel maid starting at $.50/hour.  Despite hardships, she never lost her faith.

In the same year that she became an ordained minister, she returned to school, after an 18-year lapse, and obtained her high school diploma.  By 1970, she had become a licensed practical nurse and was the first African-American nurse hired full-time by the Orange County Department of Corrections. 

At the age of 65, she retired as head nurse (and assistant chaplain).  Her years at the department had shown her that the system was failing inmates.  She’d see inmates released only to return to the jail.  Their stories were the same: they had nowhere to go and no one to help them.

Using her own retirement funds, she opened The House of Refuge in 1997 to assist recently released/troubled young women and help guide them back into society.  By 2003, the Refuge had grown into several facilities housing men, women, drug/alcohol abusers, the mentally ill, pregnant teens, Aids victims and the needy.  Today, Mrs. Smith has consolidated the Refuge facilities into a more modern facility housing up to 12 men and two nearby homes for eight men and six women.

Rising around 5:00 a.m., “Mother Ann” runs a strict, faith-based, 90-day program designed to make residents self-sufficient.  She takes a personal interest in the residents, ensuring their individual problems are addressed.  Her days often end well after 9:00 p.m.

Her list of awards, commendations and achievements is extensive.  Orlando has even declared March 25th  as Ann Smith Day in recognition of her long service to Orlando’s needy.  When does she rest?  Ann says, “People ask how I do it, [and] I tell them…whom God commissions, he also conditions to do the work.”  
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Georgia
June Ruth Saint, 69
Admissions Coordinator
Columbus Hospice, Inc.
Pine Mountain, Georgia

Although it took 48 years, June Saint is honored to be a registered nurse.  A military wife, she enjoyed meeting peoples of all ethnic backgrounds and culture, but it delayed her career.  She was in her thirties before she took her first nursing class.  Over a period of 15 years, when the family was stateside, she became first a licensed vocational nurse, then an associate registered nurse.  By the time she returned to school to become a registered nurse, her daughter was old enough to join her.  She and her youngest daughter enrolled together and graduated from the Troy University BSN program in 1985. 

Currently, she uses her nursing skills as admissions coordinator for Columbus Hospice, where she assigns nurses to meet with patients and families (often with only a few minutes notice), interacts with physicians, and constantly case manages.  She has a team of seven.  She creatively staffs her area to meet the needs of her department while conserving costs.  Her supervisor says, “Everyday, June exemplifies those positive attributes that every employer desires of their employees-- both young and old.”

Mrs. Saint makes a 60-mile commute to work at least five days a week.  Always on time, she frequently works beyond her normal hours.  When she had knee surgery recently and had to use a walker for support, she was back to work in a week’s time. 

She’s added certified hospice pallative nurse to her resume and encourages other staff to obtain that certification.  A member of several nursing associations, she also participates in church, civic, and community activities such as the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life, the Amazing Gray Ladies, and the Red Hat Society.  Among her proudest accomplishments is passing her love of nursing to her children.  All three daughters chose nursing as a profession. 
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Hawaii
Richard S. Taltavall, 71
Safety, Health and Environmental Manager
Pacific Shipyards International
Waiphu, Hawaii

Supervisor, mentor, and leader of safety program development and implementation, Richard Taltavall has built his career on making his place of work safer for employees.  It was his first career in “the silent service” (submarine duty), a vocation where lack of safety can spell disaster for all, that motivated him to lead in the development of safety programs in his current career.

After more than 35 years of service in the military, Mr. Taltavall embarked on a new career at Pacific Shipyards International (PSI) as head of the company’s safety, health and environmental programs.  In that capacity his supervisor credits him with savings of more than $100 thousand per year in reduced accident costs.  PSI employees do very hazardous work, including metal cutting, fuel removal, welding and many other dangerous occupations.  He has led the company to numerous national safety awards including the National Healthy Workplace Award in 2006, and an excellent rating from the government.  With Mr. Taltavall’s leadership the facility has had in no environmental incidents in the past seven years.

Mr. Talavall is the company expert in all matters concerning safety, health and environmental regulations.  He is responsible for employee training, is chairman of the safety committee and safety board, and is responsible for keeping abreast of all new regulations.  His supervisor says, “Mr. Taltavall’s safety programs and policies are a benchmark of achievement and an impressive standard for others to achieve in the state of Hawaii.” 
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Illinois
Janet Frye, 70
Teller/Bookkeeper
Gerber State Bank
Argenta, Illinois

Working is about giving back more than you get, according to Janet Frye.  She puts her belief into practice every day as teller and bookkeeper for Gerber State Bank.   She started her part-time job with the bank four years ago. 

Although she spent 28 years as a secretary for a school district, Mrs. Frye’s first job was with a bank.  “Returning to the same type of responsibility almost 50 years later, there was really nothing I could have brought with me as far as knowing how to do the job because of the technology that’s taken over,” she says.   But for Mrs. Frye, the learning challenge was welcome.

“If I’d stopped learning upon high school graduation, I’d still be holding a piece of chalk and a slate blackboard,” she says. “You have to continue learning and accepting change. Accepting change allows you to move on.”

She married her high-school sweetheart shortly after graduation.  He was the boy next door, and they worked together caring for his prize hogs.  To buy her engagement ring, he sold his grand champion state fair hog.  In 1996, she retired to spend time with him but their retirement plans were cut short by his death in 2001.

She struggled to accept her loss, and about a year after, she accepted the job with Gerber. Looking back, she says it was the best thing that could have happened to her.

“I really never intended to go back to work,” Mrs. Frye admits. “But it’s so personally satisfying that I can say ‘I did it.’ It’s rewarding to be taking on responsibility at this time in my life. It makes you realize what you’re capable of doing.”  As for the value older workers bring to employers?  “What we give back, you can’t find in a manual.”
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Indiana
Harriet Sweedler Miller, 69
Partner/Consultant
Harmony Associates and Aon Consulting
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Sometimes the worst of times becomes the inspiration in a person’s life.  For Harriet Miller, it was 1977.  She was diagnosed with cancer and treated for it successfully.  As she writes, “I recognized that this was a gift of life to me.  It changed how I approached everything.  I moved forward with my leadership role with the Fort Wayne Women’s Bureau with the exuberance of someone who knows she has been given a second chance.  I was determined to make a difference.”

After several years teaching, she become founder/executive director of the Women’s Bureau in 1975.  1977 was the year the bureau officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, providing advocacy, job training, rape crisis services, peer counseling and educational services to all area women.  Over the next 18 years, she built the bureau into a thriving agency. 

Starting Harmony Associates in 1994 was “the next logical career move.”  Through Harmony Associates, she shares her organizational development, fundraising, and management expertise with nonprofits serving Indiana youth.  A year later, she took a part-time job with Aon Consulting, testing, assessing, and interviewing hundreds of candidates a year who are applying for jobs in the automotive, telecommunications and pharmaceutical fields. 

She holds an honorary doctorate degree from Indiana University.  A member of Achduth Vesholom Congregation and numerous social, environmental, and civic organizations, she also competes in Senior Games.

Her goal for the future is to find a better balance between work and leisure activities.  She wants more time to travel, to just “hang out” with family and friends, to write her “Herstory” for her grandchildren.  Why does she continue to work?  Work, she says, gives her the opportunity to interact with a diverse workforce, dignity, and the satisfaction of contributing.  Perhaps most important, it lets her continue to make a difference.
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Iowa
Helen Aringdale, 83
Proofreader/Writer
Columbus Junction Gazette
Columbus Junction, Iowa

A walk 62 years ago literally led to her career.  In 1944, a Columbus Junction Gazette editor saw Helen Aringdale walking, drove his car within talking distance, and offered her a job with the newspaper.  Miss Aringdale knew nothing about the newspaper business.  But she had been her class valedictorian, a war was on, and the editor was desperate for workers.  She took the job, and her Gazette career has lasted a lifetime. 

