What does it take to rise from humble beginnings to a prominent role in a major organization? Dr. Casey Pitcher, North American Director of Human Resources at Osborn, shares her extraordinary journey from babysitting and retail jobs in Connersville to overseeing HR operations for a leading company. Tune in to hear Casey's inspiring story of perseverance and dedication, and how her experiences have shaped her approach to employee growth and development at Osborn.
Get ready to uncover the often-overlooked challenges and rewards of working in HR. Casey gives us an inside look at her career, from handling misconceptions about HR roles to facilitating career advancements for employees. She shares heartfelt stories of supporting workers through personal and professional hurdles, emphasizing the critical role of communication and flexibility in creating a supportive workplace culture. These insights offer a new perspective on the human side of HR and its impact on company culture.
Finally, join us as we celebrate Osborn's 20th anniversary in Richmond, highlighted by employee engagement initiatives and community involvement. Casey discusses the company's efforts to balance professionalism with enjoyment, from participating in local events to planning an exciting week-long celebration. Additionally, she opens up about her own academic achievements, navigating the demanding journey from a master's degree to a doctorate. This episode is a rich tapestry of personal and organizational achievements, dedicated to the people who make Osborn a pillar of the community.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Michael Allen from Manpower.
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(00:24):
uniquely positioned to helpeliminate the hassles and save
you time and money.
Let us help contact Manpowertoday.
Hello and welcome to the Hubpowered by Manpower of Richmond.
I am your host, michael Allen,and here on the Hub we interview
local businesses, communitypartners and various special
guests, and our mission is toshare and spotlight unique and
(00:45):
untold stories of companies,organizations and people who are
making the difference in ourcommunity.
Today's guest is Dr CaseyPitcher.
Casey is the North AmericanDirector of Human Resources for
Osborne Casey, welcome to theHub, thank you.
So good to have you with ustoday.
Casey, welcome to the Hub, thankyou so good to have you with us
today.
We've had the pleasure ofworking together for a few years
(01:09):
at Osborne, and it was during avisit earlier this year that we
planned to do this podcast, andpart of it our timing was that
we wanted to celebrate Osborne's20th year in Richmond, and the
date for that is coming up it'sAugust 14th.
So here we are and I reallywant to chronicle the 20 years
(01:38):
Osborne's been here in Richmond,as well as your personal story.
But before we go into that, Iwant to go into our hub
tradition where we ask you about, uh, your very first job that
you had.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
That you can remember oh my goodness, my first job um
like most teenage girls in the90s, it was babysitting um and
then my first I guess regularpay was probably fast food.
I worked at Burger King.
(02:10):
I went off to college and thenthat summer I worked at the
nursing home.
I would do the laundry, becausewhat fun is that?
So and then um from there Iwent into retail and then um
(02:30):
ended up in osborne so youworked at uh burger chef?
Yes, what uh back to the baby,said back to babysitting.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Do you know what that going rate per hour was back
then?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, so it was funny .
So I babysat outside of youknow, because I was the oldest,
so I had my sisters, the oldestin the family.
I grew up in church so I wasalways the go-to.
But my first like regularbabysitting job was I made $90 a
week and I had three kids, soit was Monday through Friday.
(03:07):
The lady worked at Ford's.
She worked second shift, so I'dhave to be there, usually
around two or whatever, to watchher youngest and then get her
oldest off the bus and then putthem to bed, and then she would
get home around 11, 30, midnightand so I'd go home wow, so
you're.
That's almost like nannyterritory there yeah, yeah it
(03:31):
was, it was, um.
I mean, it's pretty coolbecause the youngest was like
three, so it gave me and I wasable to, like take them to
church and stuff.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
So it was kind of introduction into what it would
be like to have kids full-time,I guess a little training ground
there so that was good sharewith our follower followers a
little bit about yourself, kindof where you grew up, your
family, so I am connor tuckianum.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I was born and raised in Connersville and then hit 18
, had graduated and stuff andwent off to college in Michigan
and did my thing, was up thereabout 10 years and decided to
come back to Richmond andfinished my schooling.
(04:24):
So I got my bachelor's degreeand then, once I finished my
bachelor's, I was introduced toOsborne because they were
looking for a buyer and I toldmy career advisor at the time I
have no idea what a buyer does.
(04:45):
They're like oh, you'll be fine.
So fast forward into interviews, got into Osborne as the buyer,
worked there for a few years,decided to get my master's in
human resources, so then aposition became in human
resources, so I switched over2014 to human resources and I've
(05:10):
just continued growing fromthere.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
So tell me a little bit about growing up in
Connersville.
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (05:19):
So yeah, so growing up in Connersville 80s and 90s,
ford was the big thing, so atthe time Connersville wasn't
necessarily what it is today,but you know very local.
Everybody knew you, which wasgood and bad, because as a
(05:40):
teenager trying to expressyourself, you couldn't do
anything without running intosome family's parents.
I was going to tell your momyes, it's like you really
couldn't go or do anything,cause somebody always knew
somebody that you know there'sno.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
didn't have a lot of uh no secrets in a small no.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
And surprisingly, there were.
You know, know you couldn't getaway with a whole lot, even
pre-cell phones, like we didn'thave cell phones.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
So it's not like there was text and stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
But it's like I saw, you know casey, in the parking
lot of her king at midnight witha bunch of people and it's like
you know, by the time you gethome your mom's upstairs, it's
like where have you been?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
you're supposed to be sleeping it's pretty innocent
activities in today's noabsolutely, absolutely like.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
The worst thing I was doing was staying up just
hanging out, hanging out in theparking lot, you know, and
cruising friday nights drivingyou know, fifth street, third
street, central, that wholecircle, so you know.
Sneaking wine coolers, you know, because you thought you were
cool what did uh?
Speaker 1 (06:51):
were you involved in any certain things in school,
that kind of you know?
I mean, I think you're really,from what I know about you, I
think you're a pretty goodstudent, but is there other
things that you'd like to dooutside of academic?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
no, so I was a cheerleader okay, either or not,
um, but uh, that was like my,my big thing I was.
I was a cheerleader and um, my,uh, I spent a lot of my my
older teen years so like 16, 17,um, in, uh, outside of trying
(07:27):
to do school.
I was involved a lot with myfamily because we had a medical
emergency.
My cousin at six was diagnosedwith brain cancer so I spent a
lot of two years up at thehospital helping my aunt with
their other kids and stuff.
So my few years there I wasn'table to do much because I was
(07:48):
taking care of them.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
So you end up going to college in Michigan.
How did that happen?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
I wanted a way.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Just a little bit of distance from.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, so I went up to Michigan and got my real first
taste of freedom and did somestupid crap, and so then decided
to come back and focus back onthat Was it Michigan University.
No, it was a private school.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
So very, very strict, so very, very strict.
So because I originally wantedto be a, I thought I wanted to
be a teacher.
So I went and I was studyingteaching and then when I started
doing my like student teachingand stuff, I was like oh no, I
don't want to be part of this.
(08:42):
So I switched to business, whichwas probably a very good thing
for me, and so I transferred toIndiana University and that's
how I came back to be withfamily and go to school, and
that's where I got my bachelor'sand just continued going from
there.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
We have some similarities.
I'll have to talk to you aboutsome other time the private
school.
Yeah, I went to a privateschool for like one semester and
it didn't.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Uh, it was in chattanooga, tennessee temple
university very strict yeah likekind of baptist college so mine
was midwestern baptist inmichigan pontiac, michigan,
pontiac.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yes, I know that school no kidding.
We can edit those words out.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Yeah, I went, so I lasted two semesters and then my
third semester.
I was like I cannot do this.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
That is so crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
That is because Tennessee Templeessee temple in
knoxville was uh, chattanoogayep was my uh second choice,
second choice, wow, wow yeah sowhere did you get your masters?
So I got my masters from walshcollege in um troy, michigan
okay, yeah, I gotta get back ontrack.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Oh, there is one thing that so so do you have any
children?
