I started working at Medford Wellington when I was 14 years old. It was the summer of 1980 and I was a freshman in high school. Mr. and Mrs. John Annarelli Sr. were my neighbors, and my mother had heard that they were looking for a part-time bookkeeper for their business. I got my working papers, went down to interview, and I received the job.
I would go to high school during the day, take the school bus from Medford High School to Locust Street, and work at Medford Wellington in the afternoon until Mrs. Annarelli kicked me out at 4:30 pm. She wouldn’t let us work late; she made us go home. Luckily for me, home was only a 10-minute walk away.
I worked all the way through high school at Medford Wellington and when it came time for college, I went to secretarial school, which is what many girls who did not go to college did. At secretarial school, I learned shorthand, typing, and business. Once I finished secretarial school, Mrs. Annarelli reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in a full-time position at Medford Wellington, working in accounting. Mr. and Mrs. Annarelli sent me to take some accounting classes so I could learn more while I was working.
I learned from the best. We had an accountant at the time, Harvey, who would come into the office regularly to balance the books. In the 80s, people still were allowed to smoke in the office and Harvey would sit at the desk and smoke all day. He was a great teacher and taught me all I needed to know about accounting.
Eventually, I went to college in the evening and got my degree in accounting, but it was just a piece of paper. Everything I learned came from my co-workers and Mr. and Mrs. Annarelli, who were like family to me. The Medford Wellington company had such a strong family environment because of the respect John Sr. and his wife had for their employees. I’ve been very fortunate to have been at Medford Wellington for so many years.
For anyone who is considering applying for or accepting a position with Medford Wellington, if you work hard and prove yourself, you’ll do very well and be rewarded.