Mr. Dean Witman was born in Blandon, graduating from Fleetwood High School in 1971. His first employment was with Giorgio Foods on their mushroom farms.

"The job was interesting; I started at $2.25 an hour and did everything from packing to cooking," he recalls. "During the busy season, an 80- to 85-hour week was standard. The owners were hard working, brilliant men."

"My uncles worked at Allentown Cement, now Lehigh-Heidelberg," he said. "I heard they were hiring so I went to the plant each Monday, applying for a position."

Dean was hired in 1973 at a wage rate of $3.14 an hour.

Working on the labor gang, one of the most difficult jobs was lining a kiln with new bricks. On occasion there were 27-hour shifts, as the kilns are vital to cement production.

Old-timers Rich Hottenstein and Leo Yenser gave Dean, a young cement worker, valuable advice which he has used during his long career.

In the early days manual labor was much more intensive then in today's modern plant.

Presently, Mr. Witman is a packhouse utility man, operating a forklift.

He works closely with Howard Evans, Mike Youse and supervisor Denton Schucker, all fine men.

They lead dozens of flatbed trailers each day, ranging from 560 to 750 bags on each load, depending on the type of cement being packed. The cement is quickly and safely moved to buyers in Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware, along with other areas where their quality cement is needed.

"I love operating equipment," Dean said. "I've worked with every type, from bulldozers to payloaders at the plant. I enjoy working with all of my coworkers. We have a pleasant family atmosphere."

The plant has undergone dramatic changes since 1973.

New equipment, technology and a computer system help make the plant a more efficient and safe operation.

Mr. Witman is very optimistic about the future of the plant which is over a century old.

He is a dedicated cement worker with 40 years of service.

He has been married to the former Connie Seyler for 41 years and they are proud of sons Peter and Daniel and grandsons Andrew and Luke.

An avid hunter and fisherman, he is also a Philadelphia Flyers and Hershey Bears fan. He will soon be visiting Allentown at the new arena when the Phantom's hockey team arrives.

It was a pleasure to meet Mr. Witman, a solid Pennsylvania Dutchman, who brings that work ethic to the plant each day.

I wish Dean and all my friends at Evansville a safe and prosperous 2014.