Paint Center employee blends laughter, excellence into his work

DOING BUSINESS RIGHT

ROCKWALL, TX (May 12, 2014)  “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven played music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of Heaven and Earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” These are the words of Martin Luther King Jr. – words of encouragement and excellence. Alonzo Reese embraces and lives these words.

A successful manager in the printing industry, Alonzo retired after 43 rewarding years. He enjoyed every day working with clients, even when challenged with the occasional disgruntled individual. Satisfying an unhappy client is actually one of his gifts. Co-workers recognized this and often enlisted Alonzo to assist them when problems arose.

Alonzo also knew that retiring from his job did not mean retiring from interacting with the public. He feels his purpose in life is to make others happy. He believes that all people are the same no matter what their background and that everyone wants to be treated with respect, feel comfortable and have fun. So in order to continue doing what he enjoys most in life, he made the decision to work part time at Lowes in Rockwall. Because of his printing background and knowledge of color he fit in perfectly in the paint center. From behind the paint counter, located front and center on the main isle, he greets passing customers. He is ever ready to create the color of your choice, match an existing color, advise you on a color scheme and help you choose the right tools for the job or just make you laugh.

Growing up on a farm in Birmingham, Alabama in a home with 11 sisters and five brothers, he had no choice but to get along with all personality types and learned to be patient and respectful of others. His mother taught them to love and appreciate each other. His father served in WWII and was a proud and respected man. Alonzo admired his father’s vision and intelligence. Even though his father had a limited education he was the smartest man he ever knew. He vowed that each of his children would be college educated. When Alonzo graduated high school at 17 he intended to join the Air Force, but his father and his older brother persuaded him to try college first. Alonzo enrolled in Miles College in Birmingham and there met a beautiful girl, Alberta. He graduated with a degree in business administration in 1971. He and Alberta have been married 45 years. They have two children, Athena and Alton and three grandchildren.

When asked how he would describe himself, Alonzo has only one word – blessed.  He has been blessed with the perfect life companion a wonderful family and the opportunity to bring laughter and joy to many people.

This article is part of a new series by Blue Ribbon News special contributor Rhonda Wright of Rockwall, who shines the spotlight on local employees who go the extra mile.

If you know a hard-working individual who deserves recognition for exceptional customer service or a job well done, nominate them by emailing editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.

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