To those of a certain age, 1988 isn't so long ago. There was a lot going on - the Calgary Winter Olympics, Anthony Kennedy's Supreme Court appointment, the release of the hot new Windows 2.1 by Microsoft.

It was also when we hired one of our best people, technician Bob Blickley. Bob celebrated his 24th employment anniversary lately, and we gave a little thought to what it means when a company has a good record of employee retention.

In the first place, it probably means they're hiring wisely, choosing people who are smart and steady. It also suggests that the company is treating those people well: compensating them fairly, looking after their health and family needs, honoring their intelligence and ability, and making sure that a decent and safe workplace is maintained.

ABE Doors and Windows is proud of a strong history of finding and keeping excellent employees. We did some calculating, and found that the average tenure here is 15 years. Eleven employees have been here longer than that. In today's workplace, longevity like that is rare. We think it shows that we look out for our workers and treat them with the respect they deserve.

Our thanks and congratulations to Bob - we value his skill and dedication and are grateful for his loyalty. As someone who started with us fairly young, he could remain part of the ABE family for many years to come. We certainly hope so.