You have?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
so I've got three bonus children okay so no
biological children on my ownand then you're a little.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Uh, you do have an affection for pets.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Oh my God.
Yes, I always tease like if Iever won like the big lotto or
whatever it's like I would havethat hundred of acres with just
like all the rescue animalsrunning around.
Like it kills me when I seelike the shelters and stuff, but
oh, because I would take themall and my husband would leave
(10:44):
me I'm sure are youpredominantly a dog person, or I
never thought I would be.
I never thought I would be um,because I started with cats and
um, so I rescued two.
Well, I had a cat and then Imet my husband and he was
horribly, horribly allergic, andso it was kind of like the cat
(11:05):
or the husband which was harderthan you would think.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
He's going to love watching this.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
But I, yeah.
So I did get rid of the cat andI gave her to a really good
friend.
I knew she'd be taken care ofand after a few years of
marriage he surprised me byallowing me to get.
He said that I could rescueanother cat, so went to the
shelter.
I had to be careful because, um, my original cat, shelby, was
(11:35):
mankoon, so she was long hairthose are pig cats too, yeah and
um.
So I think that's what theproblem was.
Um, so I went with um to theshelter and they had because
they were overran, surprisinglyeven back then.
Um, so it was buy one, get one.
So I took two, um, I got atabby and a calico and so then I
(11:59):
was like, okay, so I'm a catperson now right.
So, um, and they were my babies, and then, unfortunately, I
lost one.
She passed away when um, andthen.
So I rescued another one andthen I wanted a dog and so I got
a Boston and brought her homeand this thing I don't even know
(12:23):
if she knows she's a dog, so tothe point where it's not even
just me, like because I take hereverywhere.
I'm.
I'm that person, you knowpeople that you complain about,
but I am that person.
I take her everywhere and, um,my parents love her.
My grandma will say pearl iscoming, I miss her when she's
(12:44):
not around.
So I go to my parents house andthey've got like a cabinet's,
got like treats and toys grandma, grandpa's house so she loves
going to nana grandpa's house,absolutely, absolutely that's
awesome to your.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Uh, getting back to the the work part of it what
made you decide to go into hr,the human resources as a
profession?
Is there something that kind ofjust kind of clicked with you
that wanted you to do that?
Because you were doing teaching, right?
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
so I wanted teaching and I was like, nope, I can't.
God bless you teachers outthere.
I don't know how you do it, butI was like I'm going to go into
business because I kind ofalways liked the business aspect
of things, like the behind thescenes, how things work, the
numbers.
(13:39):
And then I was a manager at aretail store so I was
responsible for doing the hiringand the training and stuff and
I like I liked, I like feelinglike the people side of things,
and so I was like I like a humanresources.
(14:00):
Little did I know what humanresources actually involved, but
um, and so I decided to go backand get my master's in business
and I needed a concentration.
So I was like I'm going to givehuman resources a try.
And so it just kind of wentfrom there.
And when I was at Osborne I wentto the VP of HR at the time and
(14:25):
I said, hey, I'm working on mymaster's.
I said I would love to do kindof any kind of an intern follow
you around, shadow you orwhatever.
So I said, if you ever haveanything, I'd love to pick your
brain on it.
And it just happened an HRposition became available and
he's like, are you interested?
And I was like, yes, and it wasmy official title was HR
(14:45):
generalist, but it was myofficial title was HR Generalist
, but it was kind of thecatch-all for everything.
Somebody needed lunch, somebodyneeded a hotel, you know you
were that I was the go-to adminfor kind of everybody, did the
orientations and all that stuff.
(15:06):
Didn't do a lot of hiring oranything at the time, worked
with temp agencies so and thatwas kind of my introduction and
then, um, I just kind of keptgrowing from there, trying to
take on more responsibility andanything that came up.
Um, I wanted to do the good,the bad, the ugly, like I wanted
(15:29):
to do it all.
Because I wanted to do the good, the bad, the ugly, like I
wanted to do it all because Iwanted to really immerse myself
in which worked, because then Iwanted to be where everybody
knew my name and it isn't alwaysa good thing, but they knew my
name.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
What do you find to be like the most rewarding?
What's the most rewarding partof HR for you?
Speaker 2 (15:54):
shook the table.
What's the most rewarding partof hr for you, um?
So for me, when I see when youtruly can help somebody.
So, like um, one of my beststories is I had somebody that
was a machine operator, um, andso I talked to them because part
of my job is developing peopleright.
So trying to find out whatstrengths people have and what
(16:16):
your ambitions are.
What do you want to do?
So they had told me they wantedto be more, but they had no
idea how to do it.
So I was like I can help you.
So I actually helped do theirFAFSA, help you.
So I actually helped do theirFAFSA.
I helped them enroll in schoolbecause Osborne reimburses.
(16:37):
You know, we do $5,000 a year.
You go to school, we're goingto pay you, and so I helped this
individual until they were ableto leave Osborne as a machine
operator and go into more of aposition they want.
They left us, but they weredoing what they wanted to do, so
really showing people theirpotential right.
(17:00):
So I would have loved for thisperson to stay with me, but you
know, I don't always have theopportunities for the growth on
something like that.
I don't always have theopportunities for the growth on
stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
So but what do you think is kind of the most
challenging part of HR?
Speaker 2 (17:17):
HR gets blamed for everything.
When something is wrong, ifthere's a culture issue or
there's a leadership problem,you know it's HR, hr, hr, right.
And you see the jokes.
You know it's HR, hr, hr, right.
And you see the jokes, you knowit's like oh, you know, people
(17:38):
want flexibility, or people wantthis or that, and it's like, oh
well, hr throws pizza at you.
It's not.
You know, it's not my fault,right, it's not always, you know
.
So I think the most challengingpart in HR is like, we are all
responsible for our workenvironment, right, we're all
responsible for making, um, youknow, osborne a destination
place, right?
So you know I bring someone in,but it's it's the people, right
(18:02):
, they're going to work with you, you know.
So if you know you have thisoutlook on what you think your
job is and you tell others andyou're negative, that person's
not going to want to stay, right.
So you know, challenging iskeeping the talent Right,
(18:23):
developing, giving them, youknow, having them.
Give me a chance to make thisplace.
You know what you need it to be.
I would think sometimes.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
You know, most companies have rules about how
much you can miss work, or andyou know, and you may have two
different people who may beaccumulate the same amount of
points or, however, warnings orwhatever, but how they got there
(18:54):
is totally different.
But they both have to be let goand you can't, it's you have to
be consistent with the rules.
I would think yeah and that partwould be frustrating, knowing
that you've got to let go ofthis person who's just had some
really horrible things andcircumstances got them where
they were and the other personjust did it to themselves.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
So yeah, so we have a point system right, so we have
attendance and we do our best tokeep it black and white right.
So it's like if you miss,you're going to get a point.
But if you talk to me like ifyou have family issues, if you
have a sick child or you know um.
(19:40):
We offer flex time.
We offer um unpaid leave right,so you know you have your
federal fmla, right so?
But you have to work for acompany for 12 months.
You have to have a minimumnumber of hours to get FMLA,
right.
We at Osborne cover short-termdisability, though from the
(20:01):
beginning, like we give it toyou for free, so all you have to
do is talk to us.
Right, we have options thatmight work for you, right?
So we've had individuals that'slike.
You know, I just can't do it.
I gotta take care of my spouse,or I'll take care of my kid, or
whatever.
And it's like, well, instead ofpointing out, take the next two
(20:25):
weeks or whatever, do what yougot to do and then come back to
us.
Right, so it.
So it's like we just needpeople to communicate on those.
We can't help somebody if theydon't tell us what's going on.
Right, um, we offer flex hours,you know, and everybody wants
the option, you know, work fromhome.
You hear that, um, and I alwaystell my people, especially on
(20:46):
the floor.
