It was an office parakeet named “Crafco” that first convinced Jan Fager to join the company back in 1983 during her job interview here. “I thought that any company with such a charming touch would be a great place to work,” she says, adding that past president Don Brooks offered her the job that same day. Jan has been with us ever since, holding jobs of Inventory Clerk, Purchasing Assistant, Buyer, Purchasing Agent, Purchasing Manager, Materials Manager, and now Director of Supply Chain. She’s planning for her well-earned retirement at the end of this year, so we want to offer a heartfelt thank-you to Jan and relive some of her favorite memories.
Jan says the office staff was small in the early days of Crafco, “but we worked hard and enjoyed a sociable atmosphere.” They would often play Scrabble, dominoes or rummy together during lunch.
“As we began to grow the business, adding the new sealant plants at Halls and Allentown, we faced more challenges,” she says, “but it was still fun and exciting to be a part of a company that was growing and gave us all the opportunity to grow with it.”
Jan says the industry was still relatively new in those days, and “crack sealing was seen as something that would go away – not worth time for engineers.” She says many of Crafco’s original team “were instrumental in moving not only Crafco forward but the entire industry.”
“I think the industry has shown that we do a great service to our communities by helping to preserve our roads at a reasonable price,” Jan says. “Crafco still leads the way in so many things – pushing everyone in the industry to be more open and better at helping to set standards. I hope that will continue to be the case.”
Jan says she has had many mentors over the years, learning about manufacturing, chemistry, accounting and business.
“The wonderful thing about working at Crafco over the years has been the willingness of people to share knowledge,” she says. “Tom Riherd, Jim Chehovits and Don Brooks were all incredible mentors. More recently, Bob Stabler and Gail Gautier have been fantastic at sharing their knowledge.”
With so many memories over the years, it’s impossible for Jan to pick a favorite.
“The excitement when we made a new purchase or introduced a new product, traveling with my peers to some really great locations and just working with amazingly talented people will all stay with me.”
What does Jan have planned for retirement?
“There are so many things I’m looking forward to: traveling both within the States and to Scotland and Wales, spending more time with friends and family, finally reading all the books in my to-be-read pile, and enjoying the luxury of sleeping in – no more 3:30 am alarms!”
Thank you, Jan, for your incredible contributions over the years. We will miss you!
