6/17/2010 - La-Z-Boy South celebrates 50 years

Citizens of Newton with local and state officials heralded La-Z-Boy South's 50th anniversary Wednesday at a ceremony held at the plant.

Many employees, some of whom have worked at the factory for more than 40 years, were honored at the 1 p.m. ceremony.

Plant manager Don Mather pointed to the factory's "people" as its strongest asset.

"It really is the partnership between La-Z-Boy and the city of Newton, coupled with the work ethic of the people in this area that are just dedicated, hard-working people," Mather said.

Mather has been at the Newton location for two and a half years, but he has worked for La-Z-Boy 35 years, starting at the loading docks of his father's La-Z-Boy plant in Florence, S.C.

Mather credited employees' ability to "understand not only their side of the equation, but the business side of the equation, and why things have to be done sometimes even though (they) don't like it," adding they are "able to make adjustments for the good of the business as a whole."

Despite tough economic times, state officials praised the people who make up the Newton location of La-Z-Boy.

"That it's still here 50 years later speaks volumes about the quality of the work force, about these people that they recognized," said Gov. Haley Barbour, who attended the event. "Their quality is what makes job creation and economic development work in Mississippi."
 

— By Byron Wilkes / bwilkes@themeridianstar.com
The Meridian Star

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