It's like you tell me how youcan run your machine from home.
Yeah, you make stuff right,it's like my machines, and you
know, if I can get to the pointwhere I don't need you
physically at your machine tomake the parts, I'm not gonna
really need you anymore.
So you know, um, so that youknow that's a hard, because if
(21:08):
you've got your office staffright and they have the
flexibility, they can work fromhome.
Right, you know.
You've got your customerservice, your marketing, your
accounting, you know, generallyspeaking.
You've got your laptop, you canwork from home.
You're running a machine.
Show me how you can do thatfrom home.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
It's just the nature of the job, right?
Yeah Well, let's talk a fromhome.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
It's just the nature of the job.
Right yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Well, let's talk a little bit.
Let's talk about Osborne andwhat you make.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Yeah so Osborne.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
People run those machines.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Yes, yes, multiple different types of machines.
So Osborne as a whole has beenaround since 1887.
And they started off inCleveland and then we moved that
operation to Richmond in 2004.
So we started off with our wirebrushes, which is our one of
(22:05):
our largest divisions right now.
So we make wire brushes.
So you need something.
The birds, you need somethingwelded, you need something.
You know.
We make wire brushes of alldifferent sizes for basically
any kind of application youcould think of.
We also have a load runner, soload runner makes like cam
(22:28):
followers and stuff.
So I think roller coasterwheels, um, if you go to like
the colt stadium, you know howit has like the retractable roof
, those cam, those rollers areosborne, right, that?
Um falcon stadium, we, thebearings and stuff are osborne.
So, um, we have custom railsand stuff.
(22:51):
And then we have our Sealy Zdivision, which is like weather
strips, so think like garagedoors, so like at the bottom to
keep the debris and stuff out.
You go to grocery stores, youopen the doors at the bottom and
(23:14):
stuff.
So we make any kind of weatherstripping brush and stuff for
that.
And then we have our polishingdepartment make polishing buffs,
all different sizes and thecompounds and stuff to go with
that sizes and the compounds andstuff to go with that, do you?
Speaker 1 (23:35):
most of your products are more of a commercial use or
not, is you?
I mean, could you go buy a wirebrush that?
Yes, at menards and you'remaking that right.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
You can go to amazon and find an osborne brush.
You can go msc.
You can go to an Osborne brush.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
You can go MSC.
You can go to McMaster and findwhat's kind of like your
largest client base stuff thatyou make in Richmond, or is
there such a thing, or is itjust really spread out?
Speaker 2 (24:06):
it's really spread out.
So, um you know, we have a lotof distribution centers um like
msc and stuff, so they buy a lotof our stuff um amazon's a
customer.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
So I one of the guys I've seen when I was in it
before, is you make the, youknow, like floor scrubbers and
don't you make the pads that gounderneath those?
are part of our, our buff, yeah,yeah, so I mean, those are
those kind of a everyday thingthat people wouldn't realize.
They see people operating thatequipment and stores whatever,
(24:41):
and those are being made.
Yep, here you opened inRichmond in 2004.
Yeah, and there's been a few.
I don't know if changes, maybeit's add-ons.
We talked about it once.
So in 2004, it opened, but thenin 2012, there was.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Yeah, so in 2004, we opened our doors and it was just
the power brush department fromCleveland.
And then in 2012, we moved ourload runner division from
Cleveland.
So we moved that to Richmond,which is why I was actually
(25:25):
hired.
I was hired as a buyer for theloaddarner division because the
woman that was doing it incleveland did not want to
relocate so that was actually myintroduction to osborne, um,
and then we moved ourheadquarters so from cleveland
(25:46):
in 2014 to richmond and so weactually had to build on to our
facility to what it is now,because we brought multiple
positions our customer service,our sales, our marketing.
We moved everything fromCleveland, then we moved it to
the Richmond facility, to theRichmond facility and then in
(26:10):
2017, 18, we moved our RichmondVirginia facility of Sealeasy.
So we moved that operation intoRichmond.
So that was a big deal.
That brought, probably at thetime, 40, 50 physicians to
(26:31):
Richmond.
So shout out to Shannon, shehelped me a lot during that.
But, yeah, that was a good time, sad because we had to close
the Richmond Virginia facility.
So all those people that hadbeen part of the Sealy Z but we
(26:52):
did move them we brought allthose jobs to Richmond and we
actually have one person fromSealy Z to Richmond Virginia
relocate his family to Richmond,indiana, and he's still part of
it.
So he's got almost 30 yearswith the company as a whole.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
So so, in addition to like the manufacturing position
, so you have several managementand upper management jobs that
exist, yeah, because we yeah sowe are now, uh, north america
headquarters, americaheadquarters.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
So our CEO, our CFO, the VPs, all sit in.
Richmond.
So, um, yeah, it's, it's a goodit's.
It's.
It's kind of cool to watchbecause, like when I started in
2012, it was just this smallfacility.
There's like I think four orfive of us in the front office
(27:47):
now.
Now there's like the CEOs thereand the VPs are there and you
know we've got all thesecustomer service and marketing
and the accounting team andstuff is all there.
So it's been quite theexperience for me to watch it
grow to what it?
is now.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
And we spoke the other day.
So and uh, we spoke the otherday.
We talked about like in around,like 2021.
Osborne became a bit moreintentional and support in
community in the communityoverall not that you weren't
supportive before, but there wasmore of a intentional move yeah
, so in so as my um careerthroughout Osborne has grown um.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
In 2018, I got the opportunity to become the HR
manager for one of our sistercompanies at the time, so I
relocated to North Carolina fora sister facility and then, as
we grew, developed reorg.
(28:52):
I went from North Carolina toMichigan and then back to
Osborne and Richmond, and so Icame back at the end of 2021 and
me and the HR that was there weput in a.
We decided that we wanted tomake Osborne a destination place
(29:19):
and we made a commitment to bemore involved in the community,
because we found a lot of peopledidn't know who we were.
So we started meeting with allthese different groups, the
nonprofits and stuff, and wereally strived to put our name
out in the community.
(29:39):
We wanted people to know wewere dedicated to this area and
we did so.
We have done multiplefundraisers since being back.
So basically, for 2022 and towhere we are now, we have
donated over $11,000 to localcharities.
(30:04):
We participate in the suicideprevention walk.
We participate in the suicideprevention walk.
We did our first year in 2022,and we were the largest group
there and we donated the mostmoney.
So it was really a testament,and so we went back again last
(30:28):
year and again everybody waslooking for us because we came
with, we met, he made him likeeveryone that volunteered to
participate in a walk got ashirt I was born and stuff, and
it had um, a saying.
And the first year was tie-dye.
So if you saw one of us youknew what we were, who we were,
and we had a tent.
So we were giving away stuffbecause we wanted everybody to
(30:48):
know who Osborne was.
And so then the next year I waslooking to see what we were
going to do.
So, um, again, our team, um, ouremployees really step up Cause.
Again, this is a volunteer.
They don't get paid to do this,it's on a Saturday.
They're donating their time tobring awareness to um, a great
organization.
(31:09):
So you know we'll do it againthis October and then we do
Wayne County Special Olympics.
We always have a team, so wehave three teams, I believe went
the first year and we donated.
(31:29):
One of our teams won and wedonated that back to Special
Olympics, so they were veryhappy to see us come back.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
That's wonderful, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Yeah, you know we've donated to Girls Inc,
centerville Schools.
So just each Christmas, youknow, we take up a big donation.
So our team really steps upwhen it's necessary and donates
and gives their time.
You know we have volunteer dayat the Townsend Center, you know
(32:00):
, and our team again volunteerson their Saturday to, you know,
go contribute to the time.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
I can tell just you talking about that that's
something that you really enjoyoh, absolutely really, really
into doing that.
