After decades of sharp wit, dry humor, and the rare ability to tell someone they’re wrong without making them feel like it, Walter Taylor is finally punching out for good.
What is the most useful skill you picked up on the job that you never expected to need?
The ability to correct people without hurting their feelings.
What is something that was completely normal when you started that would seem bizarre to someone entering the workforce today?
Paper Timecards, and if you didn’t submit your paper timecard, you did NOT get paid whether hourly or salaried.
If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice on your first day, what would it be?
To make sure my wife does not lock the door from the garage to the kitchen when she leaves. At that time, she would leave work an hour before I did. I put the baby in the car, but realized I forgot my keys and had to climb back into the house through the bathroom window.
What is the most creative excuse for being late you ever witnessed?
It’s mine! I split my pants getting in the truck one morning. I called and said I would be late because I had to go change my clothes.
What is the first thing on your retirement to-do list?
SLEEP IN
What hobby are you finally going to have time for?
I am going to learn how to swim.
Where is the first place you are going and who is coming with you?
The first place I would go would be New York with my wife.
What is your retirement theme song?
Walter Taylor leaves behind more than a legacy of getting everyone paid on time, having spent his career speaking straight and making people feel genuinely appreciated and like they mattered. If you want to stay in touch, no timecard needed. Send him a note at walterc23@verizon.net.
Rosie Lewis is the Corporate Marketing Manager at The Lewis Group of Companies. A Claremont native who enjoys hiking, yoga, and developing her green thumb, Rosie also appreciates quality alone time.