TWO RIVERS (NBC26) — Formrite Companies in Two Rivers has a lot of long-tenured employees. In fact, right now they have some employees that have been there for 30 years and even one employee who has spent 47 years at the factory. But no one comes close to Don Siebold.
"I started in 1963 when most of the people in this factory weren't born yet," Siebold says. "I started with making $1.38 an hour back then. Gas was 22 cents a gallon, sure is different nowadays."
Formrite, where Don has spent 60 years, produces and forms hydraulic tubes. After holding multiple positions in the beginning, Don spent over 30 years as the plant manager.
"I was kind of leery at the time, did I really want to take this position?" questioned Siebold. "My wife said, 'give it a try', so I went ahead and gave it a try. It all worked good for me."
Don has seen many changes at the company. He has watched new machines and procedures come through, he's even experienced the company move buildings. His boss, president, and owner Dave Wage, can only rave about his employee.
"He's a mentor, he's a father figure just naturally," Wage says. "He's a father figure to me and I know a father figure to a lot of people out there. We always call him Grandpa Don or Daddy Don."
Don's daughter is the company's CFO and his grandson is now working at the summer part-time, equalling three generations of Don's family at Formrite.
"It's kind of heartwarming, you know?" Siebold says. "I am very proud of my daughter, my grandson."
No matter who you ask, Don means so much to the company.
"Don's just a super good person but he's always driving, he's always looking for better ways to do things," says Wage. "I would say the word love comes up a lot, he's just loved here."
While Don went part-time a few years ago, he still has no plans to retire.
"I guess they're all good memories," Don says. "About all I can say is life goes by fast, I can't believe I've been here 60 years. I'm still going to hang on for a while, but things have been good here."
