84 years at same company: Meet 100-year-old world record holder

Walter Orthmann was a teenager when he began working at a textile company. (Image credit: www.guinnessworldrecords.com)

A 100-year-old man from Brazil has earned a Guinness World Record for the longest career at the same company. Walter Orthmann has been working at a textile company for 84 years.

Orthmann was born in Brusque, a town with a large German population. As a teenager, he began working at Industrias Renaux S.A, which is now known as ReneauxView.
"Back in 1938, kids were expected to work to help support the family," Orthmann was quoted as saying by Guinness. "As the oldest son of five, my mother took me to find a job at the age of 14."

He started off as a shipping assistant and was soon promoted to a sales position. Eventually, he became a sales manager.

In his 50s, Orthmann began travelling across the country, discovering new places and fostering professional relationships that became friendly.

In his career spanning decades, Orthmann has witnessed many changes -- at home and abroad. That, he said, taught him that it was important to be adaptable.

Orthamann turned 100 on April 19 this year and his coworkers and family threw a big party to celebrate his life.

Reflecting on his long stint at the same place, Orthmann said when people do what they enjoy, they don't see the time go by.

His advice for young professionals is to work for good establishments, in areas where they feel motivated.

Orthmann said that he does not bother himself with too much planning or worrying about the future.

 "All I care about is that tomorrow will be another day in which I will wake up, get up, exercise and go to work; you need to get busy with the present, not the past or the future," he told Guinness. "Here and now is what counts. So, let’s go to work!"