When she started, she earned $12 a week.  Everyone worked six days a week, at least eight hours a day.  New technology and the computer have changed the industry dramatically over the years.  Miss Aringdale has kept up with the changes and has “done it all,” from folding fair flyers to her current position writing a weekly column and proof reading copy.  She has been involved with every weekly issue since her employment began.  

The Gazette was not always her “only job.”  She worked at her local library, until it became computerized.  Her retirement from the library job gave her the time she needed to write and publish a book, “Do You Remember.”  The book records the history of Columbus Junction and the surrounding area. 

Her interest in history as well as her desire to share the information have earned her the title of local historian.  She helps residents and visitors research their family history, often accompanying them to local cemeteries to locate their ancestors’ graves.  She’s active in her local church and spends many hours visiting seniors in local nursing home. 

First and foremost, Miss Aringdale loves her job at the Gazette.  Her face breaks into a smile as she tells about being referred to as the “Jane of all trades.”  And except in the worst of weather, she still walks to work.  
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Kansas
Melvin Sloan Burkhead, 83
Senior Mentor
SE Kansas Area Agency on Aging
Independence, Kansas

Whether helping low-income seniors find employment, or helping those with disabilities get the financial support they desperately need, Melvin Burkhead has built a long career helping others. A graduate of Kansas State University in agronomy and agriculture, and a WWII veteran serving in the Pacific, Hawaii and Guam, Mr. Burkhead started out as a farmer and instructor, teaching proper crop and livestock methods to veterans. 

Later employed as a business analyst and account consultant, he changed careers in 1987 and began working in a number of jobs that were focused around helping people. This included work with the Kansas Mental Health Center and Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging. His work included one-on-one care, transporting people to the hospital and clinics, and counseling people to solve work-related employment issues.

In 2001, his work with the Southeast Kansas AAA led to the development of the Disability Seeking Program. Through this program, people with disabilities are helped in completing applications and in appearing before an Administrative Law Judge in order to receive Social Security Disability. Mr. Burkhead has personally helped hundreds of clients through this program. In addition to his work at the disability program, he also works with the local job service office, teaching resume writing and job interview skills to low-income seniors. 

Among Mr. Burkhead’s many accomplishments was organizing the Friends of Kansas Libraries, serving as president of the Lions Club, active member of a program to provide medical advice to seniors, and organizing a program to provide low-cost food and volunteer work for the needy. An avid gardener, Mr. Burkhead is a certified Master Gardener and active reader, devouring all the local newspapers from his local Kansas area. He says, “I have always tried to do a top-notch job on anything I’ve tried to do, regardless of how much longer it took to complete.”
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Kentucky
I.J. “Red” Cornett, 90
President
Cornett Machine Shop
Somerset, Kentucky

Fixing things that other people can’t is one of the reasons I. J. “Red” Cornett continues to work at age 89. “I follow my Lord given talents that he gave everyone one of us so we could make an honest living.  On top of that, I’m doing what I want to do and I enjoy it! I like to look back at the day and see what I’ve accomplished.” 

After working construction for years, Mr. Cornett opened the Cornett Machine Shop in Somerset in 1947. “I saw back then that I had to settle down,” he says.  In 1947 he had one employee working in the shop with him. Today the shop employs 25 workers with gross annual sales of more than 2.5 million dollars. 

Although his two sons Jack and David currently operate the shop, Mr. Corbett puts in eight-hour days and is still highly involved in the business. “He has acquired so much knowledge during his years that his skills are still invaluable,” his son Jack explains.  “There are certain things in the business that he continues to be the only person who knows how to do it.” 

The shop’s employees make and repair bearings and crankshafts for companies like John Deere. Along with the crankshafts, Mr. Cornett enjoys building and repairing antique car and airplane engines. Most recently he repaired a 1930 Hupmobile for a customer from Kansas. His next job was repairing an engine for a 1917 B-12 airplane like those flown by Eddie Rickenbacker, the famous WWI combat pilot.

In addition to work, Mr. Corbett enjoys family, auto racing, and hunting. He has hunted big game all over the United State and Canada, just recently completing a trip with his 19-year-old grandson in South Dakota. This year, he and his wife celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.
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Louisiana
Lois D. Dominque, 86
Assistant Director of Nurses
Evangeline Oaks Guest House
Lafayette, Louisiana

“I have no intention of retiring soon because I love what I am doing,” says Lois Dominque. At 86, Mrs. Dominque is a mother of twelve, grandmother of fifty, and great grandmother of seventy, and is the Assistant Director of Nursing at Evangeline Oaks Guest House.

When penicillin was discovered and it was too hard for many patients to make it to the hospital for the shot, the local doctor instructed her on how to give shots. She loved what she was doing and told her husband that she wanted to go into nursing, but she did not have time to go while raising a family.

Then, when her husband died suddensly, she decided to enter nursing school, but had to delay entry when she found out she was pregnant with her twelfth child.  Finally, she graduated as an L.P.N. and entered the University of Southwestern Louisiana to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. After attending school full time and working part time at night as an L.P.N. to support her family, she graduated and for the next seventeen years worked at Lafayette General Medical Center. She then worked as director of nursing at a local nursing home around and finally came to Evangeline Oaks where she’s been since 1991.

Mrs. Dominque is passionate about the nursing profession. She has encouraged nursing aids to become L.P.N.’s, and L.P.N.’s to become R.N.’s, helping to pay for their books and supplies. She also provides for school supplies for her staff’s children. Within her own family, there are three R.N.’s, two L.P.N.’s, one Nurse Practitioner, two Doctor’s and one working in medical records. The medical community has acknowledged her many accomplishments through newspaper, magazine and television stories and she was recently granted an Outstanding Nurse Award in Acadiana. 
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Maine
Arthur A. Comstock, 73
SVP, Senior Market Manager
United Kingfield Bank
Bangor, Maine
    
A respected banker who has dedicated 50 years of service to his community, Arthur Comstock is said to have “professionalism as his goal and community service in his soul.” After service to his country in the Army, he began a remarkable career in banking that included positions such as branch manager, vice president of asset management, regional executive officer, president and CEO,  and chairman. In addition, he worked as a consultant with a number of area businesses and nonprofit organizations.

In his current position as UnitedKingfield Bank’s Senior Vice President and Senior Market Manager, Mr. Comstock is responsible for business development and community relations. In addition, he serves as chair of the banks charitable giving committee.  With such extensive experience, Mr. Comstock provides tremendous knowledge to his team, and is seen as a mentor and counselor, and invaluable resource to his colleagues. 

A believer in lifelong learning, Mr.Comstock has continued to build his banking and computer skills, and has looked for innovative ways to expand business opportunities for the bank. 

His service to the community spans every age group, from the Boy Scouts to the Agency on Aging, and he is actively involved in organizations that are involved in health, education, the arts, economic development and public policy.  He has served on numerous local and regional committees, including the Chamber of Commerce, the local hospital, and the Rotary Club.  He served as Director of the Center of Aging at the University of Maine, was recently honored for his outstanding volunteerism and inspiring commitment to the community, and was instrumental in raising $25 million to start the Challenger Learning Center, a scientific institution that serves middle schools across the state of Maine. 
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Maryland
James A. Kesselring, 70
Quality Support Manager
Garrett Container Systems, Inc.
Accident, Maryland

Twenty-eight years in the disciplined environment of the military, and then in the aircraft industry, led to immediate success for James Kesselring in a new career as quality improvement officer at Garret Container Systems.

