100-year-old Walter Orthmann now holds the world record for the longest time working at one company, after 84 years and 9 days of service at the same Brazilian textile company that he has worked for since he was 15-years-old.
The record was verified by the Guinness Book of World Records on Jan. 6, 2022, after Orthmann beat his own record which was previously set in 2019 for 81 years and 85 days at the same company.
Since Orthmann was in his early teens he has worked for ReneauxViewin Santa Catarina, Brazil where he started out as a shipping assistant to help make money for his financially struggling family while he also went to school.
👚 ‘You have to like to work,’ says Walter Orthmann, a 100-year-old Brazilian man who has set a Guinness World Record for working at the same company for 84 years https://t.co/urHAnvqN5N pic.twitter.com/E9ktIe5Tt5
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 22, 2022
He was later promoted to a position in sales with the company and then moved up to become Sales Manager. With his strong proficiency in German, he was an asset to the company and says his jobs have given him a feeling of purpose and allowed him to travel around Brazil and meet many clients who became his friends.
Orthmann celebrated his 100th birthday in April. He attributes his daily routine, in part, to his success where he says he wakes up every day at 5 a.m. and exercises for at least an hour before going to work. He says that "commitment is the main thing you can have," and says he has no plans to retire.
