Over 470 current employees, retirees and their guests gathered at The College of Wooster Lowry Center on March 16 to celebrate The Wooster Brush Company’s annual service awards.
Bill Fagert, company president, and Keith Hancock, vice president of production, presented the tributes. Stephanie Martinez, human resource specialist, served as master of ceremonies. Carleigh Velasques gave the invocation. The theme for the evening’s event was, “Journeys of Excellence.”
“We are focusing on each awardee and the journeys that lead them to where they are today at The Wooster Brush Company,” Martinez said in a news release. “Those we honor this year have dedicated a range of 15 to 50 years of service to one company, and that is truly an act of excellence. It is wonderful to have the time and resources to acknowledge each of them for their remarkable achievements.”
Wooster Brush honored 65 employees with anniversaries in each of celebrated milestones of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 years at the awards banquet. Each attendee of the event received a travel umbrella that displays the company logo when opened.
Twenty-five years of service is a special milestone at The Wooster Brush Company. The following individuals are the newest members to join Wooster Brush’s prestigious 25-year club: Ed Amstutz, Glenda Cicconetti, Kelly Durieux, Rob Easterday, Joni Faught, Karen Hood, Jose Marques Jr., Carla Oxenrider, John Skeens and Rod Traver. These new members bring Wooster’s active 25-year club member count to 133; the current number of retired 25-year club members is 177.
As a special thanks, employees celebrating 25 years received an engraved watch or clock personally chosen by the recipient, an engraved paintbrush in a display case, a personalized paint roller, a certificate for a photo-portrait and a stadium blanket woven with the 25-year emblem.
On Saturday, Wooster Brush also paid tribute to Jerry Barnes for reaching the historic milestone of 50 years of service. Barnes, who began his career at Wooster Brush back in 1968, retired on June 30, 2018. The Wooster Brush Company has only had nine presidents over the last 168 years; during Barnes’ 50-year career at Wooster he worked with six of them. Barnes is the 17th employee in Wooster Brush history to achieve this half-century milestone.
Ron Flinner and Barney Freeman were both honored for 45 years of service during the “Journeys of Excellence” event.
Ten recipients received 40-year awards on Saturday, including Doug Becker, John Boyens, Sharon Harper, Mark Jeffery, Don Orr, Rod Root, Jon Rose, Deb Snell, Larry Ungerer and Glenda Wertz.
The 35-year group included four awardees this year: Cindy Becker, Rick Bukovitz, Lyle Rufener and Mike Zimmerman.
Celebrating 30 years of service on Saturday night were Cathy Firebaugh, Gary Foltz, Sandra Kosier, Scott Schlauch, Kelly Schlechty and Karen Shaffer.
Eighteen individuals celebrated 20 years of service, including Denise Alford, Bob Arnold, Deb Conrad, Pat Corbett, Lori Flinner, Carrie Haberkorn, Bonnie Hixson, Kevin Hookway, Cheryl Klett, Brenda McFadden, Paula Mullins, Anita Nussbaum, Teresa Scott, Angie Shutt, Ray Stryker, Donna Ullom, Jessie Walton and Terry White.
Finally, a group of 14 people were acknowledged for their Wooster Brush milestone of 15 years of service Becky Benninger, Joe Boughner, Jay Brenneman, Nick Church, Robin Fries, Denver Hoff, Steph Martinez, Curtis Meade, Patty Moser, Nancy Moses, Larry Ramsier, Sharon Snyder, Dan Waggoner and Joe Wirth.
Roughly 650 people are currently employees of The Wooster Brush Company. Because of service records like these, the average length of service for all employees is currently 13 years.
