Newsroom Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local employee honored for 50 years of service at same company

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Jul 27, 2009) Not many workers in today's labor force can say they are at the same company they were five years ago, let alone 25 years ago. But one local employee, Don D. Heriford, 73, actually started with his current employer the same year that Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states, Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba, and the movie Ben-Hur first premiered—and he's still employed there today.

It was 1959, and Heriford, having earned his economics degree from Central Missouri State University, was searching for the right job. The then-23-year-old went to work as an assistant manager for Pioneer Services, a financial services firm in Kansas City, Mo., figuring he'd stay as long as he enjoyed the work and the company was successful.

"When I first started, there were less than 20 employees in the whole company," Heriford said. "Today there are more than 300 in the division, and a total of 1,100 within the holding company. But it still feels like a small company. That says a lot, and is one of the reasons I've stayed here for so long."

He was promoted to vice president before his 30th birthday, and has held a variety of positions throughout the organization during his tenure, from overseeing all of the company's retail offices, to managing European sales operations. One of his biggest successes was developing and implementing the company's Internet strategy, which today accounts for more than 50 percent of the firm's business.

"It's pretty ironic, since computers weren't even around when I first started at Pioneer Services," he said. "I have to give credit to the company—they've always provided me with the training I needed and they've always been ahead of the business curve. And they've done that while keeping a terrific culture, a focus on helping customers, and treating associates the right way. It really is a unique company, and I'm honored to have worked with so many fantastic people over the years."

"Don is a testament to hard work, initiative, and the entrepreneurial spirit," said Tom Holcom, president of Pioneer Services. "No matter how the organization has changed, Don has had the vision and the ability to grow with it, leading key divisions and acting as a mentor to so many people over the years. We simply wouldn't be the company we are today without his leadership."

Heriford has lived in Independence, Mo., for more than 50 years. He and his wife, Donice, the Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church of Independence, recently celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary.

Pioneer Services will honor and celebrate Heriford's 50 years of service during a reception July 28, 2009 at the Kansas City Public Library's rooftop terrace.

For more information visit www.PioneerServices.com. For loan information, visit PioneerMilitaryLoans.com.

###

Scott Cahill
Public Relations, Pioneer Services
media@pioneerservices.com
ph: 816-448-2300
fax: 816-561-9333

All loan applications subject to our credit policies. No official US military endorsement is implied. MidCountry Bank is a member FDIC.

###

You can also visit our press kit for more information about who we are and how we serve those in uniform.

Members of the media - please visit Pioneer Services' media page.

The timing of these postings is made at the discretion of Pioneer Services. Readers should not assume that the information contained on this site has been updated or otherwise contains current information. Pioneer Services does not review past postings to determine whether they remain accurate, and information contained in such postings may have been superseded.