Jean Sutton (right) with her boss Kerrie Peacock and colleague Vikki Coulton. Together the trio have a combined 149 years working in a Tumut pharmacy. Photo: Russell Street Pharmacy Tumut’s Compounding Chemist.
A loyal customer service worker is ending a stellar 50-year career at a Tumut pharmacy as a finalist in the outstanding employee category at the Riverina Murray business awards.
Jean Sutton completed Year 10 in 1975 and immediately landed a job at Clifford Pharmacy, on the main street. While the name, ownership and location of the chemist has changed a few times, she has endured as the one constant.
“I first worked for James Clifford and after a few years, his son Michael came from Canberra to take over the family business,” she said.
“He took on extra partners, like Kerrie Peacock, who is my boss now and David Bacon.
“The company was sold to some people from Western Australia and then Kerrie purchased it back again as the Bush Chemist. She then opened the Compounding Chemist which is where I’ve worked since 2012. It’s wonderful here, the highlight of my career.”
The now 67-year-old has seen how the industry has evolved over half a century.
“All the documentation and labels were done by hand back when I started. Now it’s all electronic, so technology has changed pharmacy so much,” she said.
Cake for Jean on her 65th birthday. Photo: Russell Street Pharmacy Tumut’s Compounding Chemist.
But the one thing that’s stayed the same is her attitude towards customer service.
“You must have empathy, that’s really important. You need to treat every customer the way you’d expect to be treated when you walk in a store,” she said.
“I know everyone who walks in the door; I don’t have many bad customers. If you respect them, they respect you.”
Ms Sutton raised three children over the course of her 50-year career and now has seven grandchildren.
She’s the only Tumut finalist in the outstanding employee category and will attend a gala event at Piccolo Family Farm in Griffith on Friday (19 September), where the winners will be named.
“I’m not someone who blows my own horn; someone else has done that for me,” she said.
“I thank the whole Peacock family for my employment because they’ve been wonderful for me. Good employees come from good employers and I’ve had that.”
Ms Sutton is retiring in just five weeks.
“I think back to 50 years ago; the opportunities were minimum in Tumut. I was blessed to get this chance,” she said.
“I’m now going out on the highest possible note.”
FULL LIST OF OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE RIVERINA MURRAY AWARD FINALISTS
Abby Byrnes, Moses & Son, Temora
Brendan Pearson, Habitat Planning, Albury
Jean Sutton, Russell Street Pharmacy, Tumut
John Arthur, Deniliquin Stadium, Deniliquin
Kasey Henman, Haus of Vitality, Leeton
Keryn Date, Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT), Corowa
Matthew Turner, Boschetti, Albury
Taylor Smyth, Bidgee Strawberries and Cream, Wagga Wagga
Tracey Febo, Centacare South West NSW, Wagga Wagga.
