Belleville business celebrates an employee’s 65th anniversary. She’s ‘shootin’ for 70’
Empire Comfort Systems recently celebrated longtime employee Carol Burtz, who has been with the Belleville business for more than two thirds of its 92-year history.
To be specific, Burtz has worked at Empire for 65 years. Company President Nick Bauer marked the occasion with a seven-day celebration they called “Carol Week.”
The company’s president, Nick Bauer, said the company marked the occasion with Carol Week.
No fan of being at the center of attention, Burtz said she was glad when Carol Week ended.
“I could get back to work,” she said.
But the events were geared around Burtz’s favorite things. The seven-day celebration included:
Monday: Walk with Carol. Many employees joined Burtz, who walks regularly, for a jaunt from the company’s location at 918 Freeburg Ave. to Papa Vito’s and back, a length of about a mile round trip.
Tuesday: Lunch with Carol. Employees and retirees were invited.
Wednesday: Wear Orange for Carol. Orange is Burtz’s favorite color.
Thursday: Yoga with Carol. Burtz does yoga four times a week.
Friday: Empire made a donation of $650 to the Belleville Area Humane Society, an organization that Burtz supports. She said $65 was too little and $6,500 a bit much for the company to give in honor of her 65th anniversary.
A first job she never left
Burtz started working at Empire at the age of 17 and described herself as a “skittish, scared kid,” who never had a job before and couldn’t drive.
“I had graduated from high school (Belleville Township) in June and I wanted to go to college, but I came from a poor family and there wasn’t any money,” she told the BND in 2009, when she celebrated her 50th year with the company.
She lived with her maternal grandparents at the time. In late August 1959, her grandfather told her she needed to get a job and she found the Empire Stove Company through an employment agency. Burtz reported for her first day on Sept. 9, 1959.
The “poor little kid from South First Street” started out typing repair invoices on a typewriter with carbon paper to make copies. From there she typed checks.
When Empire needed a new secretary, one was hired. She lasted about two weeks, according to Burtz. Then a second one was hired, lasting two weeks, maybe less.
Burtz said she was then pulled away from the business office and starting her time in the sales office, where she learned to use a dictaphone and shorthand, answering phones and completing other tasks.
She was chosen by Empire’s Anna Platzkoester, who was “a legend” and a “big personality in a man’s world,” said Bauer.
He referred to her as “Miss Anna” and still hears stories about her.
“Miss Anna ran a tight ship,” said Burtz. “The girls in the office weren’t even allowed to wear slacks. We all had to wear skirts.”
Platzkoester took Burtz under her wing. They clashed on occasion, Burtz said, adding that she was a strong-willed kid.
For a while, she worked as customer service manager. Today, Burtz still works in customer service, answering phones and helping when and where she can.
Burtz remains a valued employee of the company, Bauer said. In fact, when she reached her 50-year milestone, the company surprised her by naming a product line after her.
The Carol Rose Coastal Collection, a line of outdoor fireplaces, was introduced in a meeting with around 60 people in attendance, said Bauer.
It took a moment for Burtz to notice. She was doing her job and taking notes at the meeting. Bauer said that when she looked up, everyone was looking at her.
She thought it was a joke and said she was humbled by it all.
At 82 years old, Burtz continues to work full-time and has no plans to retire. In fact, she said she’s “shootin’ for 70” years.
“It’s been an adventure … continues to be an adventure,” said Burtz. “I love it. I love the people. I love the company.”
About Empire Comfort Systems
The Empire Stove Company was formally established on Aug. 26, 1932 by Edward Kaufman and Henry Bauer and was located at 2333 W. Main St. in Belleville.
The business moved to Freeburg Avenue after Kaufman acquired the Baker-Nagle Company site in 1937.
Over the years, as Empire Stove Company introduced new product lines, the company rebranded itself. The company became Empire Comfort Systems in August 1985.
Empire Comfort Systems is located at 918 Freeburg Ave., Belleville. For more info about Empire Comfort Systems, visit empirecomfort.com.