Mr. Kesslering joined the small company that manufactures aluminum specialty containers for Homeland Security and military applications and his drive to innovate has helped them grow from three employees to 85 workers. His emphasis on quality and continuous improvement helped the company achieve exceptional customer satisfaction, 100% customer retention and to receive the Silver Award in the US Senate Productivity and Maryland Quality Awards derived from the Macolm Baldridge National Quality Award. This is an achievement no other firm of this size has accomplished.

He has focused heavily on employee training programs to help each team member develop to his or her full potential, and he’s especially proud of his coordination with state, county and federal agencies to get funds for training and to obtain local designation as part of a HUB (historically under-utilized business) zone in rural Maryland. In 2004 Mr. Kesslering received the Management Representative of the Year award from QSU Publishing Company during the American Society for Quality’s ISO 9000 Summit.

He says, “If I could advise employers about hiring people, the mixture of education with a major dose of experience and the ability to communicate with people makes a person a tremendous asset to any employer.”

Mr. Kesslering chairs the Western Maryland Workforce Investment Boards for Garrett County and the tri-county region, and is involved with the Garrett County Economic Development Board, Chamber of Commerce and his church. In December, he and his wife Ellen will celebrate their 50th anniversary on a cruise with their four children and nine grandchildren. 
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Massachusetts
William Joseph Heffernan II, 71
Manufacturing Resources Manager
Columbia Tech-a Coghlin Company
Worcester, Massachusetts

Some people may relax a little when they are winning but Joe Heffernan keeps pushing full steam ahead.  At 71, Joe works as a Manufacturing Resources Manager for Columbia Tech. He oversees the communication between the project managers, customers, and production to make sure the product is completed correctly and efficiently. He is responsible for managing staff including project managers and the production force. He accomplishes all of this while also managing multiple health issues including diabetes.

Prior to attending Carnegie Tech (currently Carnegie Melon University) Mr. Heffernan worked for his father’s business, Heffernan Press, Inc. which manufactured textbooks for the publishing industry, and at 32, became president of Heffernan Press.  After transitioning from the printing business into his own food service business, his friend Ted Coghlin asked him to work for his family’s business.  When asked about the key to his success he says, “My ability to work with different people including people from various cultural backgrounds. I really like to mentor people, challenging them to succeed and seeing them succeed.”

Ted Coghlin, Treasurer of Coghlin Electrical Services, agrees that Mr. Heffernan is a people person, “Both co-workers and supervisors know Joe is the go-to person when solutions are needed either short or long range. He has the ability to develop teamwork and get the job done.” Jim Coghlin, Sr., owner and CEO, says, “He has an incredibly positive attitude and constantly moves through ceilings of complexity and shares the achievements with all involved.”

Mr. Heffernan is a true inspiration for all those who work with him.  His wife says, “He does what needs to be done, and continues daily doing what he loves: work, family, friends, and fun! What more is there?”          
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Michigan
Iris Drake, 78
Accredited Tax Advisor
Drake Accounting Services
St. Louis, Michigan

Having responsibility at a young age by being the oldest and helping out with several brothers and sisters was a good foundation when Iris Drake decided to accept the challenge of starting her own business. 

Though Ms. Drake started out as a secretary and then shipping clerk, she became interested in tax preparation in the early 60s and dedicated herself to becoming certified in tax preparation.  She continued to work, and took evening classes spending two years learning and studying before she was able to pass the two-day exam.  She opened her own accounting office in 1975 and has built a large clientele of dedicated customers, some who have been with her for more than 45 years.

Keeping your certification as a tax advisor requires keeping abreast of changes in the tax code and well as staying up to date about new accounting technology, so Ms. Drake attends seminars throughout the year, and is an active member of the Independent Accounting Association of Michigan.

She has overcome numerous illnesses, including several heart attacks and knee replacement surgery.  Ms. Drake has been involved in many organizations including the National Honor Society, Real Estate Association and Chamber of Commerce.  She was treasurer at her church for 20 years and has played the piano there for more than 40 years.

Her hobbies include reading historical books, which has motivated her to travel extensively. She went to Paris, Belgium, Germany, and Luxemburg last year and plans on traveling again soon. Ms. Drake finds time for family and friends and her nieces and nephews number more than 50. 
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Minnesota
Audrey Residorfer, 75
Registered Nurse
Worthington Regional Hospital
Worthington, Minnesota

Audrey Residorfer continues to live her dream of caring for others.  This energetic angel of mercy graces the hospital with her competence and compassion practiced over many decades.  Melvin Platt, CEO of the hospital says, “She epitomizes what professional nursing is all about.  She continues to maintain competencies in every area in which she works.  She’s quick to fill in on unscheduled shifts when the need arises.  She does this because she cares for her patients, her co-workers and the organization.”

Mrs. Residorfer has had a wide range of nursing experience.  She worked for the Red Cross, where she cared for tuberculosis and polio patients in iron lungs from Arizona to Wisconsin and Texas.  She held nursing positions on an Indian reservation, in a clinic and at schools.  Within the hospital setting, she functions in multiple clinical areas such as critical care, ambulatory surgery and emergency transport.  Her striking white hair along with her incredible energy, exceptional work ethic, sense of humor and professional ability earned her the affectionate title, “the white tornado.” Patient satisfaction surveys give her more individual praises than any other nurse in the hospital.  One patient said, “When she came into the room, it was the feeling of an angel looking over you.”  Colleagues describe her nursing style as a common sense approach to health care. 

Ever-changing equipment and methods in nursing require ongoing professional education, and Mrs. Residorfer learns and then teaches others.  She’s a member of the American Nurses Association.  In the community, her service to others continues on a grand scale.  She volunteers for her church, participates in the parish nurse program, is active in the American Legion Auxiliary and has served as a nurse for a pre-school screening program since 1970.  This devoted mother of four and grandmother of eight plays bridge and won four marathons in Worthington.    
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Missouri
Fran Trentham, 69
Assistant to Dean of Students
Crowder College
Neosho, Missouri

Her coworkers describe the her as a bundle of energy quickly moving from one task to the next with efficiency and dedication.  To Fran Trentham, that’s no more than an employer should expect. “I think it’s very important to do the best job you can,” she says.

As assistant to the Dean of Students, not only does her employer count on her, but so do many of the 3,000 students at Crowder College.  She’s responsible for the continuing education program and disability services, and is actively involved with the student government association. Working alongside student government leaders, Mrs. Trentham has helped coordinate activities such as The Giving Tree for underprivileged children at Christmas, campus beautification projects and Relay for Life events.

“Things are very different now,” she says. “People used to have one career, but now people change careers two or three or even more times during the life. People shouldn’t put themselves down because of their age and think they can’t do something new.”

Mrs. Trentham has been at Crowder College for the last 13 years.  After helping put three sons and her husband through college, she decided it was her turn.  When she saw an ad in her local paper for the job at Crowder, she applied, in part because it would give her the opportunity to take classes. She plans to complete her general studies degree next year.  Taking classes also helps her maintain a good rapport with the students, “It doesn’t matter to them, or to me, that I’m older. We’re in classes together, and I’m one of them. I think it helps me do my job and understand their concerns.”

Trentham has some advice for her younger fellow students: “The first thing is to find out what makes you happy, and then follow it. Be at home with what you do.” 
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Montana
James E. Bell, 82
Certified Public Accountant
Self Employed
Kalispell, Montana

Having a special interest in working with numbers and seeing the opportunities it afforded, Jim Bell decided early on to become a Certified Public Accountant, and has been a self-employed CPA for more than 20 years.

