Longest-Serving AFS Team Member Retires
After 62 years of service, Bruce Keysor, Associated Food Stores’ (AFS) longest-serving team member, is retiring on January 21 from AFS. Bruce started his journey with Associated Food Stores at age 11. He began sweeping floors, burning cardboard and sorting bottles for Save-A-Nickel Market for $10 a week. When Bruce first started, the entire frozen department fit in a 12-inch-long case and consisted of only three products – TV dinners, pot pies and orange juice.
In 1947, Save-A-Nickel Market became Macey’s and Bruce continued to work there. He planned every schematic for every Macey’s store before the brand was purchased by AFS.
Since his role as “bottle boy” 62 years ago, Bruce has worked in every department in a store, apart from pharmacy, including – store director, grocery supervisor of multiple stores and a member of the board of directors over Macey’s.
Bruce currently works on the Retail Pricing team as a Sr. Pricing Specialist and shared a few words that he has always lived by, “The stores are our customers. I will make every effort to resolve any and all issues before they hit the stores, therefore creating less confusion and questions from them. Without the stores being successful, we are not here. One of my favorite sayings is ‘I would much rather prevent forest fires rather than having to solve them.’ Another creed that I have always lived by is, ‘If there is something to be resolved, let’s get it done as quickly as possible.’ And lastly, I care about the people that I work with, I always say it is a TEAM effort here at AFS and that’s why we are successful.”
Josh Smith, Bruce’s supervisor, said “It is rare to find someone with 62 years of experience at one company. And it is even rarer to find someone with as much dedication as Bruce has demonstrated. We are going to miss him on the team, but we’re excited for this next step in his life and know that his influence on the company will never be forgotten.”
“We are incredibly proud of Bruce and are grateful for the decades of dedication he provided to the retail members of AFS and his fellow team members,” said Bob Obray, president and CEO of AFS. “His longevity not only speaks to his personal dependability, but also speaks volumes about the growth opportunities available for team members who follow Bruce’s example of hard work and commitment.”
Please send a nice note of congratulations or share a memory with Bruce, by emailing him at bckeysor@afstores.com