Online Stores Blog

Bertram “Bert” Bibel, of Production, gets the title of Employee of the Month, and the great parking spot for April. Just in January of this year, Bert got started at Online Stores after having a great interview with Mike and Brian. At the time, she was hired as the Lead Production Agent.

As the lead, Bert oversees all of the stick flag production in “The Cage”. In Production, AKA “The Cage”, our stick flags are stapled, and tips are added. The wall-mount poles are assembled (ball finials are added and mounting clips), and the indoor flag kits are assembled. Our production agents produce a minimum of 5,000 stick flags per day. Bert makes sure that everyone meets their quotas, gets their jobs done, and gets the orders out the door in time. Production has just recently completed a 2 million flag order for Target.

Prior to starting here with us at OLS, Bert worked at places like UPS, Sony, and Dick’s. She believes that a good employee should do their best at all times, and should not miss work.

37 years ago, Bert married her husband John. Together they have 5 children and 8 grandchildren. In her free time, Bert spends a lot of time with her children and grandchildren. She also enjoys shopping, and camping in the summertime. Bert acknowledges that she works “with and for some very nice people”. She hopes to travel with John in the future, but notes that at her age, she lives each day to its fullest.

Thanks for your dedication, Bert!

In the same month as her three year anniversary with Online Stores, Accounting’s Linda Bejger is announced as Employee of the Month! As an Accounting Clerk, Linda’s job duties include processing purchase orders for the Flag Store, applying payments to the customers’ accounts, processing charge-backs for all of the stores, making collection calls, completing credit applications, and helping with accounts payable when she’s needed.

Prior to coming to Online Stores, Linda worked at Burlington Coat Factory in Greensburg in the shipping and receiving department for 4 years. She also worked for Robertshaw Controls right in this very building for 7 years.

In 2006, Linda saw an opening for an Accounting Clerk on the Careerlink website. At first, she was hesitant to apply thinking she didn’t have a chance at getting an interview, but decided to give it a shot. After three years of employment here at OLS, Linda offers this advice for new employees: “Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges, be a team player and do the best you can.”

A graduate of Hempfield High School, Linda and her husband Jerry were married 21 years ago in Las Vegas, NV. Together, they have a 19 year old son named Caz. In her free time, Linda enjoys music and dancing, taking walks, biking, and making candy. In the future, she hopes to open her own candy business with her sisters.

Thanks for all your hard work, Linda!

Our Employee of the month for February is Logistical Specialist, Tony Fetter. Tony started working at Online Stores in November of 2007 as a temporary employee through Carol Harris Staffing. In the early months, Tony stapled flags, but soon took on all the tasks that were offered to him.

As a Logistical Specialist, he is currently involved in all inbound and outbound product movement. Prior to beginning his employment at Online Stores, Tony was in the army for 4 years after graduating from Hempfield High School in 1992; he also studied Masonry at Vo-Tech.

Tony loves animals, although he currently does not have any pets. In his free time, he likes to jog, play video games, and rebuild computers. In the past, he was referred to as “Flash” – as he used to be the fastest in Westmoreland City!

In the future, Tony hopes to have a successful career in internet security. He is currently studying for an A+ Certification test for computer repair. When asked if he had any advice for future employees of OLS, Tony simply stated “be glad you have a job, and do what you gotta do.” In closing, Tony released a little excitement from last night’s game—”Go Steelers!! Champions!!!”

Thanks for all your hard work, Tony!

For the month of J anuary, Online Stores congratulated two employees of the month: brothers Nick and Greg Klosky.

Nick Klosky started working at Online Stores through Adecco in November of 2007. Hired on as a full time employee in April of 2008, Nick worked in the stapling area of production, and as a packer before moving on to his current position in shipping. He feels that if you keep working hard and are a good worker, you will get noticed.

As a member of the shipping team, Nick’s job duties include making sure that the packages go out, loading the UPS truck, and ensuring that the address labels and shipping system show matching addresses. Before beginning his employment here at OLS, Nick graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 2002, and worked for a couple of years in carpentry.

Outside of work, Nick spends his free time with his fiancée Ashley, and five cats: Jeffy, Cali, Peanut, Chubbs, and Sheeba. He enjoys golfing, fishing, swimming, playing video games, and occasionally going out. In the future, Nick hopes to take online schooling and get involved in the business of golf course design. In closing, he states: “It’s been a great year here at Online Stores and I hope that follows through in the years to come.”

Thanks for your dedication, Nick!

Our other January employee of the month is Greg Klosky, who joined the Online Stores team in February of 2008. Originally employed by Adecco, Greg started as part of the production team who worked on the Target order. He has since been hired on through the company, and has been promoted to Shipper / Packer. He primarily works in shipping in the Tea Store. As a Shipper / Packer, Greg’s job duties include checking the address on every package to make sure that it comes up correctly when scanned. Then, the packages must be stacked on a pallet and wrapped to be shipped.

Prior to beginning his employment here at OLS, Greg graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 2001, and worked in paving. With six-year-old Gregory M. Klosky at home, and a dog named Cocoa, Greg’s free time is also occupied by his favorite hobbies, which include fishing, camping, and sports. Greg feels that if you “work hard at what you do anything is possible”. In the future, he plans to keep doing the best that he can.

Thanks for your hard work, Greg!

Tara Hutchings is December’s Employee of the Month. Tara started working at OLS in Customer Service in the fall of 2006 through Carol Harris Staffing. Since then, she has worked in tea wholesale sales, as a gift store assistant, a merchandising specialist, and is currently the Tea Store Specialist. She also works in the warehouse when she can.

Her future here at OLS is full of opportunities. Currently, Tara’s job duties mostly include adding new products to the websites, new product research, website organization, copywriting, and fixing website discrepancies. Before starting at OLS, Tara graduated from Hempfield High School in ‘02, and Carlow University in ‘06 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and a minor in Creative Writing. She also worked at Ames in Greensburg until they went out of business, and the Dairy Queen in Youngwood for 6 years as a manager.

In her “barely-existent” free time, Tara likes to read, write, cook, and spend time with her family. She also enjoys a good game of Guitar Hero or Texas Hold ‘Em, and she loves music. Tara is getting married in August of next year to her boyfriend, Rob. When asked if children were in her future she stated “I have 3, they have fur, ears, and tails. Lily, Maceo, and Darla! … we will probably never have human kids; both of us go back and forth about it too much.”

Along with her “riff raff tabby cats”, Tara also recently took in a renegade Anole lizard, “who lacks survival instincts”. When asked about her goals for the future, Tara states “I plan to figure out how people do it, and start doing it. There’s too much I want to see and do before I get real old and just can’t do it. I want to see everything.”

Enjoy your parking space, Tara—and thanks for your dedication!