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 01 December 2005
Courage, devotion and professionalism
Rick Arevalo, manager of the Stuart C. Irby Co. branch in Pascagoula (Mississippi) Sonepar USA
Rick Arevalo puts the old saying “Coming together is a start, staying together is progress, working together is a success” into practice.
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Customer service above all
He strongly believes in teamwork. “That’s a recurring theme that perfectly sums up Rick’s attitude,” says Mike Leech, Irby vice-president in charge of manufacturer relations. When Hurricane Katrina* hit the Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana coasts on 29 August 2005, Rick displayed exemplary loyalty and devotion to Irby and its customers. Though a hurricane victim himself, he tirelessly continued serving his customers in one of the hardest-hit areas along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Rick is a firm believer in customer service, a conviction he shares with his co-workers.
Overcoming hardship
Tommy Davis, an employee at Irby’s Tupelo agency (Mississippi), worked with Rick and his 12-member team in Pascagoula. “We went through a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Irby in Pascagoula a few weeks ago,” he says. “I have the utmost respect for this team, which worked round the clock to overcome the hardship that hit us. If I had lost my home and everything I owned, I don’t’ think my attitude would have been the same. Rick, his family and his co-workers at the branch showed us the way. I enjoyed the chance to work with them and meet the branch’s customers. I’m very proud of Rick and the way Mississippi came together and stuck together in those tough times.”
A man with heart
Rick has a big heart and a good sense of humour. He puts a lot into his family, company and community and belongs to several local organisations, including the Kiwanis Club**.
The father of four, Rick has worked for Stuart C. Irby Co. for around 14 years. He started his career in the warehouse and moved his way up to operations manager at the Pascagoula branch.
* According to Federal sources, Hurricane Katrina devastated 233,000 km² in the United States, an area almost as big as the United Kingdom. Five million people were affected.
** Founded in 1915, Kiwanis International is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organisation, which has over 500,000 members in nearly 90 countries, helps children and young adults worldwide.
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