Here's a story a little outside our viewership area, but it's an interesting one sent to us by our friends at Adman, Lima.
Rudolph Foods has announced the retirement of 51-year veteran Mike Reynolds. Hired in 1960, Reynolds has held a variety of positions with the Westminster-based food company, starting as a corn popper.
"A lot of people don't remember," he says of the world famous pork rind company, "that we used to make caramel, cheese and buttered popcorn." Reynolds recalls his first meeting with patriarch John Rudolph.
"I was planning on working at Ford, and Mr. Rudolph told me, 'If you're going to Ford, let's not even talk. I don't want someone who will only be here for two months. I want a full-time commitment.'"
Reynolds gave Rudolph a full-time commitment, and his employment record is now history.
During the time that Beatrice Foods owned the company, Reynolds worked as a trouble-shooter in the Dominican Republic plant, Mexico City, and then became maintenance supervisor of the Phoenix, Ariz., operation.
Speaking of the pork rind business, Reynolds remembers the beginning. "I remember we had one meat cutter and one dryer. We now have 30 super dryers. The changes in technology and growth of our volume have been astounding. None of us ever dreamed we'd get this big."
Rudolph Foods exceeded $100 million in world-wide sales in 2010.
"If I had to sum up my relationship with the company in one word, it would be proud," he says. "I've been here since the beginning and I played a part in the growth of this company. It played out a whole lot better than I ever hoped it would."
Reynolds' first meeting with John Rudolph took place at a restaurant called The Canary, across from the Westminster plant.
"People drive by that restaurant now, not knowing that we're across the street making pork rinds, and they say 'they sure must fry a lot of bacon in that place.'"
"His dedication to this company is one of the reasons we're as successful as we are," says Rich Rudolph. "Fifty one years of tireless effort. We appreciate him more than he'll ever know."