What, what would be, and maybeyou just shared it, but kind of
a uh and maybe an unknown partof osborne, they would be
surprised to hear about um, interms of just about the company,
(32:30):
and that they'd be pleasant,pleasantly surprised to hear
about the company.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
I don't know if I'm saying so our, our big focus is,
on top of the communityinvolvement and stuff, is our
employee engagement, which isalways a struggle and, depending
on who you ask, you know wefail or we do really well, right
, um, but we try really hard tolisten to what the employees
(32:59):
want.
Right, and you've always,you're always going to have, you
know, that group that, nomatter what you do, it's never
going to be good enough.
Right, and you're going to havethose that they just want to
come in, put in their eighthours and go home and that's
fine.
Right, we still need thoseemployees, but I don't want to
(33:20):
use like, I'm not going to sithere and say, oh, we're a family
, come, you know, because at theend of the day're still a
business, right, but whileyou're with us, we can do what
we can to make it as enjoyableas we can, right.
So, um, it's got to be thosekind of like those outside
(33:44):
things that make us different.
Right, because everybody can belike oh well, we get, you know,
10 help paid holidays.
We get two weeks vacation.
We pay for short term, right, alot of companies do that, but
it's like what makes us standout, and so our focus has been
we make a difference in thecommunity, right, we're going to
go out there.
(34:04):
So, if there's a job fair, we'regoing to be there.
If there's a job fair, we'regoing to be there.
If there's a community day, wewant to be there, you know.
If there's a, you know the 5K,we want to be there.
Read, right, we want to bethere.
Suicide Prevention Walk we'regoing to be there.
Right, we want to put Osborneout there.
So, and it's surprising eachtime and you know, sarah and I
(34:29):
will talk because it's hard it'shard being HRA you get blamed
for everything, you still dealwith your turnover and stuff,
but then you'll have that oneperson that will come to you,
like after an event, and they'llsay, well, you know, we've
never had an employee do thisand it's like, okay, so that one
person, when you touch that oneperson, made a difference right
(34:55):
, right, and makes them proud tobe part of osborne, and that's
what we need to keep going right.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Yeah, that's great.
20th year is coming up the 14thuh, what do you have going on
at the plant to commemorate it?
Speaker 2 (35:10):
So we are going to, based on feedback we got from
the employees, we are going tocelebrate the entire week.
So we are going to.
We made special T-shirts thateveryone's going to get.
We're going to bring incupcakes.
(35:30):
We're going to bring in adinner, um, one day we're going
to bring in local communitymembers, um, and kind of
celebrate.
We went and we've done allkinds of um research and stuff
on the history, so we've gotreally cool displays and stuff
to put up in, like the timeline,and we found old advertising
(35:54):
for brooms from Osborne andstuff.
So we really want Osborne to besomething that our employees
can be proud of.
That they've worked.
You know, we've continued togrow.
We've had our ups and downs,like downs, like a lot of
companies and stuff but at theend of the day, we really want
to show that we care for what wecan control.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
Right.
So, Do you feel like yourproduct line is still very
relevant in today's world?
Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
We have customers that have been with us since the
beginning.
We've have customers that havebeen with us since the beginning
.
We've got suppliers that havebeen with us since the beginning
.
We've got business partnersthat's been with us since the
beginning.
You know, and that's one of thethings that they focus on, we
want our quality to be there,because if the quality lacks,
then you're going to lose thoseright.
So the fact that we still havecustomers that continuously buy
(36:49):
from us, I mean it really shows,you know, the commitment that
Osborne has to putting the namebehind the product.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I mean, the technology may have changed.
That helps you create yourproducts, but the product that
you provide is very relevant inthe world as far as the
applications and the uses of allthe different things that your
company makes Absolutely.
(37:17):
Well, I appreciate you spendingtime with us today.
Oh, thank you, it's been greatto learn more about yourself.
And then just the great workthat's happening at Osborne and
hopefully there'll be another 20years yourself, and and then
just a great work that'shappening, uh, at osborne and uh
, hopefully, uh, we'll, there'llbe another 20 years that we can
celebrate oh, we sure hope so,so we sure hope it's uh it's uh,
(37:39):
business is hard it is, and yougot to work at it and uh, but
uh, I I think you're doing agreat job and and I love to hear
the things that you're doingwith the community and employee
engagement.
One thing I was going to ask youI kind of almost forgot about
it was when you were in NorthCarolina.
(38:00):
That's when you kind of decidedto become doctor.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Tell us about how that came about, yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
So when I was in Richmond, I had four facilities
right.
So we had Janesville, richmond,I had Sealy Z in Virginia, and
then I had our Hamilton andRichmond facilities.
And I was really trying to makea name for myself.
I wanted people to know who Iwas.
So if something needed to bedone, I was like I'll do it,
(38:29):
I'll do it, I'll do it Right.
So I was always busy and I wasworking on my master's.
So every moment of my day waslike I had a schedule right,
like I got home late and makingdinner, I had the girls, I had
my homework, and so it was justcrazy, crazy.
So then they're like, hey, wehave this opportunity, we need
(38:51):
an HR manager at our NorthCarolina facility.
And I was like, yeah, I'm inthe mountains, I'm, I'm there,
right, um, so, uh, you know, asa family discussed it, we went,
and so I went from every momentof my day.
I had something to do to gointo North Carolina and I had
(39:14):
one facility.
They had about 65, 70 peopleand I had already graduated my
master's.
So I got bored.
I didn't know what to do.
So I was like I'll go back toschool, I'm going to go get my
doctorate.
So I did, I enrolled, and so Istarted my doctorate, and then
(39:40):
2020 happened, and everybodyknows what happened in 2020.
And so I was like, oh, I canfinish, can finish this.
Well then I took theopportunity to move from North
Carolina to Michigan, to theheadquarters of my last company.
So then I went from board board2020, you know, 2020, michigan
(40:06):
headquarters for automotive, andit was nuts like I was working
six, seven days, 12 hours a daytrying to do my dissertation.
Um, so then I was like you know, rethinking my entire life
decisions, but it's like, so Istuck through it.
(40:29):
So, um, you know, when I cameback, I was like, all right, I'm
a doctorate now, so we need to,we, we need to talk about what
I'm doing when the work thatwent into getting your doctorate
is that.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
I know it's.
It's a different level, maybe,of learning and you have to do a
dissertation.
Is it kind of like doing amaster's all over again?
It's not like you don't, oh no,no, no.
I mean, just how is itdifferent from getting your
master's?
Speaker 2 (41:02):
So with your doctorate and I can't speak for
all of them, but for thedoctorate in business it was a
lot of writing.
So it wasn't like here is twochapters and I'm going to ask
you questions or whatever rightit's.
You have to research and theywant you to be a strategic
(41:23):
thinker and they want you to bea problem solver right.
You to be a problem solverright.
Um, so I would have done twomore years of classes over my
dissertation any day of the week.
Um, I, because my classes.
I was like this is okay, right,because I'm a talker, obviously,
right, I, I can, I, I can think.
(41:46):
I'm like, oh yeah, this is whatyou should do, right, and
especially because it was morebusiness and HR related, which
is what I'm passionate about,right.
So then I got to answer basedon my thoughts and what my
research and stuff.
And then I get to thedissertation part and you've got
like this 100-page researchthat you've got to, you know do
(42:06):
surveys and questions and youknow have to find a population,
and I was just like holy crap,like I mean it was intense, it
was.
It was intense up until thedissertation.
I thought I would do fivedoctorates over because my
master's was.
That was hard, um, but thatdissertation I was just like
(42:30):
this is gonna break me.
Yeah, this was going toabsolutely break me, but, um, it
didn't.
I got through it, and so now Imake everybody call me doctor
yeah, well, congratulations onthat.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
It's a great accomplishment and uh, so again,
thank you for coming.
Oh, absolutely, thanks formaking a house call.
Speaker 2 (42:51):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (42:54):
So, dr Casey Pitcher, thank you so much for coming
today.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
It's good to see you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
Michael Allen from Manpower.
We are a national brand, yetlocally owned franchise.
