Nordstrom's Only Greeter Becomes a Centenarian
Dec. 30, 2013— -- Nordstrom's only greeter, who has worked for the company for more than 14 years, turned 100 today.
Ted DiNunzio has worked at the Nordstrom department store in Arcadia, Calif., about 15 miles northeast of Los Angeles, since he was 86 years old.
Read More: 99-Year Old Calif. Man Is Nordstrom's Only Greeter
On Friday, the company celebrated his birthday with nearly 1,000 cupcakes, some of which spelled out the number 100.
Some 14 years ago, the manager asked him to have a cup of coffee and offered him a job to be a store greeter. He works now on Fridays and Saturdays from about 10 to 5, with a one-hour lunch break and 10-minute rest period.
DiNunzio is the only greeter of Nordstrom's 261 stores in 35 states, a spokesman for Nordstrom confirmed.
When asked whether he will ever stop working at Nordstrom, he has said, "I will keep on working until I can't work anymore."
DiNunzio previously said the key to longevity is eating lot of vegetables and steak once in a while.
"Faith and positive attitude, always smile and be happy, that's the secret," DiNunzio said during the 100th birthday celebration, KTLA reported.
DiNunzio could not be reached for comment.
John Bailey, a spokesman for Nordstrom, said the centenarian and his family were planning to have a small celebration on his actual birthday, but on Sunday, DiNunzio went to the race track, one of his favorite pastimes.
Marcille Hughes, the store manager at Nordstrom Westfield Santa Anita, said in a statement, "Ted inspires others, he creates an environment that's welcoming and fun. "He has a belief that you need to treat people with kindness and smile. It works for him and works for all of us around him. He truly brightens everyone's day."
