Giving Back
As Gayle observes, Al and Pat have never forgotten where they came from. They are people who give back to the community.
"We started off with kid leagues," Pat remembers. "It was an affordable thing, we were a young company, and our kids were all involved in activities."
"We would buy t-shirts and pay $100 for fees and sponsor eight or 10 teams around Portland and Washington County," Al says. "Then a salesman in Montana would ask, 'Can we sponsor a Little League team here?' We sponsored-still sponsor-hockey, soccer, football, basketball, Pop Warner, and Little League teams."
Al's support of Junior Achievement earned him the once-in-a-lifetime honor of carrying the Olympic torch through a portion of Portland in 1996.
"It all began," Pat remembers, "when a Reser's employee wrote to the local Junior Achievement describing Al's commitment to it. Junior Achievement then recommended Al to the Olympic Committee."
"I was having knee problems at the time," Al says, "and the letter came while I was gone, so Pat accepted. We knew I couldn't walk the mile, so I started working with a therapist. First, we measured the distance, and then I started walking the distance in Beaverton carrying a weight bar because that torch is heavy. It took me about six weeks to prepare."
Al's middle-of-the-night portion of the route was lined with his fans.
"Once I got started walking, the adrenaline started pumping. I didn't feel my knees at all. In fact, the kids were yelling, 'Slow down! Slow down! You'll never make it at that rate.'"
"But he did," Pat smiles.
A major, private contribution to Oregon State University, the school that helped launch the company's first private-label product, is another example of the Resers' determination to give back to their communities. And it's one Pat and Al are particularly proud of.
"We've been supporters of the university for 40-some years with contributions to the Family Business Department, student scholarships, and the Athletic Foundation. They renamed the football stadium," Al grins. "It's called Reser Stadium now."
Asked how they want to be remembered, Al and Pat agree it's the way they've treated people and the difference they've made in the industry and their communities.
"We're fair to people," Al says. "We want to be remembered as a good employer. We've tried to make a difference in every community we're in; we're constantly giving back. We've worked hard to raise the standards of the industry and the exchange between food processors; we've worked hard on the problem-solving piece. We want to be remembered for the things we've accomplished, for the company we've built. And I hope we continue to grow."
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