We are familiar with thechallenges businesses face.
It's tough recruiting andretaining qualified employees.
That's why working withManpower is a smart,
cost-effective solution.
Our entire focus is talentacquisition.
We'll manage your hiring andtraining and provide ongoing,
customized support.
Since 1966, we have been yourcommunity-invested partner,
(43:23):
uniquely positioned to helpeliminate the hassles and save
you time and money.
Let us help.
Contact Manpower today.
Michael Allen from Manpower.
We are a national brand, yetlocally owned franchise.
We are familiar with thechallenges businesses face.
It's tough recruiting andretaining qualified employees.
That's why working withManpower is a smart,
cost-effective solution.
Our entire focus is talentacquisition.
We'll manage your hiring andtraining and provide ongoing,
customized support.
Since 1966, we have been yourcommunity-invested partner,
(00:24):
uniquely positioned to helpeliminate the hassles and save
you time and money.
Let us help contact Manpowertoday.
Hello and welcome to the Hubpowered by Manpower of Richmond.
I am your host, michael Allen,and here on the Hub we interview
local businesses, communitypartners and various special
guests, and our mission is toshare and spotlight unique and
(00:45):
untold stories of companies,organizations and people who are
making the difference in ourcommunity.
Today's guest is Dr CaseyPitcher.
Casey is the North AmericanDirector of Human Resources for
Osborne Casey, welcome to theHub, thank you.
So good to have you with ustoday.
Casey, welcome to the Hub, thankyou so good to have you with us
today.
We've had the pleasure ofworking together for a few years
(01:09):
at Osborne, and it was during avisit earlier this year that we
planned to do this podcast, andpart of it our timing was that
we wanted to celebrate Osborne's20th year in Richmond, and the
date for that is coming up it'sAugust 14th.
So here we are and I reallywant to chronicle the 20 years
(01:38):
Osborne's been here in Richmond,as well as your personal story.
But before we go into that, Iwant to go into our hub
tradition where we ask you about, uh, your very first job that
you had.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
That you can remember oh my goodness, my first job um
like most teenage girls in the90s, it was babysitting um and
then my first I guess regularpay was probably fast food.
I worked at Burger King.
(02:10):
I went off to college and thenthat summer I worked at the
nursing home.
I would do the laundry, becausewhat fun is that?
So and then um from there Iwent into retail and then um
(02:30):
ended up in osborne so youworked at uh burger chef?
Yes, what uh back to the baby,said back to babysitting.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Do you know what that going rate per hour was back
then?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, so it was funny .
So I babysat outside of youknow, because I was the oldest,
so I had my sisters, the oldestin the family.
I grew up in church so I wasalways the go-to.
But my first like regularbabysitting job was I made $90 a
week and I had three kids, soit was Monday through Friday.
(03:07):
The lady worked at Ford's.
She worked second shift, so I'dhave to be there, usually
around two or whatever, to watchher youngest and then get her
oldest off the bus and then putthem to bed, and then she would
get home around 11, 30, midnightand so I'd go home wow, so
you're.
That's almost like nannyterritory there yeah, yeah it
(03:31):
was, it was, um.
I mean, it's pretty coolbecause the youngest was like
three, so it gave me and I wasable to, like take them to
church and stuff.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
So it was kind of introduction into what it would
be like to have kids full-time,I guess a little training ground
there so that was good sharewith our follower followers a
little bit about yourself, kindof where you grew up, your
family, so I am connor tuckianum.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I was born and raised in Connersville and then hit 18
, had graduated and stuff andwent off to college in Michigan
and did my thing, was up thereabout 10 years and decided to
come back to Richmond andfinished my schooling.
(04:24):
So I got my bachelor's degreeand then, once I finished my
bachelor's, I was introduced toOsborne because they were
looking for a buyer and I toldmy career advisor at the time I
have no idea what a buyer does.
(04:45):
They're like oh, you'll be fine.
So fast forward into interviews, got into Osborne as the buyer,
worked there for a few years,decided to get my master's in
human resources, so then aposition became in human
resources, so I switched over2014 to human resources and I've
(05:10):
just continued growing fromthere.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
So tell me a little bit about growing up in
Connersville.
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (05:19):
So yeah, so growing up in Connersville 80s and 90s,
ford was the big thing, so atthe time Connersville wasn't
necessarily what it is today,but you know very local.
Everybody knew you, which wasgood and bad, because as a
(05:40):
teenager trying to expressyourself, you couldn't do
anything without running intosome family's parents.
I was going to tell your momyes, it's like you really
couldn't go or do anything,cause somebody always knew
somebody that you know there'sno.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
didn't have a lot of uh no secrets in a small no.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
And surprisingly, there were.
You know, know you couldn't getaway with a whole lot, even
pre-cell phones, like we didn'thave cell phones.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
So it's not like there was text and stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
But it's like I saw, you know casey, in the parking
lot of her king at midnight witha bunch of people and it's like
you know, by the time you gethome your mom's upstairs, it's
like where have you been?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
you're supposed to be sleeping it's pretty innocent
activities in today's noabsolutely, absolutely like.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
The worst thing I was doing was staying up just
hanging out, hanging out in theparking lot, you know, and
cruising friday nights drivingyou know, fifth street, third
street, central, that wholecircle, so you know.
Sneaking wine coolers, you know, because you thought you were
cool what did uh?
Speaker 1 (06:51):
were you involved in any certain things in school,
that kind of you know?
I mean, I think you're really,from what I know about you, I
think you're a pretty goodstudent, but is there other
things that you'd like to dooutside of academic?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
no, so I was a cheerleader okay, either or not,
um, but uh, that was like my,my big thing I was.
I was a cheerleader and um, my,uh, I spent a lot of my my
older teen years so like 16, 17,um, in, uh, outside of trying
(07:27):
to do school.
I was involved a lot with myfamily because we had a medical
emergency.
My cousin at six was diagnosedwith brain cancer so I spent a
lot of two years up at thehospital helping my aunt with
their other kids and stuff.
So my few years there I wasn'table to do much because I was
(07:48):
taking care of them.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
So you end up going to college in Michigan.
How did that happen?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
I wanted a way.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Just a little bit of distance from.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, so I went up to Michigan and got my real first
taste of freedom and did somestupid crap, and so then decided
to come back and focus back onthat Was it Michigan University.
No, it was a private school.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
So very, very strict, so very, very strict.
So because I originally wantedto be a, I thought I wanted to
be a teacher.
So I went and I was studyingteaching and then when I started
doing my like student teachingand stuff, I was like oh no, I
don't want to be part of this.
(08:42):
So I switched to business, whichwas probably a very good thing
for me, and so I transferred toIndiana University and that's
how I came back to be withfamily and go to school, and
that's where I got my bachelor'sand just continued going from
there.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
We have some similarities.
I'll have to talk to you aboutsome other time the private
school.
Yeah, I went to a privateschool for like one semester and
it didn't.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Uh, it was in chattanooga, tennessee temple
university very strict yeah likekind of baptist college so mine
was midwestern baptist inmichigan pontiac, michigan,
pontiac.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yes, I know that school no kidding.
We can edit those words out.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Yeah, I went, so I lasted two semesters and then my
third semester.
I was like I cannot do this.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
That is so crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
That is because Tennessee Templeessee temple in
knoxville was uh, chattanoogayep was my uh second choice,
second choice, wow, wow yeah sowhere did you get your masters?
So I got my masters from walshcollege in um troy, michigan
okay, yeah, I gotta get back ontrack.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Oh, there is one thing that so so do you have any
children?
You have?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
so I've got three bonus children okay so no
biological children on my ownand then you're a little.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Uh, you do have an affection for pets.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Oh my God.
Yes, I always tease like if Iever won like the big lotto or
whatever it's like I would havethat hundred of acres with just
like all the rescue animalsrunning around.
