Mary Rima (Getzen) Retires

Ronnman · Posted: Fri May 24, 2024 3:51 pm Post subject: Mary Rima (Getzen) Retires

Mary Rima, a super helpful asset to the Getzen and Edwards companies and to the trumpet community, has retired as of May 2, 2024. She has personally helped get me detailed info on horns and helped with parts on many occasions, as I am sure to which others on TH can attest. Mary, THANKS for all the help over the years. Enjoy your retirement. Brett Getzen’s write up from Facebook, is posted below for your reading.
Ron

In today’s world, it is increasingly rare to have an employee stay with one company for a significant amount of time, let alone over four decades. Compound that with sticking around through four ownership changes, two different locations, and having to put up with multiple generations of Getzens and it is easy to see why the career of Mary Rima is so impressive.

For the one or two of you reading this that don’t know, Mary has been the…well… everything in the Getzen front office over the years. Receptionist, export manager, inside sales, executive assistant, customer service, etc… You name it, she’s done it. In that time, Mary has become a friend to many in our industry. It’s hard not too after so many years as the go to person for all things Getzen for countless musicians and dealers all over the world. The list of people she has aided over the years would rival a Manhattan phone book, if phone books were still a thing. I’m sure many of you have had a conversation with her at some point. She’s so well known, I cannot think of a single tradeshow I’ve attended where I wasn’t asked “Is Mary here?”. She has become as much a part of the identity of the Getzen Company as any of the rest of us. Probably more so.

Mary is a mainstay of the Getzen offices. Often the first one here and last to leave. She is our resource for things otherwise lost to history, a sounding board for new ideas (some good, some not so much), and the keeper of our archives. If she doesn’t know the answer, it is somewhere in her office. If you can find it. Need to know what the top cap on a 1978 Capri cornet looked like, she has the catalog to look it up. Curious about who the Getzen sales rep. for Missouri in 1986 was. She knows and probably talked to him last week. Have a serial number from the mid-nineties. She can give you the model, invoice date, and probably which dealer originally bought it. Mary is a living encyclopedia of Getzen.

Mary started working for the family owned version of Getzen when I was 14 years old and has done her best to keep on an eye on me ever since. For me personally, she has always been my “Work Mom”. She has been here to offer advice, both personal and professional, and to listen to my occasional ranting. Mary was the first person from work I told about proposing to my now wife. The same when we were expecting our first born and again with our second. She would eagerly snuggle both any time they were visiting dad at work. I’m sure if you asked them, they would say she is their “work grandma”. Now that they’re older and not so apt to snuggle, she does the same every morning with our dog Gus (the overly energetic, but not too bright unofficial office mascot).

To be honest, I have never known a Getzen Company without a Mary Rima and I just figured, somehow, she would outlast us all. Unfortunately for us, all good things must come to an end. After 45 years, Mary is officially retiring. So much for loyalty right? May 2, 2024 will be Mary’s last official day with the Getzen Company. A brief, 45 years and 3 days after her she first started with the company. I’m sure it seems like much less. Just ask her.
We, like many of you, are going to miss Mary. This is the end of an era for sure. At the same time, we couldn’t be happier for her as she leaves to enjoy a more than earned retirement. Hopefully she’ll still take our calls when we need help with something. And I’m sure we will.

Congratulations Mary. Enjoy your time with the grandsons. Thank you for everything you have done for us over the years.
- Brett Getzen

Shifty · Posted: Fri May 24, 2024 4:24 pm Post subject:

Oh, my.

IMHO, every organization really needs a Mary Rima. Some, like Getzen, are lucky enough to have had one. She's pure gold. I wish her well as she transitions into retirement.

So, Brett and Adam, who will be making a feeble attempt to take up the slack in her absence?

_________________
Getzen Eterna 700, Eterna 800
Conn Connstellation 28A, Victor 80A, Connqueror (1903)
ACB Doubler Flugelhorn

stuartissimo · Posted: Fri May 24, 2024 8:58 pm Post subject:

Sounds like a very special person indeed. Gratz on the retirement. Will be tough to impossible to replace such a person.
_________________
1975 Olds Recording trumpet
1997 Getzen 700SP trumpet
1955 Olds Super cornet
1939 Buescher 280 flugelhorn
AR Resonance mpc

CaptPat · Posted: Sat May 25, 2024 3:49 am Post subject:

I've had the opportunity to exchange emails with Mary several times in recent months. Always fast with an answer, for me, she was the face/voice of Getzen. Best of luck in retirement.
_________________
Bach Stradivarius 180S37
Getzen Custom Series 3895
_______________________________________
I play trumpet because I like it, not because I'm good at it.

Getzen · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 1948

Mary definitely leaves behind mighty big shoes (or desk) to fill. Luckily, we had the ideal replacement in house already. Lexi over at Edwards has made the transition to the Getzen offices. She has been with the company for several years and has an understanding of what we do here. Plus, she was already handling many of the same duties at Edwards, just on a smaller scale.
_________________
Brett Getzen
President
Getzen Company

Follow Getzen on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/getzencompany/

Twitter https://twitter.com/GetzenCompany

If you have a question please feel free to email me at brett@getzen.com.

Shifty · Posted: Tue May 28, 2024 9:47 am Post subject:

Ronnman · Posted: Tue May 28, 2024 11:13 am Post subject:

Brett 👍
Lexi is a good choice! I have also dealt with her for info/parts to my satisfaction.
Ron
_________________
Martin Committee #2 1954
Leblanc “Al Hirt” Model 1966
Olds Custom Crafted Ultra Sonic 1974
Edwards Gen II 2014

Getzen · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 1948

Lexi is great and is already doing a wonderful job. After so many years, Mary was very set in her ways and Lexi has already found ways to streamline a lot of what Mary did. Remember, she started before computers so there was a lot of paper notes.... a lot.

If you do need something and contact her, just remember that Mary had decades of experience with our horns that Lexi is just learning. She won't have an answer off the top of her head like Mary would. However, she has been here long enough that she knows how to find the answer.
_________________
Brett Getzen
President
Getzen Company

Follow Getzen on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/getzencompany/

Twitter https://twitter.com/GetzenCompany

If you have a question please feel free to email me at brett@getzen.com.