Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 October 1951 — Page 39

— THE INDIANAPOLI

OFFICE STAFF—The feminine side of M. O'Connor & Co., includes (left to right] Miss R Wehmei ™ : Harold Ath_erton, Miss Gertrude Tripp, Mrs. Mary Ann McAvoy, Mrs. Waneta el and Miss Vis Rossmery cliiigiaginss id

Automobile Is Great Help to Salesman,

“The enclosed car has been one of the greatest helps to salesmen.” says Harry A. Dietz,

iM, O'Connor & Co/'s‘oldest

salesman. Looking back -on his haif-cen-tury of service with the wholesale grocery firm, Mr. Dietz says the progress in transportation and selling has gone hand in hand. The 73-vear-old veteran recalled he began selling in 1902, visiting grocers in Indianapolis by horse and buggy. In the winter, the open conveyance was slowed by snow and ice and chilling winds numbed his body. “It's much easier tn get around now, since you're not out in .the weather,” he says. “The coming of the enclosed car was a real-boon to the 'salesman.”

Started in 1900 Mr. Dietz went to work for M. O'Connor & Co. in 1900. He served as an assistant clerk in the billing section before taking to the road as a salesman.

The most important change in the grocery business, he says, has been the shift from bulk to canned and bottled goods. In nis early days, he sold (fish, kraut and. syrup in barrels. “Canned goods changed the whole merchandising picture,” he says. “They're less trouble for the housewife, retailer and

Hoosier Poet Tea

Offers Fine Blend

M. O'Connor & Co. offers a select blend of orange pekoe tea both in quarter-pound packages and in individual tea bags. The Hoosier Poet brand is se-

lected from the various varieties |

of black tea for just the right

blend. The tea is gathered from |

Ceylon, India and Java. Tea bags are becoming more dnd more popular in the lidwest since they provide the correct serving for each cup. says William 8. O'Connor, company

i vice president,

. But occasionally he

' Veteran Employee of Company Says

wholesaler. And sanitary, too.” Throughout his years of. selling, Mr. Dietz worked with grocerz in_the Indianapolis area. traveled throughout the state when he was called on to substitute for | fellow salesmen who were ill.

Moves Into Office

Mr. Dietz retired from active | selling five years ago. He now works in the office. Although he's nearing the T4Fyvear mark, he says he intends to “keep on working just as long as I feel able.” Mr. Dietz and his wife marked their 50th wedding anniversary this year. They have six children. A native of Indianapolis, he resides at 3443 Carrollton Ave. “Selling has always been work but it's always been a very interesting business,” he says. “Something new is always coming up in the line and there are continual improvements.”

they're more

EE ee soa

| maintains its I | standards of foods by inspection fof all incoming carloads of mer- { chandise.

grocers, |

The

. Davidson and Vice Pr | William 8S. O'Connor, personally! { open and check the contents of | | canned goods before shipping

| | grocers, . :

{ beging before foods are pur- mon | chased from fruit and vegetable Jishes. | growers. Their products are { checked for grade and quality.

Inspection Process style

At the warehouse here, ship- from

ments are checked again as an added precaution so “we can

small

HARRY A. DIETZ — M. keep the quality where we want mon is also offered under the O'Connor '% Co's oldest {1 Mr. Davidson says. ; “You have to give top service salesman. i and maintain the quality of the coming into the market.

provide

STREAMLINED UNLOADING—John S. May, M. O'Connor & Co. warehouse superintendent, looks on as his crew unloads cases of corn from the conveyor belt. Helpers are (left to right) Art Phillips, Bob Mygrant and M. D. Shurtters.

Eons _ Incoming Food Shipments = 4 Get Thorough Inspection

M. O'Connor & Co. wholesale merchandise year after vear to high | keep the confidence of the consurhing public.” he adds. inspegtion

Tuna Fish, Salmon

{them out to independent retail Are Tasty Dishes M. O'Connor & Co.'s Hoosier The inspection process even Poet packed tuna fish and sal-

tasty

The tuna fish, packed on the! West Coast, is available both in solid pack light meat and chunk light meat. It

tuna,

tasty and tender. Fancy Alaska sockeye red sal-

Hoosier Poet label. This is the! season when the new pack is

process includes opening cans of peaches to check onthe count and cans | Its top officers, President Roy | of peas to determine the clear- {4 L, SRE { ness of the liquor and uniform- |% : ! esident ity of color and size. |

1 } ! } i

3 Generations Serve Company

In Top Positions

Continued .from Page 33

| ered by hospitalization insurance and receive paid vacations. All of these features have made for extremely stable employee relations. When a man

goes to work for M. O'Connor & Co. he stays. Several of the employees have | been with the firm for 40 years | or longer. | “Our greatest endeavor is to | speed our service to retailers” | says William S. O'Connor. “With | new methods of warehouse operation and speedy service, our { costs are going down. “We've been very fortunate in our good relations with our employees,” he continued. “We have had a very slow turnover. When a man comes to work here, he . sfays.”

sea food

LAST SON—W illiam L.

O'Connor was the last son of

i= packed

making it Michael O'Connor to become

president of M. O'Connor & Co. Upon .his death in 1944, Roy L. Davidson assumed the

presidency.

HATS OFF TO HOOSIER

POET

FOR 75 YEARS OF PROGRESS!

\ 3

BARTON,

CURLE & McLAREN

Insurance

INDIANA TRUST BUILDING -

INDIANAPOLIS

BALL BROTHERS

COMPANY, INC.

MUNCIE, INDIANA

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ROCKFIELD, WISCONSIN

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