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Retirement Celebration!

Over the past couple weeks Townsend has been celebrating an upcoming retirement of one of our longest standing exemplary employees.

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But we haven’t only been celebrating.  We have also been preparing.  Preparing for how to say goodbye to someone who so epitomized the values and work ethic of Townsend Leather and preparing for how to fill such a large gap when she is gone.

Jackie has been described by many as a force, a leader, a go-getter, a do-er.  She doesnt stand idly by, she takes action, gets things and people moving.  She has been with Townsend for 25 years.  She has had her hand in all the ups and downs over that time and has literally had her hand on thousands and thousands of hides.  

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Townsend Leather president, Jared Eckler has said of Jackie, “If our definition of a partner was in the dictionary, I would expect to see Jackie’s picture next to it. She has come to define for me what working hard and caring for others means.”

With her hard work and dedication Jackie has led many people over the years, even when she didn’t have a leadership role.  She is a natural born leader, treating everyone as equals and focusing on the work.  Even while working with her sons-in-laws.  She has become an expert of a particular aspect of Townsend’s production, the staker,  Jackie and the quality of our staker department have become so intertwined over the years that at one of her retirement celebrations, she was presented with her own minature staker.

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She will certainly be able to “let the good times roll” during her well deserved retirement.

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Jackie will be missed.  She has many friends here and is considered family, literally to some, and emotionally to many.  She has a vibrant sense of humor and makes friends wherever she goes.  And playing on that sense of humor, someone at Townsend even went out of their way to be sure that her Townsend memories are kept fresh and safe…

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By plastic wrapping her truck for safe keeping!

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I’m sure it took her a bit longer to get out of the Townsend parking lot this day!  We did our best to hold on and keep you here as long as we could Jackie!

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Jackie thank you for your time, expertise, leadership, and everything you have brought to Townsend Leather over the past 25 years.  You have been an integral part of Townsend’s history and your legacy will last far into Townsend’s future.

Please join us in wishing Jackie a wonderful retirement and in thanking her for 25 years of taking care of our customers and employees!