Mr. Bell’s first job was when he was 12 years old, delivering papers in Whitefish, Montana. He never balking at the frigid winters. At the age of 18, when World War II began, he enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Guam. He served as a Sergeant Major on a troop ship in the Pacific Ocean until 1945. After the war, he attended the University of Montana where he earned his BA and went on to earn his Certified Public Accountant certificate.

Before venturing out into his own practice he worked as an Accountant in the Lumber Industry, and still works at least 40 hours a week. During tax season, his hours expand to 7 days a week. Many of Mr. Bell’s clients are older and much of his time is spent going to their homes, meeting with them and picking up tax information and dropping it off.

To maintain his CPA certification, he must complete 120 hours of continuing education every three years. Though he would prefer to use the old pencil and paper method of doing taxes, he continues to enhance his skills with computers and different software to help him serve his clients more efficiently.

Mr. Bell has been married for 50 years and has 4 children that have all been inspired by his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty for any of his clients. He is an active community member belonging to the VFW, the Elks, the Eagles, and the Knight’s of Columbus. He enjoys hiking in the wilderness, floating the Missouri River, fishing, hunting, gardening, baking bread and wood working.
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Nebraska
Sarah R. “Sally” Gordon, 97
Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms
Nebraska State Legislature
Lincoln, Nebraska

Winning the state championship for shorthand, plus other awards for spelling, calculation and typing, helped get Sally Gordon her first job as a secretary.  She continued to excel at her career, and in 1959, she became secretary to the governor of Nebraska.  In this position, she served three governors over a period of 10 years.  She later worked in the University of Nebraska Physics Department and served as the administrative assistant for the Centennial Education Program, a job that she lists as one of her favorites. 

Today, at age 97, she is assistant sergeant at arms for the State of Nebraska Legislature.  She is the first woman to hold that position, and she has so far worn the traditional red coat for 22 years.  She attends all hearings, locates senators when a vote is called, maintains order, greets the public, and brings notes from lobbyists to senators.  The controversial bills are especially interesting to her, but meeting the newly elected senators also ranks at the top. 

At age 47, Mrs. Gordon began a modeling career in addition to her other work.  She continued as a model until 2003 and has been pictured in People Magazine, Money Talk and Life Lines, among others.  At age 96, she was featured on the cover of Living Well.  She also is featured in a book by Mary Pipher, “Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders.” 

Avocations include playing the violin, writing poetry, and knitting afghans for charity.  The daughter of Russian immigrants, she has is matriarch of a family that now includes great grandchildren.  But she’s not yet ready to retire.  Work remains important in her life, she says, because it allows her to meet the public and continue learning new things. 
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Nevada
Edward O. Brown, 79
Ranch Manager
Budge Brown Ranch
Gardnerville, Nevada

From forest ranger to rancher, Ed Brown has built a life of service in the natural environment.  After service in the Army Air Corp and a career as an assistant forest ranger in California, Mr. Brown moved to Nevada to manage a large, estate ranch where he has spent the last more than 30 years applying his hard-earned knowledge of the environment to the ranch.

As the only full-time employee at the ranch, there is no job that Mr. Brown can’t handle.  Even though he is nearing 80, you might still find him on the top of a ladder pruning trees, haying the field, maintaining the tractors, or managing the ranch’s extensive irrigation system.  He stays abreast of the latest information about farm issues and his neighbors seek out his advice on best irrigation practices. 

Mr. Brown thrives on “just plain old hard work” as he calls it. He says that he gets tremendous pleasure from 50 years of training many young men to “do the job at hand and be good to people.”  His hobbies include golf, hunting, and hiking.  Above all else he values honesty. His daughter says, “He is a man of his word and believes in doing the best he can do.”  
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New Hampshire
Rose H. Arthur, Th.D., 75
Executive Director
Rivier Institute for Senior Education (RISE)
Nashua, New Hampshire

From convent to RISE has biblical overtones and it aptly sums up Rose Arthur’s working life.  At 13, she joined the Sisters of Divine Providence.  At 18 she stepped into her first classroom.  She taught primary and middle grades and served as principal for a number of years while pursuing her own personal educational goals.  Eventually she obtained her doctoral degree at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkley, California.

A significant career moment was her involvement in the establishment of the Center for Women at GTU.  Dr. Arthur states, “It was a total community effort.  All the women of the Graduate Theological Union came together to support the establishment of the center.”

Her development as a women’s right activist and falling in love with a fellow theological student led her away from the convent.  She and her husband traveled to American Samoa, where she taught mathematics via television to island children and conducted teacher training. 

When she returned to the states, she worked at the Harvard Divinity School, Chicago Cluster of Theological Schools, Heritage College, and finally Rivier Institute, where she served as dean of the Undergraduate Evening School.  She founded the Rivier Institute for Senior Education (RISE) in 1996. 

She describes establishing RISE as the “opportunity of my life.”  The institute enrolled 60 students its first term.  Today there are almost 400 students attending classes.  The curriculum, for seniors and often taught by seniors, is diverse, including courses in English, history, technology, music, religion, art, and physical fitness.

Rivier Institute President Claire Martin describes Dr. Arthur as a visionary.  “She had a dream and made RISE happen.  She formulated attainable goals and exceeded them all. Rose encourages many of us to use our experience and expertise to teach a variety of classes.  She makes an offer you can’t refuse!”    
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New Jersey
Marvin Schlaffer, 82
Director
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Rutgers University
Kendall Park, New Jersey

After a 17-year, second career as a senior field representative for the New Jersey School Boards Association, Marvin Schlaffer was hired to run the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of Rutgers University (OLLI-RU).

In his new position, Mr. Schlaffer recruited all instructors to serve voluntarily and teach 5 or 10-week courses. Satellite sites were established in two other towns in 2005 and 2006, making the total enrollment 670 students at 3 locations for the spring 2006 semester. He has participated in and presented at conferences of the Elder Hostel Network, American and New Jersey Societies on Aging, and regional conferences of other lifelong learning organizations.

Mr. Schlaffer creates good will among faculty, students, university, and trades people. He states that the students and faculty at OLLI-RU keep him young. He says, “Their sense of joy, involvement and high interest, their pleasant and happy attitude, their generosity at expressing appreciation, all contribute to his continuing good mental and physical health.”

During WWII Mr. Schlaffer was a flight officer in the Army Air Corps, navigating B-24 heavy bombers. He then embarked on a career in the TV, film and sound recording industry in New York City and Newark. Though he dropped out of high school and completed a GED after his military service, while working in New York City in the film industry he became involved with the local board of education and made the decision to become active in the field of education.  He applied to the New Jersey School Boards Association without a college degree.  He wasn’t hired the first time he applied, but he continued to apply for every opening. “When I was hired, that was a defining moment. Experience and knowledge, intelligence, strength to put myself forward, perseverance to keep applying and self-confidence persuaded them to forgo the requirement of a degree or advanced degree.” 
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New Mexico
Mary Ellen Menapace, 88
Deputy Municipal Clerk
Village of Roy
Roy, New Mexico

Being in charge of the welfare and care of her village does not overstate the responsibilities of Mary Ellen Menapace. As deputy municipal clerk for the village of Roy, Mrs. Menapace’s office is responsible for all of the village business, from utilities and waste management to business permits and beautification.

Her first job, at the age of 17, was with an abstract company working with real estate records. Then, just a year later, she became the youngest deputy clerk of Harding County and in 1937 was able to attend the first annual convention of the New Mexico Association of County Clerks & Treasurers. Other positions followed including a 29 year career as an office manager for a chemical company.  After her retirement, the village asked her to come in and help out for a few days. Twelve years later she’s still “helping out” and has become an essential part of the village operations. Mrs. Menapace can sign payroll, write grants, and act on behalf of both the mayor and village clerk. She has kept up with technology, learning computer skills and staying abreast of New Mexico laws that might impact the village.

