Schou employee receives the Royal Medal of Recompense

When principal shareholder Jørgen Schou started his career in what was then the Schou Hardware Store, he was a ten-year-old boy, hired to sweep the floor of the warehouse. Ole Jacobsen was already one of the employees. And still is. On 15 March, Ole Jacobsen can celebrate his 50th anniversary with the company, which has grown to become an international wholesale company with the name Schou Company. In recognition of his long and loyal service, Ole has been awarded the Royal Medal of Recompense.

There are not many people from Ole Jacobsen’s generation who have been employed for 50 years. There are even fewer who have spent that time in the same company. But Ole Jacobsen has done just that, having started in the warehouse at the then Schou Hardware Store in Vamdrup on 15 March 1971 and continuing to work for the company, as it grew into Schou Company, an international wholesale company.

50 years of service

This is why Ole Jacobsen is receiving the Royal Medal of Recompense, which according to the Danish Royal Family’s website, is “awarded to an individual for 40 or 50 years of loyal service to the same private employer.”

“I’ve known Ole since when I started at the company as a ten-year-old boy,” explained principal shareholder Schou Company, who turned sixty last year.

“Our company is enriched with excellent and loyal employees and we have celebrated a great many 10th, 25th and 30th anniversaries over the years. But only Ole could celebrate his 40th and now his 50th anniversary with the company. It is hugely impressive and I very much appreciate his loyalty and efforts at Schou,” said Jørgen Schou.

Jørn Busch started as an apprentice at Schou in 1973. He remembers Ole from that time: “He was one of three adults who had to manage the apprentices. A calm and quiet person. Not one for grand gestures and well-liked by the apprentices.”

Former warehouse manager Asger Sørensen added:

“Ole was always great at finding practical solutions and great at helping the customers.”

Empties a whole container on his own

Team Lead Dennis Johansen, who is Ole Jacobsen’s manager at the Schou Company warehouse in Vojens, agreed with the other two men:

“Ole is a nice guy to have around and he is pure gold for us because he always turns up and helps when there’s a need for it.”

Today, Ole Jacobsen typically works 2-3 days a week. But Dennis Johansen knows that he can always count on Ole Jacobsen if there is a need for an extra pair of hands.

“If the rest of us are too busy to do it all, I can always count on Ole and he is not afraid to take it on. For example, I can remember last year when at one point we had loads of goods that came in and we were struggling to unpack it all. Ole turned up and emptied a whole container on his own, and we’re talking about a man who is 75 years old,” said Dennis Johansen with obvious respect.

Ole Jacobsen’s 50th anniversary will be celebrated officially when the coronavirus restrictions permit it.