Miller was founded with the core belief that our business should improve lives. One way we do that is by consistently creating meaningful jobs. We started with three employees in 1963 and now have more than 400 people on our team.

Each employee is key to our longevity in this business. While long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with customers, vendors and our local community are deeply important to us, we wouldn’t be here without our valued employees. They fuel our success.

We’re fortunate that many of them have had extended tenures with the company. Even among that group, Pam Elkin stands out.

In this first installment of a series of posts about longtime employees, we sat down with our treasured accounting specialist and Sandy Lick office manager to talk about her 45-year career at Miller. Here’s what Pam – a self-described “Miller lifer” – told us:

Q: When did you join the company?

A. I joined Miller on January 2, 1980, as secretary to Mr. and Mrs. Miller (company founders David and Sara). We had about 100 employees when I came on board. Things have changed a lot since then!

Q: How did you end up taking a position at Miller?

A. I had just graduated from high school and was working as a waitress. I heard from a friend that the Millers needed a secretary, so I applied. That same week, one of the county commissioners told my dad, who was a friend of his, that he also was looking for a secretary. It turns out they both offered me a job, and I was torn between the two.

Recognizing that commissioners have four-year terms and that reelection is never guaranteed, my dad persuaded me to avoid the uncertainty of working for the commissioner. He also knew and admired Mr. Miller, so I took the job at Miller and never looked back. In fact, I came to view Mr. and Mrs. Miller as my second family. I grew up here (in Brookville, Pennsylvania, Miller Fabrication Solutions’ headquarters), so this place and the Millers mean a lot to me.

Q: What changes have you seen in your job over the years?

A. I’ve seen big changes. At first, we did everything by hand, on paper. All accounting was done manually. Later came computers with big hard drives and floppy disks. Now, of course, we use even more advanced technology. Nothing is done on paper anymore. We use Excel and manufacturing software. Everything is automated and computer generated. The computer significantly improved my job. The company has always been good about keeping up with the best new ways to get things done.

Q: What has kept you at Miller for so long?

A. First of all, Mr. and Mrs. Miller were just the greatest people to work for. They were very encouraging when I first started. I was so young, and parts of the job, like answering four phone lines all day long, kind of overwhelmed me at the beginning. But they believed in me.

The company is just a great place to work. They’re accommodating if you need time off for personal reasons, and they provide good benefits like a 401K, excellent health benefits and profit sharing. I also get to learn new things because of my job, which means I don’t become stale.

Q: What are some of your favorite memories from your time working at Miller?

A. Mr. and Mrs. Miller’s kids – Davey, Jeff and Pam – and I used to all go into Mrs. Miller’s office every day and have lunch. We had the most interesting conversations. Those lunches were fun.

We also used to do the March of Dimes Walk America fundraiser every year, and I was in charge of that. I have good memories of those walks with the Miller family and all the employees who participated.

Q: What would you tell people about what it’s like to work at Miller?

A. I don’t have any regrets. I’ve gone from teenager to grandmother at this company. In a 45-year career, there have been hard times and good times, like anything in life. Working for the Miller family has been very rewarding over the years. They have always treated me well and have helped my husband (who also works at Miller) and me create a good life. I’m not a college graduate, nor is my husband. As a family, if we hadn’t worked at Miller, we might not have been able to pay off our home as quickly as we did, take vacations and pay for our daughter’s college education.

The Millers are like family to me, and I admire the family a great deal. I feel lucky to call them both friends and employer.