Mrs. Menpace is a published poet and author of short stories and received the Editor’s Choice Award for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry, presented by the International Library of Poetry. She’s active in local organizations and is a state resource volunteer for the United States Selective Service System. 

A survivor of cancer and the unexpected death of a son and daughter, she also survived the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, supporting her parents and 5 siblings during most of that time, was sole provider for her own family, and continues to help grandchildren attend college. Her friends say about her, “She has never met a stranger. They are all friends in the making.”
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New York
Bernard (Bernie) Oratz, 84
Seafood Salesman
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. (Pittsford Store)
Rochester, New York

Bernie Oratz has been around fish since the day he was born.  He lived above his family’s business, Oratz’s Fish Market.  He remembers running around the store at age four.  Later, he recalls business trips with his father to wholesale houses in Canada.  “We picked out the fish and put it in the truck.  My father sat next to me and I did the driving.  I also packed and iced the fish.  I did anything my father needed me to do.”

Bernie learned every detail of the seafood business, from selecting, stocking, pricing, and carving the fish to serving customers.  He worked at the store until the 1964 riots. “Things took a turn for the worse in the area after that,” he remembers.  “People wouldn’t come around the town anymore.  As a result, my father’s fish store closed.”  He relocated the store to another part of time, but as he notes, people didn’t eat fish like they do today.  “Now it is a different ball game; everyone knows Omega 3s and all the health benefits.”

After the business closed, he worked for 20 years selling carpets and furniture.  He retired at 69.  Two years later he took a seafood salesman position at Wegmans.  He works 28 hours a week and says obtaining the job changed his life.  “I’m very happy to be working and being with everybody.  Otherwise, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

At Wegmans, Mr. Oratz is highly regarded by customers and colleagues.  He states, “I take care of all the customers and I take care of them first class.”  His colleagues consider him a “true fishmonger,” and they value him for other reasons as well.   As a younger co-worker says, “He is fun, charismatic, and a blast to be around.  Bernie makes the day a little better.”
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North Carolina
Ruth R. Denton, 78
Nutrition Program Assistant
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Clinton, North Carolina

Improving the lives of low-income families in Sampson County is a commitment Ruth Denton has made through her job of 22 years with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.  She works 40-plus hours a week, often adjusting her schedule to include night and weekend hours.  Whether she is teaching a young mother how to use food stamps wisely, showing grandmothers how to prepare nutritious snacks for their grandchildren or helping a pregnant teenager learn to breastfeed her baby, Mrs. Denton focuses on the specific needs of her clientele.  Known as the “Nutrition Lady,” she is continually called upon to conduct classes for other organizations that work with the target population such as Head Start, Department of Social Services and Sampson Community College.

Mrs. Denton has always taken advantage of opportunities to improve her competency.  She recently enrolled in computer classes at the local community college.  She’ll soon be using her new skills on the job, implementing a “Families Eating Smart and Moving More” curriculum via the computer. 

Her current job isn’t the first to involve food.  At age 11, she ran the cash register in her uncle’s grocery store, and she later worked in her family’s grocery store for 36 years.  She’s also been a beautician and worked for the Board of Elections. 

Mrs. Denton has received several prestigious state awards including the Minnie Miller Brown Award.  Active in Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary, she has served as district president, state treasurer and state POW-MIA chairperson.  She currently serves as district officer for the North Carolina Association of Extension Program Assistants, attends church regularly, and is a member of the Moose. 

Her family is an important part of her life.  One of the happiest days she recalls was the birth, after two sons and three grandsons, of her granddaughter.  
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North Dakota
Roswell Henke, 67
Radio Advertising Sales Manager
Clear Channel Radio
Bismarck, North Dakota

This past year Roswell Henke earned the Clear Channel President’s Club Award for his market, an honor given to an elite group of high-performing professionals.  At an age when many retire, Mr. Henke continues to grow and excel in his position.

Many of his customers have done business with “Ros” for more than 30 years.  However, he continues to seek out new businesses to advertise.  According to Bob Denver, Clear Channel general manager, “Ros was consistently one of the top billers in our market.  In addition to being our top cash biller, he has been our most consistent biller for our charity radio auctions conducted once each quarter.”  Colleagues praise his honesty, integrity and vast knowledge of the radio advertising business.

Despite undergoing cancer surgery in January, Mr. Henke continued to meet his work challenges.  After returning home from surgery, he used his home computer, phone and fax to contact advertisers.  Although he couldn’t be at the radio station for the entire month, he surpassed his goal for January and was one of the top billers for that month. 

The community benefits immensely from Mr. Henke’s contributions.  He served 18 years as a School Board member, including as president for several terms.  He was a charter board member of the Greater Bismarck-Mandan Christmas in April organization. He continues to support this effort that improves quality of life for seniors, low-income people and people with disabilities by refurbishing their homes to make them safer and more comfortable.  In addition, Mr. Henke volunteers for the Help Line overseen by the Mental Health Association of North Dakota, gives time to his church and assists his elderly parents who live in a nursing home.  Tennis and bike riding keep him healthy and physically active.  He also plays baritone sax in an adult concert band that performs for the public. 
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Ohio
Sheldon Gross, 77
President/Owner
Applebrook Design
Solon, Ohio

Having dedicated his life to architectural and engineering design, Sheldon Gross is not about to give it up.  “I thrive on it; this is my life.”

In 1978, Mr. Gross founded Applebrook Design following a 28-year architectural career with the Cleveland Public Schools.  Under his direction, Applebrook has been involved in the design and construction of numerous facilities.  Stouffer, Nestle USA, Medic Drugs, Kentucky Fried Chick and CVS/Pharmacy have all been Applebrook Design clients. 

Mr. Gross sets a great example for the other six Applebrook Design staff members.  Often working six days a week, he’s usually in the office by 7 a.m.

When asked his most important work ethic he replies, “Honesty.  Also, I believe in keeping my employees happy, listening to their issues and [being] kind to them.”  He attributes his good health, drive and ability to regular doctor visits and work.  “I don’t let myself slow down and I don’t want to slow down.  I’ve had too many friends who at 65 or 70 have retired and then just vegetate.”

For many years, Mr. Gross was the chairman of the City of Beachwood Zoning Board of Appeals.  Currently, he is president and architectural advisor to the Village Homeowners Association in Beachwood where he resides with his wife of 55 years, Helen. 

Mr. Gross jokes that even though his sons want him to, “I don’t golf because I’m so bad at it, I don’t fish because I don’t enjoy it, and I don’t chase women because I’d get caught and get into trouble, so I have one vice, automobiles.”  When he told his wife he wanted a Cadillac XLR Roadster for his 75th birthday, she gave him one more reason to stay on the job.  “You’re working.” she said.  “Buy what you want!’”
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Oklahoma
Ken Miles, 84
Owner
Miles Music & Ken Miles Real Estate
Ponca City, Oklahoma

A belief that music is not only fun, but can keep young people out of trouble and older people active and healthier is what keeps Ken Miles going. 

Mr. Miles started selling magazines door-to-door at age eleven, worked as a soda jerk, then went into the Army Air Corp and served as a flight engineer bombers.  After WW II, he became a life insurance agent, playing the organ at local events to meet potential customers.  He quickly discovered that more people were interested in the organ than in insurance and he sold his prized organ in order to have enough money to open his first music store in Ponca City. Over the years he opened seven other stores in Oklahoma and Kansas.

