Published: December 01, 2007 12:01 am      

Pepsi employee recognized for outstanding service

Arnold Hewitt started working at the Tulip Bottling Co. in Johnstown’s Cambria City neighborhood at age 17 in search of money to buy a car or go to college.

He got the car, but college never worked out. Instead, 48 years later, he’s still working in the soft drink bottling business as a bulk delivery driver for Pepsi Bottling Group in Richland Township.

“It just didn’t develop that way,” said Hewitt, a resident of Johnstown’s Moxham neighborhood. “My parents were able to put my brother through college but they couldn’t do the same for me.

“So I just sort of stuck it out.”

Hewitt said several times he reconsidered his career and perhaps even going to college. At one point, he even spent a few weeks taking courses to become an insurance agent.

Through it all, Hewitt said he found his best option was to stay put.

“I think it worked out pretty well,” Hewitt said. “We made a decent living out of it.”

Hewitt also got a pretty nice vacation for his trouble.

In September, Hewitt was whisked away to Orlando, Fla., by Pepsi in order to honor his years of service. He was among 13 Pepsi employees out of more than 70,000 in North America being honored for outstanding service to the company.

“People like Arnie are what have made our company so successful over the years,” said Rob King, Pepsi Bottling Group’s North America president. “By devoting nearly five decades of his life to our company, he has shown a level of pride and excellence in his work that is truly extraordinary.”

Hewitt and the other employees were recognized during the company’s annual operating plan meeting. The all-expenses-paid trip included deluxe hotel accommodations, a trip to Walt Disney World as well as a day at the Kennedy Space Center.

“We were never expecting it,” Hewitt said. “When they called me into the office to tell me about it I was wondering, ‘What did I do now?’

“They treated us very well on that trip. Everything was first class.”

While the trip was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he said it isn’t the only aspect of his career that he has enjoyed. He said what has been most enjoyable about his job has been the people on his routes that he would meet and develop relationships with over the years.

“The best part is meeting the people,” Hewitt said. “Every one of them is different. And if you treat them with courtesy, they will treat you like you’re a part of their family.”

Hewitt, 65, isn’t sure when he will retire, but he plans to make it to his 50th anniversary with the company in January 2009.

But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t given some thought to his post-retirement plans.

Spending more time with his three children, Kristy Capizzi, 32, of Nokesville, Va., and Kevin, 29, and Kenny, 23, both of Johnstown, and three grandchildren is at the top of Hewitt’s retirement list.

He added that golfing, stamp collecting, gardening and maintaining the 10 rental units he owns will be plenty to keep him busy.

“I’m not just going to be a couch potato,” Hewitt said. “The only time I watch TV is when the Steelers are playing.”