Forever in Blue Jeans: A 40-Year Career Milestone

Like many just starting out, Debbie Moses didn’t think her first job would lead to a long career with one employer. But this year she celebrated her fourth decade with Levi Strauss & Co.
She started off packing orders by hand at our Hebron, Kentucky distribution center, watching the ebb and flow of trends go by, one order, year, and decade at a time — from the 1980s-era 501® jeans to the “mom jeans” of the ‘90s before they made their 21st century comeback.
“I’ve seen lots of product come and go,” she recalls.
As she was rearranging her time around daycare for her then-one-year-old daughter, another position opened up – and it was perfect for her schedule. She moved on from a focus on product to a focus on people, joining the Human Resources department as an HR filing clerk.
“I’ve worked directly with Debbie since she was a pick-packer in the Florence, KY Distribution Center,” recalled Ed Flick, Human Resources manager at the Customer Service Center in Hebron, KY where Debbie now works. “When she applied for the clerical position in the HR Department, little did either of us know what a long-term decision that would be for her future.”
Currently, Debbie serves as the HR administrator, managing the candidate pipeline for potential employees and supporting existing employees and Management with their HR related questions and referrals as well.
“In the fall of 1976, when Debbie first applied for a warehouse job with Levi Strauss & Co., she recalled that I was the one that interviewed her and told her that ‘pick-pack’ was very hard work,” Ed said. “She said, ‘That’s OK, I’m used to hard work. I’ve picked tobacco. Nothing is as hard as picking tobacco.’ Today Debbie demonstrates the same drive and determination ‘to get the job done’ as she did all those years ago.”
So, what passes the Debbie test when it comes to her current job? “People with a good attitude, where you can tell they’re ready to come to work,” she said.
Debbie loves meeting new people, and it’s a good thing — she sees about 500 people each year in her role. When potential candidates turn the tables on her and ask why they should work at LS&Co., she gives them her reasons for staying.
“It’s a good time for the company — and you don’t always hear that from someone who’s been working at a place for 40 years,” she says. “I love the people, I love what I do, and I love the product.”
Of course, that level of loyalty is built on more than the work and people alone. Debbie credits the company’s values, culture and its dedication to doing right by its employees as another bonus. She notes the work of the Red Tab Foundation as another source of pride.
And when she’s not in the office? You’ll find her crafting, or with her dog, Bruce — likely in her favorite pair of Levi’s®, a pair of 580s, whose fit has never been better, she says.