Mr. Miles is a marketing innovator in the music business. He would set up displays anywhere he could draw a crowd and preach about the benefits of music recreation. He developed the first mobile music studio, putting an organ on a bus and later in a large motor home bringing music to small towns and rural areas with no access to big city music stores. He also believed music can help young people stay out of trouble so he has introduced thousands of youngsters to the joys of music. Early on he brought troubled children home for the weekend, and has hired non-violent prisoners from a local pre-release center helping them to turn their lives around.

A member of many music and insurances organizations and recognized for his extraordinary sales achievements by many piano and organ companies, Mr. Miles is also very involved in his local community. He has been a board member of his local bank, member of the chamber of commerce, president of the local businessman’s club, and member of many other local organizations including the Elks and American Legion.
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Oregon
Mary D. Bradford, 84
Newsroom Librarian
Grants Pass Daily Courier
Grants Pass, Oregon

Mary Bradford had too much energy to stay retired.  She had retired after17 years as an executive secretary in the aerospace industry, but it didn’t suit her.  In 1984, she took a one-day-a-week position as a proofreader in the classified department of the Grants Pass Daily Courier newsroom. 

Two years later, she says a “serendipitous event” occurred, and she was promoted to her current position as newsroom librarian.  She performs a wide variety of tasks, from clipping, filming and filing local news stories to responding to the public’s requests for historical articles.  Her customers are as varied as her tasks.  They include people researching family histories, adopted children searching for parents, writers collecting facts, and even individuals researching crimes. 

Over the years, Ms. Bradford has overhauled and improved the Daily Courier’s filing system, making it easier for reporters and the public to locate articles.  She has reorganized the archive’s oldest materials, saving many that were badly deteriorating.  She says, “I know I’ve developed a reputation for getting a little feisty when it comes to protecting the documents,” but her efforts have ensured their preservation.  

Volunteer work has been as much a part of her life as paid work.  While stationed with her husband in Japan from 1949 to 1951, she worked to support Japanese-American orphans, and she joined the Red Cross Gray Ladies to help wounded soldiers coming from Korea.  More recently she has volunteered at the local library and served on the Grants Pass City Budget Committee.

At age 74, Ms. Bradford learned to bowl and joined a league.  She raised three children and now provides a home for her teenaged granddaughter.   She also gardens and walks daily.  As a consequence of her enthusiasm and activities, her friends and family have affectionately designated her as their Energizer Bunny.
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Pennsylvania
Louise Carpenter, 92
School Aide
St. Andrew School
Newtown, Pennsylvania

How many people at age 92 are doing the job they love?  Louise Carpenter is. Hers is a story of perseverance that began when she graduated from college during the Great Depression. Her dream was to teach French to high school students, but teaching jobs were reserved for heads of households. She took a job at a department store, until her first child was expected. 

Louise’s husband, like most at that time, preferred she stay at home with the children.  Opportunity eventually came when the principal in their small North Carolina town asked her to teach. She taught until her husband’s career took them to eastern Pennsylvania five years later.

In Pennsylvania, she says she “longed for the school environment every time I saw a school bus.” In 1973, she approached St. Andrew School, asked if they needed a helper, and has been at the school ever since. She handles the school store, checks in students who are late, and assists in many other ways, such as filling in for a teacher. During the last 10 years, she’s also learned to use a computer, a copy machine, and telephone system. 

Although her family remains a focal point, her husband is deceased and her children have moved away. St. Andrew’s is the constant in her life, one that she describes in glowing terms: a good environment, good people, benefits that aren’t measurable, the love of children. 

On her 90th birthday, the school had a surprise assembly, presenting her with a tri-fold display of good wishes and thanks from each class. She has no plans to retire so long as she has good health and the grace of God to continue. She says about her most important contribution to her work, “I don’t think of myself as giving; I think of myself as receiving.” 
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Puerto Rico
Sergio Hugo Charon, 71
Associate Professor of Physics and Mathematics
San Juan, Puerto Rico

Sergio Charon is a true renaissance man: military veteran (lieutenant colonel, retired), former school administrator, college professor, pilot, engineer, ordained minister, community service activist and family man. In his spare time, he is an avid pianist, a landscape painter and model ship builder. His outlook on life reflects his wide interests, for to him every day is a good day.  He says, “Happiness is a state of mind and can only be enjoyed if one embraces it.”

His earlier years were spent in the military. He was originally trained as a combat engineer and instructor. Ultimately he graduated from flight school in 1963, the culmination of a childhood dream. That same year he applied his engineering and leadership skills when heavy rains and flooding washed out many of the island’s bridges and isolated several remote communities. He marshaled civilians and members of the Department of Public Works and Transportation, obtained building materials from industry and government, and built a bridge to rescue the people of the Municipality of Carolina. The bridge is still being used today. 

His career in education began in 1972. A series of jobs, including superintendant for the Department of Education in San Juan, led him to his current position at Polytechnic University. He enjoys the daily challenge of working with young minds. He hasn’t forgotten what it is like to be a student because he believes in lifelong learning and is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Education.

Over the years, his efforts have been noticed. He’s been recognized by the government for his efforts as school director of San Juan and later for his work with the Head Start Program. Mr. Charon—soon to be Dr. Charon—states that as long as the Lord will let him, he has no intention of slowing down.
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Rhode Island
Gloria Smith Russell, 80
News Correspondent
The Westerly Sun
Westerly, Rhode Island

A pioneer and certified Hall-of-Famer in the field of journalism, Gloria Smith Russell continues to produce award-winning work in an industry that has become more and more the domain of young people. 

Mrs. Russell was working as a radio host and news reporter when hired 40 years ago by The Westerly Sun as their first female reporter.  Over the next 10 years she helped carve new paths for women in journalism in Rhode Island and Connecticut at papers such as the Groton News, the Norwich Bulletin and Providence Journal.  She left journalism for a while to help run a business with her husband, but returned to The Westerly Sun in 2000 and has been a key contributor to their news team ever since. 

Today’s journalism required more research, extensive use of the Internet and e-mail, and Mrs. Russell has kept up with the times.  When she was inducted into the Rhode Island Journalism Hall of Fame in 2003 she not only wrote the story for that afternoon’s paper but within hours produced the lead story for the next day’s edition.

She has won numerous awards including a New England Association Press Writing Award for history-based reporting, two Rhode Island Press Association Awards for investigative reporting, and induction into the Rhode Island Journalism Hall of Fame.

Aside from her work, Mrs. Russell has worked to raise awareness of a number of community projects, such as Stand Up for Animals and the Westerly Airport Association.  Her supervisor at the paper says, “Her dedication, perseverance and absolute commitment to her work, her readers and community show her to be an outstanding worker and journalist of any age.  She is an inspiration to us all.” 
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South Carolina
George Mize, 76
Job Shop Supervisor
The Anderson Independent Mail Newspaper
Anderson, South Carolina

Imagine 62 years of continuous employment with one employer.  That’s a milestone George Mize reached on March 1, 2006, with the Anderson Independent-Mail.  There have been only three owners of the newspaper since 1899 and he has worked for all of them! 

When he was hired in 1944, Franklin D. Roosevelt was President of the United States and the world was embroiled in World War II.  He was 13 years old.  Because so many young men were fighting in the war, employers were having a hard time finding workers and were therefore lowering their age requirements.  For Mr. Mize, it was an unexpected opportunity and the beginning of his life long commitment to the newspaper. 

He has had a succession of jobs at the newspaper, including working in advertising, taking and developing photographs, editing a weekend magazine and supervising rack sales of newspapers.  His current duties include supervising the plate-making process.  From his beginnings in setting lead type to the present-day use of computers to prepare pages, he has seen many changes.  As new technology allows for computer-assisted imaging and automatic plate making, he has kept pace with the changes and even teaches others.

