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F O C U S This Page is for some of the previously featured retirees. We would like to see you here. Ideally, we would like to hear of some of your remembrances of PepsiCo but especially, we would like to know what is your life like today.

PEP Profile

George Siebert Long Island City Vending Dep't. George retired in 1980 and has lived in Cheshire Ct. for the past ten years. George started with Pepsi in 1939, working at the LIC - ERT (East River Terminal) plant in the "Guard House". After graduating from Long Island University he tried his hand at selling real estate in Queens Village with is father. Fortunately for Pepsi he decided to change careers. During the time that Lofts owned Pepsi, George came to work there through his cousin Bill Heller of Lofts Candy. George served in the US Army during World War II . Stationed at various bases in California. He was a meteorologist with a barrage balloon battalion and later worked with the Antiaircraft as a searchlight operator and had a 155 "Long Tom" group headed for Japan. In 1947, after returning from the Army, George resumed his career at Pepsi, working in shipping and receiving. Hans Goetz was Plant Manager and Shipping was located near Pete Lipuma's office ; Around 1950, Leo Kimmelmann promoted George to Vending Service Supervisor and the Vending Department moved to the building under the 59th St Bridge. As George noted, A Stamford White designed building. Vending occupied the rear portion. The main activity at that time was placing Steel Pepsi Ice coolers. The coolers were manufactured on the second floor of the LIC plant. Henry Plass and his son in law John Ammon were in charge of cooler production. The facility had also been used to make crowns (bottle caps) in prior years. George's' group worked with Ed Sanger, Vic Specht, then Paul Diehl, Harry Lawson and the writer. Tommy Almezzi was Plant manager at one point and Sy Sieland ran the Sugar (syrup) Department. The Sign Shop and Box Shop, where the wood cases were build and repaired, was in the main building. George Datz headed the "Box Shop" at that time and Dick Spiro later replaced him. Vending remained at the "Bridge" location until 1979 when it was moved back to the "main Plant". In 1979 Vending moved into the area that had been a can testing lab where Bob McKechnie and John Creel worked in the early sixties. It was also near the Studio area where, in the 1950's, Faye Emmerson- of early TV fame -(and the first "wardrobe malfunction") did her shows. This was when Al Steele was President and it was not unusual to see Joan Crawford occasionally. George retired after 41 years with Pepsi and is enjoying his retirement in Connecticut. Close to his daughters Lois , in Cheshire, and Barbara , in Pound Ridge, NY. He stays active with his grandchildren, going to all the birthday and family celebrations. He volunteers with the local 4H club doing projects with the members. He also finds time to take many day trips with the Cheshire Senior Citizen Club, including a cruise around Manhattan, bus trips, restaurant excursions and much more. George misses the Pepsi craft fairs in Purchase and later in Somers where he sold his clocks. A hobby he started during his Pepsi days. He and his late wife Grace vacationed every year in Maine and once considered retiring there. He left Carle Place, Long Island for Connecticut about 10 years ago and now has a huge garden (complete with Hedge Hogs) and grows only those plants they won't eat. George has many neighborhood friends that help out with the garden and go out to lunch occasionally. He supplies the neighborhood with garden produce. George's recall of names and events is remarkable. If you want to contact George directly (he has no e mail) Write George Siebert 141 Deepwood Drive, Cheshire, CT. 06410-2425-- Phone 203 272 4581.

This story was submitted by: Bob McGarrah

RoseMary Kuhlmann Evans... Always Hits High Note

I retired in July of 1994, when Pepsi was in the midst of a reorganization. My boss thought it would be better financially during the turn over, as I was 72 young and thinking about when I should make the brake!!! Since then, I've traveled to Alaska/Canadian Rockies and then was accepted at the Music Conservatory of Westchester as an Executive Secretary to the Director for the next 5 years.

