Ross retires after 45 years with Hy-Vee

Dick Ross began working at Hy-Vee as a part-time bagger during the May of his sophomore year of high school in 1966. Today, April 12, he?ll be hanging up his apron and clocking out his last day as the night manager.

As the night manager he oversaw the stocking of the store. ?It?s really the night crew?s responsibility that everything being sold throughout the day gets to the scanner, it scans and is the right price,? he said, speaking of the new computer- based price codes.

Ross has worked in all three Hy-Vee buildings in Mt. Pleasant. Over the past 45 years he has transitioned from the orginal 12,000 square foot building to the current 60,000 square foot store.

?I could probably count on one hand how many days I haven?t been able to go into work,? said Ross.

He did take a two-year hiatus during the Vietnam War to serve in the military. From June of 1970-1972 he was on active duty, serving in San Francisco and Vietnam.

?I enlisted in the Navy Reserve, so I could work my first year and still be going to reserve meetings,? said Ross. ?I ended up as a third class petty officer.?

When he came back to Mt. Pleasant he returned to Hy-Vee, ?I had a military leave of absence and the store was just eager to take me back,? he said.

?When I had left I was running the dairy department and when I came back they offered me the position of frozen food manager. So I ran the frozen food department for 17 years,? explained Ross.

Over his tenure he has witnessed the change in technology from cash registers and scanners to video surveillance. He has also seen the switch to a 24-hour grocery store.

When asked if he enjoyed the nearly half-century with the company he answered, ?Yes.?

In his retirement he plans to visit old navy friends whom he corresponds with. Ross also looks forward to gardening, woodworking and volunteering time at the church he attends. He hopes to assemble his large collection of model trains in his free time.