Forget retirement, Walter Orthmann is reinventing the concept! While some dream of relaxing in a hammock at 65, he has set a world record for longevity at work. At the ripe old age of 100, the Brazilian has just entered the Guinness Book of Records for spending more than eight decades at the same company. A feat of professional endurance, no less!
An extraordinary centenarian and a world record
Walter Orthmann celebrated his 100th birthday by entering his name in the famous Guinness Book of Records thanks to an extraordinary achievement: he holds the world record for the longest career spent at the same company. Not bad as a finale, right? For 84 years and nine days, he has continued to work for a Brazilian company, an exceptional feat confirmed by the official Guinness teams in January 2022 and revealed to the general public on 27 April.
Retirement? Not for Walter, the undisputed champion of permanent contracts. Today, he is in excellent health and continues to go to work as if nothing had changed. Yes, you read that right: he’s still working! At 100 years old. Enough to make those who are already counting down to their 60th birthday break out in a cold sweat.
Modest beginnings in Santa Catarina
It all began on 19 April 1922, in the state of Santa Catarina in Brazil, where Walter Orthmann was born. His teenage years were not exactly golden: the family’s finances were at rock bottom. To support his parents, Walter, then 16, looked for a job. Thanks to his command of German (yes, he already had a knack for languages!), in 1938 he landed a job as a shipping assistant in a weaving factory, now known as ReneauxView, as reported by American public radio station NPR.
It was his first job, and he never left! He remained loyal to the same company for the rest of his life.
A career marked by responsibility and opportunity
Little by little, the shipping assistant climbed the ladder and became a formidable salesman. ‘I was offered a sales position,’ he says. Without hesitation, he flew to São Paulo and, in a masterstroke, “in less than a week, I had filled the order book for three months! “
- Sales director in the wake
- Growing responsibilities over the years
- Travels throughout Brazil in the 1950s
Portrait of a self-taught man: curious, motivated, and devilishly efficient, Walter Orthmann never stopped reinventing his place, from the shipping room to the executive offices.
The recipe for exemplary professional longevity
How does one last so long? Discipline. That’s the key, according to him. For years, he has imposed unfailing rigour on himself. But beware, discipline doesn’t stop at work. Walter also leads a quiet life, plays sports, and exercises his memory daily. There’s no question of letting himself go (or resting on his laurels)!
His philosophy? Staying ‘in the loop’, firmly rooted in the changing world of business, and challenging himself every day, even after eight decades in the office. He explains his extraordinary loyalty simply: this routine gives him a purpose, a driving force to move forward and flourish in a field he is passionate about.
He says it himself in a thought-provoking statement: “All that matters to me is that tomorrow is another day. I will wake up, get up, exercise and go to work. You have to deal with the present, not the past or the future. It’s the here and now that counts. So, let’s get to work! “
Ultimately, Walter Orthmann’s extraordinary journey reminds us of one essential thing: finding meaning in our daily lives, whatever they may be, can take us much further than the simple idea of retirement. What if the real secret to longevity is to keep our curiosity and passion intact? Come on, let’s get to work but you can start by blowing out a candle in honour of Walter!
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