You Really Can Go Home Again!

In August 2024, I received an invitation from my former employer, Valmet, to join a group of retired employees in Atlanta, GA, for a two-day “Executive Alumni” event. The invitation came as a surprise as I had left the company almost 20 years ago.

I had always assumed that, unless there was some issue, I’d never again hear from any of my past employers. So, I wondered why I was being invited to such an event. What could I possibly contribute that would make such an expense worthwhile for Valmet?

Driving to Atlanta from my home in Charlotte, NC, brought back many memories. Waiting in the lobby of the hotel, I was pleased to renew friendships with other retired employees I had worked closely with in years past. Several senior Valmet managers were on hand to serve as hosts (many of whom had been much younger when I was with the company.)

During the dinner, one of my questions about the event was answered by Jukka Tiitinen, who was then area president for North America. He explained that the idea to host Executive Alumni events had begun in Finland, Valmet’s home base. The intent was to thank past employees who had helped the company grow and succeed.

The following day we toured Valmet’s new, modern offices in Atlanta, and in the afternoon, we were given an overview of Valmet today. I was impressed to see how far the company has come. More than twice the size it was when I left, Valmet today has global sales of US$6.25 billion and 19,000 employees. In North America alone there are 2,500 employees at 50 locations—including the company’s new Center of Excellence for Process Parts in Lithia Springs, GA, which we visited later that afternoon.

Driving home, I felt a renewed sense of pride. The event had helped me recall many memories and feelings about my career with Valmet and what we had achieved as a group. That got me thinking about the importance of trust and loyalty within companies.

It has become almost a cliché for companies to declare that people are their most important asset, but not all companies live up to that claim. A good relationship between employer and employee requires that both parties respect and trust one another—which, handled properly, leads directly to loyalty on both sides.

During our tours in Atlanta, I was delighted to reconnect with many people I had worked with almost 20 years ago who are still working there today. This says a lot about employee loyalty.

Throughout my career, I was encouraged to grow within the company and become intimately familiar with the industries it serves. I attended industry events and joined professional associations to learn as much as I could and even held leadership positions within some of them. As a result, I felt trusted and respected.

Strong relationships with other employees also had a profound effect on my satisfaction with the company … including one personal experience.

When I joined Valmet in 1987, I was sent to Finland, a place I had never been, where I was met by a gregarious Finn named Leo Allo who headed up global marketing. Over the years Leo and I became friends. Every time I visited Finland, he hosted me at his home, and I grew very close to his family. Some years into my career, Leo died unexpectedly, leaving a wife and daughters with whom I kept in touch. A few years later I received a call from one of his daughters who asked, as I was good friends with her father, would I be willing to walk her down the aisle at her wedding? I was speechless, but immediately agreed, traveled to Finland and stood by her at her wedding. It was one of the proudest moments of my life.

Whether Valmet gained anything by inviting a group of previous employees for a dinner and tour is certainly debatable; but that wasn’t really the objective. Making the effort with this very special event made me feel that my efforts as an employee were worthwhile and appreciated.

It certainly made this old timer feel good.