After 50 years at Lovejoy Tool, Warren Garfield still loves his job

Warren Garfield started working at Lovejoy Tool Co. exactly 50 years ago Monday. He remembers it well, it was "6-6-66." And his family and friends at Lovejoy celebrated his loyalty and good work Monday with a reception and heartfelt tributes.

(Photo from Springfield Regional Development Corp.)

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Published June 7, 2016 in the Rutland Herald After 50 years at Lovejoy Tool, Warren Garfield still loves his job By Susan Smallheer SPRINGFIELD — Warren Garfield started working at Lovejoy Tool Co. exactly 50 years ago Monday. He remembers it well, it was “6-6-66.” And his family and friends at Lovejoy celebrated his loyalty and good work Monday with a reception and heartfelt tributes. Garfield, who will turn 70 on the Fourth of July, was just out of college when he joined Lovejoy back in the 1960s. Garfield, who is the current plant manager, started as a machinist, using his degree from the Franklin Institute to learn better ways of making cutting tools. In a modern economy where the average worker holds on to a job a mere 4.6 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Forbes Magazine announces that “job hopping is the ‘new normal’ for millenials,” Garfield is unusual to say the least. “Every day I do something different,” said Garfield, who said that during his 50 years at the Main Street company, he had held a variety of jobs and was always, constantly, learning. “It’s a nice place to work. Everybody’s happy here,” he said, shaking hands with machinists, still dressed for the shop floor. On Monday, Garfield said he helped troubleshoot a problem for one of Lovejoy’s main clients, General Electric in Rutland. Another big customer is Caterpillar. He set up and ran a laser mailing machine, worked with his counterparts at GE, and ordered materials for the shop. He has no plans on retiring, at least none that he’s shared with his wife Jeanice. His wife brought him a special blue T-shirt, which announced his years of service, and the fact that he had been at the company half of its life. He gamely stripped off his dress shirt and proudly put on the T-shirt with his daughters and grandchildren looking on. “He loves the work,” said Jeanice Garfield. “He often comes home with all kinds of things roiling around in his head: what tools to make, different proposals that might make it more efficient,” she said. “He’s always moving.” In truth, she said, her husband has worked at Lovejoy longer than 50 years, since he worked there summers before starting full time in 1966. Garfield has been at the company 10 years longer than the president, Douglas Priestley, who presented Garfield with a large silver bowl as a special thank you for his dedication and service. “He’s been a rock,” said Priestley. “And a great friend.” Lovejoy, which is about a third of its size from 40 years ago, currently employs about 40 people, give or take a handful, Priestley said. Priestley said he personally hands out the paychecks every week, and talks to each employee. He said that tradition has been key to the company’s success and communication. The company will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2017; it was founded by an engineer from Jones & Lamson Machine Tool Co., which spawned most of the other machine tool companies in Springfield. J&L is long gone, but Lovejoy survived. Lovejoy has a reputation of keeping its workers, with many of its top employees being with the company more than 40 years. “It’s kind of terrifying, when all that knowledge goes out the door,” Priestley said. Kristi Morris, director of engineering, has been with Lovejoy 42 years, and he lists others who have been there longer than he has. “They treat people fair, and even with the union shops, the pay was competitive,” he said. Garfield’s experience and knowledge, “is just a tremendous asset,” he said. But it was clear from Priestley and others that the company credited its success and longevity to how it treated its employees. Nancy Lindsay worked at Lovejoy for 30 years, and retired eight years ago. She said the company was very understanding of family situations, long before family leave was law. John Lowery of Brattleboro was a relative short-timer. He had worked at Lovejoy from 1975-1988, and he credited Garfield with helping him grow up and finally helping him get sober. “I came out of gratitude,” said Lowery, who has worked at the Brattleboro Retreat for the last 25 years. “I learned a lot here, and he helped employees with their…. ahh…. health issues,” he said. “Out of the goodness of his heart.” Garfield returned a favor Monday afternoon, telling the crowd gathered in the Lovejoy conference room that Lowery had sold his tools when he left the company. But Garfield returned one of Lowery’s original slip-joint pliers, engraved with Lowery’s initials. The two men hugged. “Thank you,” Lowery said, “for the life you gave me.” http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20160607/NEWS02/160609617