“I’m big on commitment.”
Tony Costa is not kidding. Today marks his 40th anniversary with Hanscom FCU. The credit union celebrated Tony, a financial control specialist in the accounting department, with a reception at the main office.
As Tony stood next to the tables bearing congratulatory cakes, he spoke with characteristic modesty on his career. “In 1975, I had just graduated and was looking for work. The unemployment rate was really high then, about 10%,” recalled Tony.
“I heard the assistant to the manager at the Mitre Employees Credit Union had moved to a different credit union. I got the position.” Tony hadn’t considered working for a credit union, but the work suited him and he decided to stay.
As the assistant, Tony did a wide variety of tasks. “There were two member service people, the manager, and me. Now we have five people just in the finance department.”
Tony recalled the early days of computer technology. “We used a mainframe computer and we balanced member accounts weekly. Today, you can do more on an iPhone than we could on those room-sized computers.”
Mitre’s credit union grew, changed its name to Milestone FCU, and eventually merged with Hanscom FCU. Tony stayed. “I just kept showing up. I never wanted to let anyone down,” Tony declared. “If I don’t show up, it has an impact on other people.”
A lifelong resident of Burlington, MA, Tony has long been an active member of his church, volunteering in different areas. He is known for his loyalty to the Celtics, Bruins, Patriots and Red Sox.
Did he really intend to stay with the same employer for 40 years? “I grew up in a family that had a routine,” observed Tony. “I’ve always lived that way.” His sister and brother-in-law, with whom he is close, also worked 40 years for the same employer.
Tony’s desire to contribute and be part of the team is well-known and respected by co-workers. “Through all the years, the one constant is Tony,” remarked senior VP of Human Resources David Ossam. “No other employee has that kind of track record.”
It is not likely that his record will be broken anytime soon. Tony sums up his lifetime of dedication this way: “Book knowledge is important, but there is nothing better than experience. What it comes down to is, ‘Can you do the job?’”
Like his beloved New England sports teams, Tony has indeed done his job. He has no plans to stop, either. He joked, “As long as they keep paying me, I’ll be here.”