Like it kills me when I seelike the shelters and stuff, but
oh, because I would take themall and my husband would leave
(10:44):
me I'm sure are youpredominantly a dog person, or I
never thought I would be.
I never thought I would be um,because I started with cats and
um, so I rescued two.
Well, I had a cat and then Imet my husband and he was
horribly, horribly allergic, andso it was kind of like the cat
(11:05):
or the husband which was harderthan you would think.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
He's going to love watching this.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
But I, yeah.
So I did get rid of the cat andI gave her to a really good
friend.
I knew she'd be taken care ofand after a few years of
marriage he surprised me byallowing me to get.
He said that I could rescueanother cat, so went to the
shelter.
I had to be careful because, um, my original cat, shelby, was
(11:35):
mankoon, so she was long hairthose are pig cats too, yeah and
um.
So I think that's what theproblem was.
Um, so I went with um to theshelter and they had because
they were overran, surprisinglyeven back then.
Um, so it was buy one, get one.
So I took two, um, I got atabby and a calico and so then I
(11:59):
was like, okay, so I'm a catperson now right.
So, um, and they were my babies, and then, unfortunately, I
lost one.
She passed away when um, andthen.
So I rescued another one andthen I wanted a dog and so I got
a Boston and brought her homeand this thing I don't even know
(12:23):
if she knows she's a dog, so tothe point where it's not even
just me, like because I take hereverywhere.
I'm.
I'm that person, you knowpeople that you complain about,
but I am that person.
I take her everywhere and, um,my parents love her.
My grandma will say pearl iscoming, I miss her when she's
(12:44):
not around.
So I go to my parents house andthey've got like a cabinet's,
got like treats and toys grandma, grandpa's house so she loves
going to nana grandpa's house,absolutely, absolutely that's
awesome to your.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Uh, getting back to the the work part of it what
made you decide to go into hr,the human resources as a
profession?
Is there something that kind ofjust kind of clicked with you
that wanted you to do that?
Because you were doing teaching, right?
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
so I wanted teaching and I was like, nope, I can't.
God bless you teachers outthere.
I don't know how you do it, butI was like I'm going to go into
business because I kind ofalways liked the business aspect
of things, like the behind thescenes, how things work, the
numbers.
(13:39):
And then I was a manager at aretail store so I was
responsible for doing the hiringand the training and stuff and
I like I liked, I like feelinglike the people side of things,
and so I was like I like a humanresources.
(14:00):
Little did I know what humanresources actually involved, but
um, and so I decided to go backand get my master's in business
and I needed a concentration.
So I was like I'm going to givehuman resources a try.
And so it just kind of wentfrom there.
And when I was at Osborne I wentto the VP of HR at the time and
(14:25):
I said, hey, I'm working on mymaster's.
I said I would love to do kindof any kind of an intern follow
you around, shadow you orwhatever.
So I said, if you ever haveanything, I'd love to pick your
brain on it.
And it just happened an HRposition became available and
he's like, are you interested?
And I was like, yes, and it wasmy official title was HR
(14:45):
generalist, but it was myofficial title was HR Generalist
, but it was kind of thecatch-all for everything.
Somebody needed lunch, somebodyneeded a hotel, you know you
were that I was the go-to adminfor kind of everybody, did the
orientations and all that stuff.
(15:06):
Didn't do a lot of hiring oranything at the time, worked
with temp agencies so and thatwas kind of my introduction and
then, um, I just kind of keptgrowing from there, trying to
take on more responsibility andanything that came up.
Um, I wanted to do the good,the bad, the ugly, like I wanted
(15:29):
to do it all.
Because I wanted to do the good, the bad, the ugly, like I
wanted to do it all because Iwanted to really immerse myself
in which worked, because then Iwanted to be where everybody
knew my name and it isn't alwaysa good thing, but they knew my
name.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
What do you find to be like the most rewarding?
What's the most rewarding partof HR for you?
Speaker 2 (15:54):
shook the table.
What's the most rewarding partof hr for you, um?
So for me, when I see when youtruly can help somebody.
So, like um, one of my beststories is I had somebody that
was a machine operator, um, andso I talked to them because part
of my job is developing peopleright.
So trying to find out whatstrengths people have and what
(16:16):
your ambitions are.
What do you want to do?
So they had told me they wantedto be more, but they had no
idea how to do it.
So I was like I can help you.
So I actually helped do theirFAFSA, help you.
So I actually helped do theirFAFSA.
I helped them enroll in schoolbecause Osborne reimburses.
(16:37):
You know, we do $5,000 a year.
You go to school, we're goingto pay you, and so I helped this
individual until they were ableto leave Osborne as a machine
operator and go into more of aposition they want.
They left us, but they weredoing what they wanted to do, so
really showing people theirpotential right.
(17:00):
So I would have loved for thisperson to stay with me, but you
know, I don't always have theopportunities for the growth on
something like that.
I don't always have theopportunities for the growth on
stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
So but what do you think is kind of the most
challenging part of HR?
Speaker 2 (17:17):
HR gets blamed for everything.
When something is wrong, ifthere's a culture issue or
there's a leadership problem,you know it's HR, hr, hr, right.
And you see the jokes.
You know it's HR, hr, hr, right.
And you see the jokes, you knowit's like oh, you know, people
(17:38):
want flexibility, or people wantthis or that, and it's like, oh
well, hr throws pizza at you.
It's not.
You know, it's not my fault,right, it's not always, you know
.
So I think the most challengingpart in HR is like, we are all
responsible for our workenvironment, right, we're all
responsible for making, um, youknow, osborne a destination
place, right?
So you know I bring someone in,but it's it's the people, right
(18:02):
, they're going to work with you, you know.
So if you know you have thisoutlook on what you think your
job is and you tell others andyou're negative, that person's
not going to want to stay, right.
So you know, challenging iskeeping the talent Right,
(18:23):
developing, giving them, youknow, having them.
Give me a chance to make thisplace.
You know what you need it to be.
I would think sometimes.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
You know, most companies have rules about how
much you can miss work, or andyou know, and you may have two
different people who may beaccumulate the same amount of
points or, however, warnings orwhatever, but how they got there
(18:54):
is totally different.
But they both have to be let goand you can't, it's you have to
be consistent with the rules.
I would think yeah and that partwould be frustrating, knowing
that you've got to let go ofthis person who's just had some
really horrible things andcircumstances got them where
they were and the other personjust did it to themselves.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
So yeah, so we have a point system right, so we have
attendance and we do our best tokeep it black and white right.
So it's like if you miss,you're going to get a point.
But if you talk to me like ifyou have family issues, if you
have a sick child or you know um.
(19:40):
We offer flex time.
We offer um unpaid leave right,so you know you have your
federal fmla, right so?
But you have to work for acompany for 12 months.
You have to have a minimumnumber of hours to get FMLA,
right.
We at Osborne cover short-termdisability, though from the
(20:01):
beginning, like we give it toyou for free, so all you have to
do is talk to us.
Right, we have options thatmight work for you, right?
So we've had individuals that'slike.
You know, I just can't do it.
I gotta take care of my spouse,or I'll take care of my kid, or
whatever.
And it's like, well, instead ofpointing out, take the next two
(20:25):
weeks or whatever, do what yougot to do and then come back to
us.
Right, so it.
So it's like we just needpeople to communicate on those.
We can't help somebody if theydon't tell us what's going on.
Right, um, we offer flex hours,you know, and everybody wants
the option, you know, work fromhome.
You hear that, um, and I alwaystell my people, especially on
(20:46):
the floor.
It's like you tell me how youcan run your machine from home.
Yeah, you make stuff right,it's like my machines, and you
know, if I can get to the pointwhere I don't need you
physically at your machine tomake the parts, I'm not gonna
really need you anymore.
So you know, um, so that youknow that's a hard, because if
(21:08):
you've got your office staffright and they have the
flexibility, they can work fromhome.
Right, you know.
You've got your customerservice, your marketing, your
accounting, you know, generallyspeaking.