When he reached his 60th year of service in 2004, Mr. Mize received the E.W. Scripps President’s Club Award and was featured in the corporate magazine, The Scripps News.  He has also been inducted into the Independent-Mail’s Centennial Hall of Fame as a Founding Father for lifetime service.

His outside activities revolve around his family.  He and his wife Betty have six children. All six children have worked at the newspaper in some capacity.  He also enjoys carpentry and reading. 
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South Dakota
Joan McNally, 77
Registered Occupational Therapist
Rapid City Regional Rehabilitation Hospital
Rapid City, South Dakota

Helping patients with severe trauma from accident or orthopedic surgeries is Joan McNally’s job and she is good at it.  She spends her days providing the therapy that enables her patients to re-learn life skills and re-establish productive lives. 

Through her 37 years at the Rapid City Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, she has gained respect and confidence of the physicians, other therapists and especially her patients.  She played a key role in developing the area’s first clinic to specialize in serving patients with severe arthritis or trauma to the hand.  She’s currently working on an innovative “Joint Camp” project to arrange comprehensive therapeutic care of orthopedic and joint replacement patients.  Her work has not gone unnoticed.  She recently was singled out as Employee of the Year among the 3,000 employees of the Rapid City Regional Health Care System, the largest private employer in western South Dakota. 

Colleagues describe Mrs. McNally as organized, gracious and highly respected.  As her supervisor, Kim York, points out, “She comes with a top-notch attitude.  She is always flexible, helps others with coverage and has great rapport with patients and colleagues.  She’s committed to her work and stays until it’s done.” 

Patients aren’t the only ones who benefit from her skills and expertise.  Mrs. McNally mentors all new staff and students involved with acute care.  She also gives at least one in-service training program to colleagues annually, most recently an arthritis workshop. 

She complements her professional activities with hobbies such as stained glass, genealogy, reading and supporting the local arts community.  Plus, she keeps learning.  As a participant in the Citizen’s Police Academy, this grandmother rode all night in a squad car, learned to fire a handgun and practiced high-speed pursuit. 
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Tennessee
Spears J. Spears, 85
Boxmaker
Contour Industries, Inc.
Kingsport, Tennessee

Work has been a part of Rant Spears’ life for nearly as long as he can remember.  His mother died when he was only seven years old. To support the family, he had to quit school and go to work as a farmhand until he turned 18. Mr. Spears traveled 300 miles to work in a furniture factory and then a machine shop. He was named manager at age 21.

His east Tennessee home kept calling to him so he returned and worked as an auto mechanic, mostly operating his own garage, for the next 58 years. At age 82, Mr. Spears began his career with Contour Industries and soon proved himself an asset to the company.

At age 85, he works 40 hours a week building shipping crates to transport glass products. His work ethic and smile are inspiring to his co-workers. He has a kind and helpful spirit and is known as “Papaw” at Contour Industries. Mr. Spears daily sets an example by his punctuality and by giving 100 percent to his job. As his supervisor says, “He is the best help I have ever had!” 

Mr. Spears still repairs his own car and is asked for advice about car problems by his co-workers. He likes to build things and made his own guitar. A devout Christian who attends church regularly, he plays guitar and sings gospel music both at his church and others. He remembers seeing the ocean for the first time at age 80. 

Much as he enjoys his time with family and church, he has no intentions of retiring any time soon. He says he wants to work “about 19 more years, if the Lord will allow it.”
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Texas
Cecil H. Oglesby, 86
Owner
Oglesby Equipment Company
Hereford, Texas

Farmer, small business owner, veteran, community benefactor, mentor, Mason, and great-grandfather—these are just some of the roles Cecil Oglesby has played over the course of his life. 

He was born to a farming family, one of eight children, and grew up working the land.  Following his completion of a two-year business degree, Mr. Oglesby took jobs first with American State Bank, then with American Smelting Company. When World War II intervened, he served in the Air Force in Normandy, Italy, North Africa, and Sicily. 

Upon his return home in 1948, he went back to his farming roots as an employee of International Harvester. He became an independent dealer in the early 1950s. Currently president and owner of Oglesby International, a business with 12 employees, he has been in the farm equipment business for over 58 years. He’s made a success of Oglesby International by making customer service the number one goal and by creating a good working environment for his employees.  He still works at his office every day except Sunday.

Over the years, he has seen many changes in the industry.  Early on, tractors had low horsepower and were simple machines. Now, 500 horsepower engines and satellite guidance systems are common. He’s kept up with new technologies and practices.  His laboratory for testing is sometimes his own farm, where afternoons he can be found plowing his fields (he calls this his “golfing”). 

His siblings, sons, daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are an integral part of his life, and Mr. Oglesby continues to be active in his community. He has quietly helped many farmers in his area when the economy affected them adversely. Current president of the Hereford Cemetery Association, he is also a member of numerous service organizations and his church. 
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Utah
Grant Holdaway, 75
Owner
Vineyard Garden
Vineyard, Utah

Picking potatoes to pay for college turned out to be a harbinger of Grant Holdaway’s future. But first, there was his tour of duty with the Marines, his time in graduate school getting a Masters in biology, and 20 years teaching science and math. 

His second career as owner of Vineyard Garden Center evolved during the 1970s. He grew and sold produce from his front yard, and it just blossomed from there. Mr. Holdaway is often referred to as “Farmer Grant” by customers who buy his plants and produce, plus get advice from him on garden topics.  Since 1981, thousands of children and their parents visit in October when he opens his Pumpkin Land to the public. The children get to pick their special pumpkin, sneak through the gourd tunnel, and chase each other through his giant corn maze. He’s now watching the second generation of children run and play as their parents have over the years.

Active in his church and community, Mr. Holdaway donates produce to the Food Coalition in Provo. He has served on the Vineyard Town Council and the Utah Valley Trail Committee for a decade, helping to ensure land will be preserved for parks and trails for future generations. An employee says Mr. Holdaway daily lives up to his favorite quote: “Have you done any good in the world today?” 

At age 66, Mr. Holdaway took up endurance running and at 72, earned the distinction of being the oldest person to complete the Wasatch 100 mile endurance race. He continues to run marathons and recently crewed for his son in a 100 mile race that took them to 13,000 feet in elevation! He feels the key to his achievements is stick-to-it-ness, adding, “You really gotta wannawhen a person really does wanna, he’s gonna, and then anything can be accomplished!”
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Vermont
Horatio "Ray" F. Jenkins, 100
Maintenance Coordinator
Champlain Valley Exposition
Essex Junction, Vermont

With homespun humor and 100 years of experience, Ray Jenkins has earned the respect and admiration of friends and colleagues.  Mr. Jenkins early jobs included delivery groceries, but after training in business and electrical engineering, he embarked on a wide-range of careers that included an engineer with General Electric, a mortician’s assistant, a chauffeur, a fireman and a policeman. Later on, he and his wife ran a bake shop in Chatham, NY.

After nearly 20 years with IBM, he retired to his hobbies of coin collecting, fishing, playing cards and bowling, but found that these activities just weren’t enough to keep his mind fully stimulated, so he began doing odd jobs on the grounds of the exposition.  Twenty-seven years later Mr. Jenkins is still employed by the Champlain Valley Exposition (CVE) working 40 hours per week during the 8 months of the CVE’s season.  CVE hosts more than 100 special events each year and its facilities range from grandstands to an expo center and indoor and outdoor fair grounds.

Mr. Jenkins supervisor says, “Ray has an amazing work ethic, a strong sense of commitment and dedication, and an innate ability to diagnose equipment problems and determine the right thing to do.” In his current role as maintenance coordinator he developed a new inventory control system, performed numerous preventive maintenance regimens on the company’s equipment saving thousands of dollars, and is seen as a mentor and teacher to other employees.  In 2003 in recognition of his service, CVE named its new maintenance building for him.

