The recent retirement of our cherished Athena Psiras did not come as a surprise, but it sure was very difficult for us!

30 years ago, at the start of Enviro-Tote, we hired a group of incredibly skilled women to stitch our tote bags.  They had worked for an iconic company in Manchester NH called Pandora Mills, where we also bought some of their used equipment to start our factory.  Athena, of course, was one of these women.

We knew from the very first day that Athena was special.  When the equipment was delivered, one of the bar tack sewing machines was Athena’s!  It had her name right on it!

Fast forward 30 years.

Looking back, Athena lived through all our company milestones.  For the good times, our economy’s ugly times, births, deaths, and watched our family and business GROW. She was always a key employee, but most of all, we had complete trust in each other.

All of us at Enviro-Tote sincerely hope that Athena accomplishes everything that she wants to for these next wonderful years.  We are sure that she will have as much of a positive impact on other people’s lives as she has on ours.

On Athena’s final day with Enviro-Tote, we decided to have a little fun!

Below is her response to a Q&A we did with her:

As you enter retirement, what is on your bucket list for the next 10 years?

Organize my home, travel, spend time with my family and friends.

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?

Socrates

Who would you most like to swap places with for a day?

Cleopatra.  I have a friend who used to call me Cleopatra.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

Computers

What is the best advice that you could give to a new Enviro-Tote employee?

It is a good opportunity to work.  So, buckle down and work!

What is your funniest memory at Enviro-Tote?

When Nancy’s daughter was a baby, she was sitting in her high chair at our lunch table.  We were all talking in Greek.  She started babbling to us like mocking us “Bla Bla Bla”.

What was your first job?

Worked at a farm picking cotton.

What is the most adventurous thing that you’ve done?

I used to climb trees and jump off them.  Yes, I got hurt!

Where were you born?

Greece

Where did you attend school?

Greece.  I came to the United States when I was 16.

Do you have a secret talent that no one knows about?

Casting away the evil eye.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Easter, but I love all holidays and our traditions.

What is your favorite way to spend the weekend?

Cleaning my house and going for car rides.

What is your personal philosophy?

Live your life with integrity.

What is one thing you couldn’t live without?

My husband.

What’s your biggest phobia?

I’m afraid of getting lost.

Where is your favorite place to be?

Greece – the place that I was born.

What’s your favorite thing to do?

Cook

What has been the most important innovation you’ve witnessed in your lifetime?

Smartphone

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?

Get a high school/college education.

Tell us something about you that might surprise us

I like dirty jokes!