CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A man who has called H-E-B his home away from home for 40 years is finally turning in his keys to the popular South Texas grocery store.
Louis Whetstone retired as general manager from the H-E-B Plus store on Saratoga and Staples Friday.
From bagger to general manager, Whetstone has done it all working with the Texas grocery store chain since 1979 when he was just 16 years old. He said he never had a reason to leave.
"It's a great company," Whetstone said. "The culture is wonderful. It fits right into my own values, and I think the company's culture has helped me become a better person."
He added that the values of supporting the community and taking care of people are what led him to stay for 40 years.
Whetstone is known as such a good manager by the grocery store chain that he has even been inducted into the H-E-B Hall of Fame -- yes, H-E-B has a Hall of Fame. He ran the number one store for seven years, making a lasting impact on those around him.
"There's not a person that has worked with him that hasn't learned something, because he's always able to teach us something," Director of Retail Sandy Hartensteiner said.
His retirement celebration came complete with a baseball card depicting him in his younger years. A former pitcher for the Geneva Cubs, the minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, Whetstone said leadership and his competitive edge helped him with his career at H-E-B.
"Competition is important," Whetstone said. "So I was very competitive on the baseball field, as well as being very competitive in this environment. We have a friendly competition with other stores and I don't like to lose."
But for Whetstone, it's all about the customer.
"I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him," customer Bob Huff said. "He's always been the friendliest, kindest person I know."
"We really appreciate your compassion and your dedication, and your leadership most of all," employee Monica Flores said.
Whetstone's wife Danice is most excited to begin what the couple is calling their "next life."
"I just want to say thank you for finally letting me have him," Danice Whetstone said.
Whetstone may be stepping down, but he said he isn't going anywhere just yet.
"I tell all the partners here -- that's what we call our employees, our partners, right -- I tell them 'Yeah, I was your general manager, but now I'm going to be your customer, so now there's going to be a higher expectation,'" Whetstone said.
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