AFTER 47 years working at Gason in Ararat, Neil Harvey is retiring.
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Mr Harvey joined the agriculture, wood heating and industrial services company on January 22, 1971.
He joined the company as a sheet metal fabrication apprentice, more commonly known as a welder.
“After finishing my apprenticeship I moved from one area to another at the company,” he said.
Mr Harvey said that was company protocol at the time.
“I got into research and development,” he said.
Gasons started to supply retro-fitted cabins for major tractor manufacturers and importers including Massey Ferguson, John Deere and Ford in the early 1960s to the early 1980s.
“Then I was designing and making cabins and worked my way up to be a supervisor,” Mr Harvey said.
“It was satisfying work – it’s why I stayed in the company for so long.”
He said he was proud to have worked with many people during his time at the company.
“I always tried to treat people fairly and in return I’ve been treated fairly,” he said.
“That’s how I operate.
“I liked helping the younger blokes because I was them once.
“I found, in my role as quality assurance, if I talked to them and showed them how to fix their mistakes they were a lot more likely to come to me and tell me about their mistakes.”
Mr Harvey said the low light of his time at Gason was during the recession in the 1980s and the highlight was working with the people.
For his last day at work on Thursday, the company played his favourite song, Eagle Rock.
Mr Harvey’s co-worker Craig Lennie said Mr Harvey was constantly singing and whistling while he worked.
“Neil’s the perfect ice breaker. He knows when to tell a joke,” Mr Lennie said.
“Neil’s first wage was 44 cents an hour, so on his first week he was meant to take home $18 for the week.
“But he worked $4 worth of overtime, so he was then meant to get $22.
“When he got his pay at the end of the week, there was $42 in the envelope. His conscience got the better of him, so he returned the extra $20 to the company.”
For Mr Harvey’s farewell, the company gave the $20 back to him, as well as gifting him a Western Bulldogs football jumper.
Mr Harvey said he planned to fish, camp and “do what he wants, when he wants” during his retirement.
Countless people came up to Mr Harvey on his final day to wish him all the best.
“You don’t realise the impact you’ve had on people sometimes,” he said.