You've got your laptop, you canwork from home.
You're running a machine.
Show me how you can do thatfrom home.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
It's just the nature of the job, right?
Yeah Well, let's talk a fromhome.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
It's just the nature of the job.
Right yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Well, let's talk a little bit.
Let's talk about Osborne andwhat you make.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Yeah so Osborne.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
People run those machines.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Yes, yes, multiple different types of machines.
So Osborne as a whole has beenaround since 1887.
And they started off inCleveland and then we moved that
operation to Richmond in 2004.
So we started off with our wirebrushes, which is our one of
(22:05):
our largest divisions right now.
So we make wire brushes.
So you need something.
The birds, you need somethingwelded, you need something.
You know.
We make wire brushes of alldifferent sizes for basically
any kind of application youcould think of.
We also have a load runner, soload runner makes like cam
(22:28):
followers and stuff.
So I think roller coasterwheels, um, if you go to like
the colt stadium, you know howit has like the retractable roof
, those cam, those rollers areosborne, right, that?
Um falcon stadium, we, thebearings and stuff are osborne.
So, um, we have custom railsand stuff.
(22:51):
And then we have our Sealy Zdivision, which is like weather
strips, so think like garagedoors, so like at the bottom to
keep the debris and stuff out.
You go to grocery stores, youopen the doors at the bottom and
(23:14):
stuff.
So we make any kind of weatherstripping brush and stuff for
that.
And then we have our polishingdepartment make polishing buffs,
all different sizes and thecompounds and stuff to go with
that sizes and the compounds andstuff to go with that, do you?
Speaker 1 (23:35):
most of your products are more of a commercial use or
not, is you?
I mean, could you go buy a wirebrush that?
Yes, at menards and you'remaking that right.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
You can go to amazon and find an osborne brush.
You can go msc.
You can go to an Osborne brush.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
You can go MSC.
You can go to McMaster and findwhat's kind of like your
largest client base stuff thatyou make in Richmond, or is
there such a thing, or is itjust really spread out?
Speaker 2 (24:06):
it's really spread out.
So, um you know, we have a lotof distribution centers um like
msc and stuff, so they buy a lotof our stuff um amazon's a
customer.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
So I one of the guys I've seen when I was in it
before, is you make the, youknow, like floor scrubbers and
don't you make the pads that gounderneath those?
are part of our, our buff, yeah,yeah, so I mean, those are
those kind of a everyday thingthat people wouldn't realize.
They see people operating thatequipment and stores whatever,
(24:41):
and those are being made.
Yep, here you opened inRichmond in 2004.
Yeah, and there's been a few.
I don't know if changes, maybeit's add-ons.
We talked about it once.
So in 2004, it opened, but thenin 2012, there was.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Yeah, so in 2004, we opened our doors and it was just
the power brush department fromCleveland.
And then in 2012, we moved ourload runner division from
Cleveland.
So we moved that to Richmond,which is why I was actually
(25:25):
hired.
I was hired as a buyer for theloaddarner division because the
woman that was doing it incleveland did not want to
relocate so that was actually myintroduction to osborne, um,
and then we moved ourheadquarters so from cleveland
(25:46):
in 2014 to richmond and so weactually had to build on to our
facility to what it is now,because we brought multiple
positions our customer service,our sales, our marketing.
We moved everything fromCleveland, then we moved it to
the Richmond facility, to theRichmond facility and then in
(26:10):
2017, 18, we moved our RichmondVirginia facility of Sealeasy.
So we moved that operation intoRichmond.
So that was a big deal.
That brought, probably at thetime, 40, 50 physicians to
(26:31):
Richmond.
So shout out to Shannon, shehelped me a lot during that.
But, yeah, that was a good time, sad because we had to close
the Richmond Virginia facility.
So all those people that hadbeen part of the Sealy Z but we
(26:52):
did move them we brought allthose jobs to Richmond and we
actually have one person fromSealy Z to Richmond Virginia
relocate his family to Richmond,indiana, and he's still part of
it.
So he's got almost 30 yearswith the company as a whole.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
So so, in addition to like the manufacturing position
, so you have several managementand upper management jobs that
exist, yeah, because we yeah sowe are now, uh, north america
headquarters, americaheadquarters.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
So our CEO, our CFO, the VPs, all sit in.
Richmond.
So, um, yeah, it's, it's a goodit's.
It's.
It's kind of cool to watchbecause, like when I started in
2012, it was just this smallfacility.
There's like I think four orfive of us in the front office
(27:47):
now.
Now there's like the CEOs thereand the VPs are there and you
know we've got all thesecustomer service and marketing
and the accounting team andstuff is all there.
So it's been quite theexperience for me to watch it
grow to what it?
is now.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
And we spoke the other day.
So and uh, we spoke the otherday.
We talked about like in around,like 2021.
Osborne became a bit moreintentional and support in
community in the communityoverall not that you weren't
supportive before, but there wasmore of a intentional move yeah
, so in so as my um careerthroughout Osborne has grown um.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
In 2018, I got the opportunity to become the HR
manager for one of our sistercompanies at the time, so I
relocated to North Carolina fora sister facility and then, as
we grew, developed reorg.
(28:52):
I went from North Carolina toMichigan and then back to
Osborne and Richmond, and so Icame back at the end of 2021 and
me and the HR that was there weput in a.
We decided that we wanted tomake Osborne a destination place
(29:19):
and we made a commitment to bemore involved in the community,
because we found a lot of peopledidn't know who we were.
So we started meeting with allthese different groups, the
nonprofits and stuff, and wereally strived to put our name
out in the community.
(29:39):
We wanted people to know wewere dedicated to this area and
we did so.
We have done multiplefundraisers since being back.
So basically, for 2022 and towhere we are now, we have
donated over $11,000 to localcharities.
(30:04):
We participate in the suicideprevention walk.
We participate in the suicideprevention walk.
We did our first year in 2022,and we were the largest group
there and we donated the mostmoney.
So it was really a testament,and so we went back again last
(30:28):
year and again everybody waslooking for us because we came
with, we met, he made him likeeveryone that volunteered to
participate in a walk got ashirt I was born and stuff, and
it had um, a saying.
And the first year was tie-dye.
So if you saw one of us youknew what we were, who we were,
and we had a tent.
So we were giving away stuffbecause we wanted everybody to
(30:48):
know who Osborne was.
And so then the next year I waslooking to see what we were
going to do.
So, um, again, our team, um, ouremployees really step up Cause.
Again, this is a volunteer.
They don't get paid to do this,it's on a Saturday.
They're donating their time tobring awareness to um, a great
organization.
(31:09):
So you know we'll do it againthis October and then we do
Wayne County Special Olympics.
We always have a team, so wehave three teams, I believe went
the first year and we donated.
(31:29):
One of our teams won and wedonated that back to Special
Olympics, so they were veryhappy to see us come back.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
That's wonderful, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Yeah, you know we've donated to Girls Inc,
centerville Schools.
So just each Christmas, youknow, we take up a big donation.
So our team really steps upwhen it's necessary and donates
and gives their time.
You know we have volunteer dayat the Townsend Center, you know
(32:00):
, and our team again volunteerson their Saturday to, you know,
go contribute to the time.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
I can tell just you talking about that that's
something that you really enjoyoh, absolutely really, really
into doing that.
What, what would be, and maybeyou just shared it, but kind of
a uh and maybe an unknown partof osborne, they would be
surprised to hear about um, interms of just about the company,
(32:30):
and that they'd be pleasant,pleasantly surprised to hear
about the company.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
I don't know if I'm saying so our, our big focus is,
on top of the communityinvolvement and stuff, is our
employee engagement, which isalways a struggle and, depending
on who you ask, you know wefail or we do really well, right
, um, but we try really hard tolisten to what the employees
(32:59):
want.
Right, and you've always,you're always going to have, you
know, that group that, nomatter what you do, it's never
going to be good enough.