In 1967 Ray Jenkins suffered a heart attack and was given 2 months to live.  Almost 40 years later, he’s still going strong.  In addition to his work, he still enjoys his hobbies of reading, coin collecting and watercolor painting.   
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Virginia
Myrna Mouchon, 76
Library Aide
Fairfax County Library Access Services/Talking Books
Fairfax, Virginia

Helping visually impaired and reading disabled citizens participate in the Fairfax County Library Talking Books program is a job Myrna Mouchon got late in life.  A lifelong west coast resident, she moved to Virginia eight years ago to spend time with her granddaughter.  After a year, she decided she needed to do more.  She first volunteered at the library, where she became interested in the Talking Books program.  Her boss encouraged her to apply for her current position when it became available. 

She provides talking books to those who can no longer read, choosing books by using the interest profile developed during an interview with each patron.  One of her greatest delights is selecting books for visually impaired and disabled children who are involved in competitive school reading programs.  “Some of the children have been winning which makes me so excited,” said Mouchon.  She also serves as a reader advisor, tracks down requested books the library doesn’t carry, and recommends authors when asked. 

Patrons often specifically ask for her.  Her supervisor says, “Myrna’s excellent customer service skills have earned her a reputation with her patrons as a good listener, diligent in searching for obscure titles, and organized to the degree of knowing exactly what title to order.” 

Mrs. Mouchon says it’s a big challenge to get the correct book for each patron. “The best part of it all is when the children and the seniors call and say ‘you’ve changed by life.’  That makes my day.”

Not every aspect of the job has been easy.  Mastering the computer and keeping up with technology has proven hard, but as she says, “I’m hanging in there and I’ve learned a lot.”  A good work ethic helps.  For Mrs. Mouchon, that means “integrity, follow through and absolutely work when you’re at work.”
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Washington
Betty M. Westerbur, 76
Sales Clerk
Hancock Fabrics
Kirkland, Washington

A gift for sewing that was once a hobby, has led to a career for Betty Westerbur to the delight of both her employer and her customers. Mrs. Westerbur, a single mother of four, worked at a variety of jobs in order to raise her family. She started out as a telephone operator, then became a sales clerk at two different department stores, worked for the government in a farm program, and was a bookkeeper for a feed and seed company. 

All the time she was working and raising her family she continued to sew, a hobby started when she was 12. She had always been interested in fashion and fabrics. In 1996 that interest found a new outlet when she moved to Washington and began working at Hancock fabrics and started what she describes as her “dream” job.

As she nears her 10th anniversary at the store, Mrs. Westerbur is not only the oldest employee, she has the longest tenure of anyone in the store. She went her first five years without missing a day of work, and only a sprained wrist caused her to miss a few days recently. Since sewing has been her lifetime hobby, her skill as a sales clerk at the store are invaluable. She actively participates in store classes like quilting, and when the store added yarn to the stock, she learned to knit and has made many sweaters and vests.

Her most satisfying part of her job is meeting and working with customers who create with fabric, and choosing and interpreting challenging patterns that customers ask her about. A multiple-cancer survivor, Mrs. Westerbur believes that perseverance, a good and positive attitude, and her mother, who had a wonderful sense of humor, have been the keys to her success in life.
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West Virginia
Mary Margaret Lopez, 84
Administrative Associate
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

Not one job, not two jobs, but three jobs keep West Virginia’s 2006 Outstanding Older Worker going.  At age 84, Margaret Lopez works as an administrative associate for the West Virginia University Staff Council, plus she teaches computer keyboard and Italian at the local vocational center.

Mrs. Lopez has 53 years of service with WVU.  She began as a student adviser, working with students who wanted a graduate degree in education.  She now works about 23 hours a week with the Staff Council, made up of university faculty and staff.  They meet with her to discuss their problems and other issues, which she then presents to University President David C. Hardesty.

She is also in charge of the annual WVU retirement banquet.  Although it is a special time for employees and their families, it’s a huge undertaking.  Mrs. Lopez admits, “They wanted me to train staff to do this, but everyone I train doesn’t want to do the work!” 

With the advent of adult education in Monongalia County 45 years ago, Lopez began her second job:  teaching keyboarding skills on typewriters.  Today she’s still teaching.  She says the big difference now is there are more men in the class and the typing is taught on computers. 

Her third job was added this past year when the school asked her to teach Italian.  An immigrant to the U.S. from Italy in 1929, she is fluent in the language. 

“I think about retirement, then I get sad and don’t do it,” she says.  “I just love to work!” 

Her three children and six grandchildren all graduated from WVU.  And she hasn’t missed a WVU home football game in more than 60 years.  Last year her loyalty was recognized; at the West Virginia/Pitt football game, she was presented with the “Most Loyal Mountaineer Award.”
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Wisconsin
Ella Mae Flipping, 65
Teacher/Owner
Benevolent Child Care and Learning Center
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Hard work and determination have led Ella Mae Flippin down a career path that began in the cotton fields at age six.  Poverty shaped her early years.  She says, “I was beat up and beat down.  I had to overcome myself”.  She persevered, working in restaurants, factories, care facilities, car washes, and out of her home, cooking meals to sell and taking in ironing. 

Committed to giving her children a better life than she had, she went to college and beautician school.  She worked as a beautician and soon owned a shop, operating a successful business for many years.  But when grandchildren entered her life, she saw the need for quality child care in her community. 

She opened the Benevolent Child Care and Learning Center with the dream of planting a seed in the children that would help them thrive.  She saw the importance of parent involvement and implemented a program that encourages parents to focus on the relationship with their children and to spend quality time with them. 

She also created a nonprofit organization called Wings of a Dove.  Last year this organization reached out to 100 homeless women in Milwaukee, helping them regain their self-esteem and become productive citizens.  At a banquet in their honor, she handmade a special basket for each as a remembrance.  To this day, she continues to get notes and calls from them.

In addition to running the center and helping homeless women, Mrs. Flippin is active in her church.  She is president of the Christian Women Council (a women’s support group) and participates in a youth project called “I Need You and You Need Me.”  Through her life’s work, she’s done more than keep her promise to do better by her own children, she’s empowered countless others to better their lives as well. 
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Wyoming
Ferdinand “Ferd” Cook, 83
Farmer
RAC Farming, Inc
Lingle, Wyoming

“Farming is a wonderful, fulfilling life…hard, but well worth it.”  That is Ferd Cook’s assessment of his chosen career, even though he admits there have been challenges.  Weather, prices, a changing market, cost of equipment and ever increasing technology are just a few that come to mind.

His father taught him farming at a young age.  Mr. Cook’s family had emigrated to the United States from East Frankfurt, Germany, when he was five months old.  He grew up on his family’s farm.  When not working with his father, Mr. Cook and his sister got “loaned” out to the neighbors as field laborers.  His father would take the money he earned and pay him $.25 per week. 

Mr. Cook never thought seriously of doing anything other than farming.  “At the time I was choosing a career, it was what everyone did and all I knew how to do.”  During the winters when he couldn’t farm, Mr. Cook would work as a welder for a blacksmith shop.  He’s also worked as a mechanic at a local car dealership, done maintenance for a local appliance store, and driven trucks for a sugar factory.  These jobs have been temporary, and he has always returned to farming. 

He has tried to retire three times but just can’t seem to do it.  Maybe it is the fresh air and and the exercise he gets, or maybe it is the opportunity to work with his son and grandsons.  He now says he plans to work on his farm as long as he lives.

In what spare time he has, Mr. Cook enjoys traveling around the country to see new things.  He is a member of the First Congregational Church in Torrington. 
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