banner_inner

A P&J Legend Takes a Final Bow

A P&J Legend Takes a Final BowConnie Nichols

This year we say goodbye to one of the driving forces behind P&J. After 48 years, Connie Nichols, our corporate secretary, is taking her well-deserved retirement! Connie started with P&J as the receptionist in the Robbinsville office at nineteen, and through her dedication and willingness to do it all, she’s helped P&J move through multiple phases. There are few people who have seen as much of P&J as Connie has, and those who’ve worked with her over the years will certainly miss one of our biggest characters!

 

A word from Avis:

I've known Connie her whole life and watched her grow up in Robbinsville. She was always a bright light, with a very curious mind, so when Ted came home from work one night needing a new secretary to help out, I told him to reach out to Connie. At the time, Connie was nineteen and just finishing up an internship at a bank. When she came to work for P&J, her desire to work was obvious, and she quickly became a go-to for Ted.

One of my favorite memories about Connie's earlier time with P&J was after we moved operations to Knoxville, but we still had the corporate office in Robbinsville. Connie asked for a memory typewriter, but our CFO at the time denied the request, so I bought it for her myself. Two years later, when personal computers came out, I told that same CFO either the company could buy the computer, or I would--P&J bought the computer.

When Ted and I were back in Robbinsville, we stopped by the office around nine o'clock at night, and there were lights still on. We found Connie with all of the computer manuals spread out on the floor, teaching herself how to use the new machine! It's that kind of dedication and quick learning that have made Connie invaluable both to P&J and all of the Phillips family's endeavors over the years.