Loyal Fortna Employee Retires after 62 Years of Service

May 16, 2012 - PRLog -- READING, PA –  After sixty-two years with Fortna, Barbara “Susie” Hafer is retiring.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average employee tenure is 4.4 years.  Ms. Hafer’s 62-year tenure is a great achievement and a reminder of different times.

She began working for the company in 1950, when Harry Truman was President and she was a 17-year-old high school student.  She has seen a lot of change over the years.  “When I started working, we had manual typewriters.  It was a big change when we started to use electric ones.  And even more so when the computers came in,” says Hafer.  “And when I first started working, you had to wear a dress.  But later we talked the boss into letting us wear pantsuits.”

Ms. Hafer has also seen a lot of change at Fortna, too.  The company has grown from a one-room operation selling forklifts to a multi-national firm that helps the world’s largest companies improve their distribution operations and supply chain performance. The company’s growth has been largely the result of its culture that puts clients and associates first.  Ms. Hafer’s long career is a testimonial to Fortna’s success in living by those business principles.

“I never had a desire to leave Fortna.  My bosses always treated me well and it’s a very family-friendly company,” says Hafer.  “When I was ill, Peter Counihan visited me in the hospital two different times.”

“Susie is my hero,” says Peter Counihan, chairman of Fortna. “She stayed with me through the tough times, always encouraging me with her great smile and her kindness.  She will be sorely missed.”

About Fortna Inc.
For over 60 years, Fortna has partnered with the world’s top brands – companies like ASICS, O’Reilly Auto Parts and MSC – helping them improve their distribution operations and transform their businesses.  Companies with complex distribution operations trust Fortna to help them meet customer promises and competitive challenges profitably. We are a professional services firm built on a promise – we develop a solid business case for change and hold ourselves accountable to those results. Our expertise spans supply chain strategy, distribution center operations, material handling, supply chain systems, organizational excellence, and warehouse control software.  http://www.fortna.com