Laughter We Love

A little over 28 years since joining the McElroy’s team, Barb Rittenhouse is retiring on Friday, December 29, 2023. Barb always wears a huge smile – and backs it up with a distinctively free laugh. At her recent retirement party, McElroy’s President Dan Beal said, “One thing I know we’ll all miss is the sound of Barb’s laughter. We’ll also miss her attention to the details in accounts payable. She’s been so terrific at making sure that payables are accurate and fully approved that it will be tough to follow in her footsteps.”

Happy at Work

During 28 years of doing McElroy’s accounts payable, Chief Financial Officer Nathan Stillings estimated Barb has written more than 65,000 checks, totaling about $500,000,000. A whole lot of thought and effort went into making sure each one of those checks was for a correct and legitimate charge, but Barb enjoyed doing it. “Every day I was happy to go to work,” Barb said. “Everyone here has been so helpful and made my job as pleasant as it could be. I couldn’t have worked at a better place.”

Good with Numbers

Barb grew up in Topeka and attended Highland Park schools. After graduation, she and her best friend Karen King moved to Cedar Rapids to get jobs. “I was always good with numbers,” Barb said, “and that led to working as the night auditor at the historic Roosevelt Hotel.” Barb’s true passion for customer service suited hospitality work well and led her to jobs at 4- and 5-star hotels. “Eventually, Karen and I went to Tucson where I worked at the Marriott and then the Hilton,” Barb said. “I was married in Tucson and realized when my son Hantz was born that the schools there weren’t great. When he was two, we moved back to Topeka.”

Accounts Payable at McElroy’s

Barb exudes so much energy and positivity that every time she interviewed for a new job, she was hired on the spot. “I didn’t even know who McElroy’s was, but they wanted me for accounts payable,” she recalled. “Numbers are my specialty and I really enjoy balancing, so that sounded good to me.” Barb discovered that her people-person nature fit in great at McElroy’s. “Everybody is easy to work with. Even when we’re very busy, the focus is always on solutions. This crew is awesome!”

Rocking the Keyboard

Barb has always liked keeping busy. “In accounting, you’re never really caught up,” she said. “I would listen to my music and my fingers would rock out on the keyboard.” She also lauded the company’s values. “McElroy’s looks out for and stands behind their employees. We work together and get all the support we need to make sure our customers are always number one.”

Family Fun

Barb was one of eight kids in a blended family and most of that large group is still nearby. “I take my dad Cliff out for bingo,” Barb said, “and Hantz and I like getting together with the family at outdoor events, like Cider Days and the Baldwin Maple Leaf Festival.” Barb also enjoyed the family atmosphere at McElroy’s. “It doesn’t seem like I’ve been here 28 years, but I’ve watched Dan Beal’s sons and Greg Hunsicker’s sons grow from infants to full-grown men.”

Retirement Plans

“My first retirement project will be to thoroughly clean out my basement. That’s where everything has been thrown for years,” Barb said. “As I go through it all, I’ll move it to storage and mark it for a big garage sale I’ll have later this summer.” But for actual fun, Barb has a variety of travel ideas. “My cousins and I are planning a cruise out of Galveston in June or July. I’m also going to make an extended trip back to Tucson where I lived for 10 years.”

Happiness Is Her Choice

Whatever Barb does in retirement, it will certainly be done with a smile. “Some people carry bad moods wherever they go,” Barb said. “But you pick and choose how you feel. I have a nice home, my car runs, I have a great son and everything I need to enjoy retirement. Why wouldn’t I be happy?” We guarantee that at McElroy’s we’ve been extremely happy with you, Barb. We’re going to miss your pleasant attitude and your infectious laugh that have been brightening our days for nearly three decades. Thank you – and enjoy a wonderful retirement!