In 2001, I was honored at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York at the 50th Anniversary of the NBC TV production of Gian Carlo Menotti's Christmas Opera, "Amahl and the Night Visitors" - don't know if you knew that I was a former Opera singer!!! In my early days with Pepsi, I would take a three-week vacation before Christmas to perform with many of the Symphonies, and send my reviews back to Roman Tanner plus others!!! PHOTO ABOVE: William McIver, composer Gian-Carlo Menotti, and Rosemary.

If you want more information on RoseMary, a beatiful article was written about her and featured in the Jan. 2007 issue of "Opera News ... Online" at: http://www.metoperafamily.org/operanews/issue/article.aspx?id=1958&issueID=83

Gerry Hermann...

Pepsi retirees have very interesting lives. Take Gerry Hermann, retired in 1991 after 24 years with Pepsi in various finance positions. Gerry started with Pepsi in 1968 and worked for a short time in White Plains before the Purchase complex was completed.

Gerry lives in Bethel, CT has two children, Leslie and Gary plus four grandchildren, Fiona age 9, Joshua age 5, Kailyn age 3, and Alyssa age 1.

So what is so interesting about Gerry's retirement, Gerry has an extensive HO model train layout he started in the 1950s while with the military in Germany. His first set was a Muaklin starter set in HO gauge. He sets up his model layout every year and the grandkids are getting to the age where they can really enjoy it. Gerry also hosts Scout groups and others when the trains are set up.

The Danbury Rail Museum in Danbury is Gerry's home away from home. He is there 3 or 4 days a week working on his pet project - the restoration of a 1909 New York Central and Hudson River Rail Road caboose. It is one of about six remaining model nineteen thousand series cabooses built in East Buffalo New York (only 115 of that model were built). You may recall the caboose is the living quarters for the train crew: conductor, trainmen, brakeman, and others when the train is enroute. It is usually red (technically "box car" brown) and the last car on a train.

Gerry found this caboose in Canaan ,CT in poor repair and much in need of TLC. Gerry and his team hauled the caboose by flat bed on special trucks to the rail museum where it has been under restoration for the past three years. Restoration might be too mild a word, TOTAL restoration might fit better. Virtually everything had to be replaced except the main frame. Working from old photos and plans great progress has been made rebuilding the entire caboose (both exterior and interior). All new windows had to be constructed. and the remaining components refinished and restored. Gerry and the team hope to have the work completed in time for the 100^th "Birthday" of this caboose in 2009. There is 2" binder of old Caboose photos, plus plans and photos of the restoration process.

All are invited to visit the Danbury Rail Museum at 120 White St. in Danbury, phone 203 778 8337. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM and Sundays 12 PM to 5PM .Call to confirm hours and special events. Vintage train rides are given weekends on the 5 1/2 acre museum grounds. And, if you call ahead, Gerry might just arrange a personal tour of his project.

Gerry is a regular at the retiree luncheons. After recuperating from heart surgery last February, Gerry is active once again at the pass time he loves the most - TRAINS!

HERBERT BRILL

PepsiCo Retiree/ War Hero to receives “Legion D’Honneur” in France.

Thanks to Norman Heller we received the following details.

During WW II, Lieutenant Brill’s bomber has hit over France and crash landed. Fortunately he escaped injury, and fled the emergency landing site. He was able to join and fight with the local French resistance. He fought the enemy for almost a year before the OSS learned of his presence there and sent in a small plane to take him back to England while the war was still raging in Europe.

After the war, Herbert joined PepsiCo International. He worked in the UK and then in Rome, and reported to Mr. Ted Michel, area VP for Europe. Later, Herbert joined Norman Heller’s staff as Advertising Manager. Mr. Brill worked in Canada for a while and then was appointed as Regional Manager for Central America. “He was extremely successful there and the bottlers adored him” said Mr. Heller.

Mr. Brill is also a very successful artist and had studied under Fernand Leger. He has had many exhibitions and shows.

Congratulations Herbert… all the PepsiCo retirees are proud to have been associated with you, and congratulate you on the outstanding and (richly deserved) award.

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