A 100-year-old Brazilian man named Walter Orthmann has broken the Guinness World Record after working for eighty-four years at the same textile company as verified this year in a press release.
Orthmann was born in Brusque, a small town in Santa Catarina, Brazil which has a large German population.
Discipline and commitment propelled his tenacity. Orthmann walked barefoot to school and then studied at home. He was truly an exceptional student with a brilliant memory and attention to detail.
However, his family faced financial problems, so he had to begin working at a young age in order to support them.
He began working at 15 years old
Orthmann went with his mother to the weaving mill to apply for a job, and he was hired because of his strong proficiency in German.
“Back in 1938, kids were expected to work to help support the family,” Walter said, as per the press release. “As the oldest son of five, my mother took me to find a job at the age of [fourteen].”
In January 1938, when he was fifteen years old, he began working as a shipping assistant at the textile company called Industrias Renaux S.A. The company is now known as ReneauxView. This is where he has worked ever since.
Shortly after, he was promoted to a position in sales and thereafter became a successful sales manager.
“I was given the opportunity to work as a salesperson,” Orthmann said. “I traveled to São Paulo and in less than one week I filled the production with orders equivalent [to] three months of work.”
Orthmann traveled a lot professionally
Orthmann started traveling across the country in his fifties and had the opportunity to meet people from different places and cultures.
He loved constantly being on the move and establishing good relationships with clients who later became friends.
Orthmann has seen many things change in the company, in the country, and in the world throughout his eighty-four years of work.
He has come to understand that one of the most important parts of the business world is to always be up-to-date and adapt to different contexts.
Orthmann never thought he would break the record
Orthmann believes that the best part about having a job is that it gives you a sense of purpose, commitment, and a routine.
For him, breaking a Guinness World Records title is an honor and privilege because he never imagined achieving this.
“Looking back, despite never having contemplated breaking a record, I think my proudest achievement was being certified as the title holder for the longest career in the same company,” he said.
Orthmann is in good health with excellent mental clarity and memory. He enjoys a calm life and exercises every day.
Man still goes to his office everyday after 84 years
As a result of his lifestyle, Orthmann has been able to maintain enough vitality and energy to drive to his favorite place everyday, namely his office at ReneauxView.
The best professional advice he has is to try to work for a good company in an area that is best suited to you. He says it is important to believe in the present and do what you enjoy because, in doing so, time flies.
“I don’t do much planning, nor care much about tomorrow,” he claims. “All I care about is that tomorrow will be another day in which I will wake up, get up, exercise and go to work.”
According to Walter Orthmann, it is important to get busy with the present rather than the past or future. “Here and now is what counts,” he says, “so, let’s [get] to work!”
Orthmann celebrated his one hundredth birthday in April 2022
Walter Orthmann turned one hundred years old on April 19, 2022. He celebrated this milestone with an unforgettable party in the company of his coworkers, family, and friends.
In his lifetime, the centenarian has exhibited outstanding skills and willingness to learn and has always strived to do more than expected of him. His charisma, empathy, and humanity make him an especially strong and valuable leader.
With his most recent Guinness recognition, Orthmann broke his own previous record, which he set in 2019 with eighty-one years and eight-five days for the longest career at ReneauxView.
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