Jo Harrel, Service Administrator for Damuth Trane, is celebrating her 30-year anniversary with the company this month. Jo joined the company in August 1990 as an office assistant and receptionist after answering a blind ad in the newspaper. A few years later in 1994, she migrated to the Service department where she has been ever since.
As a Service Administrator, Jo is responsible for providing administrative support to the Service Team through duties such as entering Trane Orders, renewing TU Licenses, maintaining technician training attendance, processing procurement invoices, and managing refrigerant and oil samples. She also provides back-up support for fellow Service Team support members on coordinating, scheduling, and billing for service.
“It has been a pleasure working alongside Jo all of these years,” commented Glenda Payne, Service Business Process Leader; “Jo has proven to be an invaluable asset to the Service team and has always been willing to step in and help her fellow team members.”
Jo has always been active in company and community events. She was a member of Damuth Trane’s Quality Council from 1992-1996 where she helped to plan and organize internal company events and community efforts such as the annual United Way Day of Caring. Additionally, she served as a facilitator for Damuth’s Shared Values training for associates in 1997 after completing a “train the trainer” course.
In the community, she has been a member of the United Way of South Hampton Roads’ Keel Club since 2015 in recognition of her level of contributions to the agency. She regularly participates in the United Way’s Day of Caring and charity races such as The Bra-ha-ha and Surfers Healing 5k on behalf of the company. As a personal survivor of breast cancer, The Bra-ha-ha is an event near and dear to her heart.
Jo resides in Portsmouth, VA with her dog Rosie and has two adult children who live locally. In her free time, Jo and her two sisters like to go on weekend trips, antique shop, and explore Hampton Roads together. In discussing what has kept her loyal to the company for 30 years, Jo remarked: “I didn’t know this right away, but I learned quickly that Damuth Trane was a family-oriented business. Their morals and values impressed me so much and made me fall in love with the company. I recognized them from the start in how Don Damuth conducted himself and treated our associates and clients, even before taking Shared Values. Damuth Trane consistently hires quality people and takes time to ensure they are the right fit, which is why people like me have been here for so long!“