45 years at General Cable: Tom Lively, Du Quoin plant's longest tenured employee, works alongside 190 others to help power the world
Less than two years after the 1966 opening of Du Quoin's beautiful new Phelps Dodge cable manufacturing center along Rt. 51 south of Du Quoin Delmar Reidelberger took stock in a young man who until then called Ray's Grocery on East Park Street home.
A grateful Tom Lively, formerly of Du Quoin and now of Goreville, has never forgotten his first day of work on October 18, 1968 as a cable insulating helper at $1.73 an hour.
In October he was honored for 45 years of service and is now the longest tenured employee at the plant. He has been insulating equipment operator, cable jacketing operator and currently works in the die shop.
He works alongside 190 employees at General Cable to help power our world. They did it after 9-11 in New York City, after Hurricane Katrina along the gulf and during countless natural disasters and huge capital and infrastructure projects that keep America's power grid intact.
"This has been a great place to work," says Lively, who shares a great longevity at General Cable in Du Quoin.
In fact, there are four employees with over 40 years of service; 34 with over 30 years of service; 24 with over 25 years of service and seven with over 20 years of service. A full 36 percent of the work force has 20 or more years of tenure in the facility.
It is a small city, unassuming and appreciative of the people who make it great. Employees are regularly recognized for adding another five years of service at General Cable. Employees ask the community for no recognition while giving their time and money to charitable causes all over Southern Illinois. Many volunteered to help during Harrisburg's devastating tornado two years ago. Others are regular blood donors. Many work in their churches.
Kids at Christmas are important in their hearts.
Lively's commitment extends to his 34 years of marriage to wife Sandra and to their two daughters Shada Lively and Melissa Ford of Du Quoin and stepson Shane Clark of Goreville.
Whether manufacturing high performance cable for plant inventory that will be shipped all over the world at some point or in the instances of emergency orders after events like 9-11 or natural disasters General Cable of Du Quoin has risen to the occasion with a no-loss safety record among all of the employees this past year.
And during those emergencies the American Flag flies over the extrusion, insulating, testing and reeling operations in testament to their commitment.