Right, and you're going to havethose that they just want to
come in, put in their eighthours and go home and that's
fine.
Right, we still need thoseemployees, but I don't want to
(33:20):
use like, I'm not going to sithere and say, oh, we're a family
, come, you know, because at theend of the day're still a
business, right, but whileyou're with us, we can do what
we can to make it as enjoyableas we can, right.
So, um, it's got to be thosekind of like those outside
(33:44):
things that make us different.
Right, because everybody can belike oh well, we get, you know,
10 help paid holidays.
We get two weeks vacation.
We pay for short term, right, alot of companies do that, but
it's like what makes us standout, and so our focus has been
we make a difference in thecommunity, right, we're going to
go out there.
(34:04):
So, if there's a job fair, we'regoing to be there.
If there's a job fair, we'regoing to be there.
If there's a community day, wewant to be there, you know.
If there's a, you know the 5K,we want to be there.
Read, right, we want to bethere.
Suicide Prevention Walk we'regoing to be there.
Right, we want to put Osborneout there.
So, and it's surprising eachtime and you know, sarah and I
(34:29):
will talk because it's hard it'shard being HRA you get blamed
for everything, you still dealwith your turnover and stuff,
but then you'll have that oneperson that will come to you,
like after an event, and they'llsay, well, you know, we've
never had an employee do thisand it's like, okay, so that one
person, when you touch that oneperson, made a difference right
(34:55):
, right, and makes them proud tobe part of osborne, and that's
what we need to keep going right.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Yeah, that's great.
20th year is coming up the 14thuh, what do you have going on
at the plant to commemorate it?
Speaker 2 (35:10):
So we are going to, based on feedback we got from
the employees, we are going tocelebrate the entire week.
So we are going to.
We made special T-shirts thateveryone's going to get.
We're going to bring incupcakes.
(35:30):
We're going to bring in adinner, um, one day we're going
to bring in local communitymembers, um, and kind of
celebrate.
We went and we've done allkinds of um research and stuff
on the history, so we've gotreally cool displays and stuff
to put up in, like the timeline,and we found old advertising
(35:54):
for brooms from Osborne andstuff.
So we really want Osborne to besomething that our employees
can be proud of.
That they've worked.
You know, we've continued togrow.
We've had our ups and downs,like downs, like a lot of
companies and stuff but at theend of the day, we really want
to show that we care for what wecan control.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
Right.
So, Do you feel like yourproduct line is still very
relevant in today's world?
Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
We have customers that have been with us since the
beginning.
We've have customers that havebeen with us since the beginning
.
We've got suppliers that havebeen with us since the beginning
.
We've got business partnersthat's been with us since the
beginning.
You know, and that's one of thethings that they focus on, we
want our quality to be there,because if the quality lacks,
then you're going to lose thoseright.
So the fact that we still havecustomers that continuously buy
(36:49):
from us, I mean it really shows,you know, the commitment that
Osborne has to putting the namebehind the product.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I mean, the technology may have changed.
That helps you create yourproducts, but the product that
you provide is very relevant inthe world as far as the
applications and the uses of allthe different things that your
company makes Absolutely.
(37:17):
Well, I appreciate you spendingtime with us today.
Oh, thank you, it's been greatto learn more about yourself.
And then just the great workthat's happening at Osborne and
hopefully there'll be another 20years yourself, and and then
just a great work that'shappening, uh, at osborne and uh
, hopefully, uh, we'll, there'llbe another 20 years that we can
celebrate oh, we sure hope so,so we sure hope it's uh it's uh,
(37:39):
business is hard it is, and yougot to work at it and uh, but
uh, I I think you're doing agreat job and and I love to hear
the things that you're doingwith the community and employee
engagement.
One thing I was going to ask youI kind of almost forgot about
it was when you were in NorthCarolina.
(38:00):
That's when you kind of decidedto become doctor.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Tell us about how that came about, yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
So when I was in Richmond, I had four facilities
right.
So we had Janesville, richmond,I had Sealy Z in Virginia, and
then I had our Hamilton andRichmond facilities.
And I was really trying to makea name for myself.
I wanted people to know who Iwas.
So if something needed to bedone, I was like I'll do it,
(38:29):
I'll do it, I'll do it Right.
So I was always busy and I wasworking on my master's.
So every moment of my day waslike I had a schedule right,
like I got home late and makingdinner, I had the girls, I had
my homework, and so it was justcrazy, crazy.
So then they're like, hey, wehave this opportunity, we need
(38:51):
an HR manager at our NorthCarolina facility.
And I was like, yeah, I'm inthe mountains, I'm, I'm there,
right, um, so, uh, you know, asa family discussed it, we went,
and so I went from every momentof my day.
I had something to do to gointo North Carolina and I had
(39:14):
one facility.
They had about 65, 70 peopleand I had already graduated my
master's.
So I got bored.
I didn't know what to do.
So I was like I'll go back toschool, I'm going to go get my
doctorate.
So I did, I enrolled, and so Istarted my doctorate, and then
(39:40):
2020 happened, and everybodyknows what happened in 2020.
And so I was like, oh, I canfinish, can finish this.
Well then I took theopportunity to move from North
Carolina to Michigan, to theheadquarters of my last company.
So then I went from board board2020, you know, 2020, michigan
(40:06):
headquarters for automotive, andit was nuts like I was working
six, seven days, 12 hours a daytrying to do my dissertation.
Um, so then I was like you know, rethinking my entire life
decisions, but it's like, so Istuck through it.
(40:29):
So, um, you know, when I cameback, I was like, all right, I'm
a doctorate now, so we need to,we, we need to talk about what
I'm doing when the work thatwent into getting your doctorate
is that.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
I know it's.
It's a different level, maybe,of learning and you have to do a
dissertation.
Is it kind of like doing amaster's all over again?
It's not like you don't, oh no,no, no.
I mean, just how is itdifferent from getting your
master's?
Speaker 2 (41:02):
So with your doctorate and I can't speak for
all of them, but for thedoctorate in business it was a
lot of writing.
So it wasn't like here is twochapters and I'm going to ask
you questions or whatever rightit's.
You have to research and theywant you to be a strategic
(41:23):
thinker and they want you to bea problem solver right.
You to be a problem solverright.
Um, so I would have done twomore years of classes over my
dissertation any day of the week.
Um, I, because my classes.
I was like this is okay, right,because I'm a talker, obviously,
right, I, I can, I, I can think.
(41:46):
I'm like, oh yeah, this is whatyou should do, right, and
especially because it was morebusiness and HR related, which
is what I'm passionate about,right.
So then I got to answer basedon my thoughts and what my
research and stuff.
And then I get to thedissertation part and you've got
like this 100-page researchthat you've got to, you know do
(42:06):
surveys and questions and youknow have to find a population,
and I was just like holy crap,like I mean it was intense, it
was.
It was intense up until thedissertation.
I thought I would do fivedoctorates over because my
master's was.
That was hard, um, but thatdissertation I was just like
(42:30):
this is gonna break me.
Yeah, this was going toabsolutely break me, but, um, it
didn't.
I got through it, and so now Imake everybody call me doctor
yeah, well, congratulations onthat.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
It's a great accomplishment and uh, so again,
thank you for coming.
Oh, absolutely, thanks formaking a house call.
Speaker 2 (42:51):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (42:54):
So, dr Casey Pitcher, thank you so much for coming
today.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
It's good to see you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
Michael Allen from Manpower.
We are a national brand, yetlocally owned franchise.
We are familiar with thechallenges businesses face.
It's tough recruiting andretaining qualified employees.
That's why working withManpower is a smart,
cost-effective solution.
Our entire focus is talentacquisition.
We'll manage your hiring andtraining and provide ongoing,
customized support.
Since 1966, we have been yourcommunity-invested partner,
(43:23):
uniquely positioned to helpeliminate the hassles and save
you time and money.
Let us help.
Contact Manpower today.
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