Van Heusen manager sad to see warehouse go
I am the sole survivor of the original Van Heusen management team that came to Chattanooga to open the new warehouse in 1964. Tony DeMatteo, Jim Blackman and Lloyd Searce came from Arkansas, Harry Mohl from Atlanta. I came from Pottsville, Pa., the original home of the Phillips Van Heusen Corp.
In 1967 I was transferred back to the Pottsville location to be the Southeast sales coordinator and liaison for info moving between Chattanooga and Pottsville. One year later, with the help of a friend, I came back to Chattanooga to manage a sewing factory.
In 1972 my friend for the past 51 years, Surf Russian, came to manage the Chattanooga warehouse until his retirement a few years ago.
Van Heusen Chattanooga was a very important part of my life. It brought me here. I’m sorry to see it go.