Employee Highlight: John Lutz, MotorWorld
from left to right: MileOne CEO Steve Fader, MotorWorld employee John Lutz, MileOne COO Scott Fader, MotorWorld Division President Rick Osick
John Lutz, Parts Inventory Associate at MotorWorld, celebrated his 62nd anniversary with the company this year! We sat down with John to talk about how life has changed at MotorWorld in the past six decades.
MileOne: What company originally hired you?
John: David Eartly Incorporated. It was a standalone Oldsmobile dealership.
MileOne: What was it like when MileOne acquired MotorWorld?
John: I wasn’t concerned. In fact I didn’t think about it. I just came in and did my work. Everything was progressing like normal.
MileOne: How many positions have you held?
John: My first position was what they called a “gofer.” I drove the service vehicle and when they needed parts I went to pick them up. Shortly after that, they needed someone in the parts department and I was asked to fill that role. I don’t know how long that was. Then, I was Charlie Acorn’s assistant. When he retired I took over as the Parts Manager for Oldsmobile. After that, we started to expand when Ron Eartly took over. Every store had its own parts manager. When they consolidated to come up to MotorWorld’s current location, they only had one Parts Manager for all the stores. I didn’t get that position and as time went by I said thank God because I couldn’t have handled it. I’ve been in the parts department ever since - 62 years and counting!
MileOne: What job did you have where you only worked for 2 days?
John: A used car dealer. Actually, it wasn’t 2 days. It was a day and a half.
MileOne: What has been your most memorable moment at work?
John: Wow, how do I choose just one over 62 years? Just the other day when we had the recognition lunch - that was certainly memorable. Another would have to be during the flood of ’72. With all of the mess that we had to clean up, the first thing that Mr Eartley, did was come down and he says, “does the Coke machine work?” We said we don’t know and he immediately told us to clean it up and see if it still works. We got the steamer going and got it all cleaned up. Low and behold it worked. An hour later he was coming in with beer. He says now if the machine works you put this in there, but you don’t touch it until the work is done. And we worked our butts off. The flooding was 15 feet deep in some areas, but nobody touched the beer until the work was done.
MileOne: How did you feel when you received your gift from Steve, Scott and Rick at the Milestone luncheon that included an 11-day cruise in the Caribbean on Anthem of the Seas with your wife?
John: I almost didn’t know what to say, when he told me it was an 11 day cruise. My wife and I love cruises. Everyone else had to come up to the stage. Mr. Fader was nice to come down physically and present me with the gift. I think he’s a classy person.
MileOne: Are you excited for your trip?
John: Oh God yea! My wife told me I have to buy new shorts. She is so excited. We’ve been telling everyone about it.
Congratulations on 62 years John. We hope you have an absolute blast on your cruise!
Bon voyage!!