ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, April 15, 1997                TAG: 9704150103
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-6  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON THE ROANOKE TIMES

SOME OLDER WORKERS FIND AN EMPLOYMENT NICHE WITH MAIL-ORDER COMPANY

A third of the Retired Persons Services center's 819 mostly part-time employees are over age 50.

The typical job-seeker using the services of the Virginia Employment Commission's Roanoke office might best be described as young or middle-aged.

However, 4 percent are 55 years or older, according to Marjorie Skidmore, the office's manager.

Some of those older workers have found employment with Retired Persons Services. RPS of Alexandria manages the mail-order pharmacy service for members of the American Association of Retired Persons. Its telemarketing operations are in Roanoke.

Each day, between 20,000 and 40,000 AARP members in the United States call a toll-free number that rings in the Roanoke call center of RPS to order prescription drugs and handle other pharmacy business. A third of the center's 819 mostly part-time employees are over 50. The presence of many older workers isn't by design; the company recruits on college campus as well as in publications targeted to senior citizens. But it suits RPS just fine.

"The older worker can offer a lifetime of experience that meets our goal of providing excellent customer service," said Gene Gioielli, vice president of customer service. "They are generally sensitive to our customers' needs, since a significant percentage of our customers are senior citizens. The qualities found in the older worker include dependability, loyalty and a sense of commitment."

Older people who want jobs find help from other services than the VEC, such as Green Thumb International, a nonprofit organization that offers people 55 and older job leads and training.

Friday, Green Thumb's Roanoke office will launch a temporary staffing service to place older workers, called Experience Works! Staffing Services. Those interested may attend the job fair at Valley View Mall in Roanoke between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. For information, call (540) 562-2937.

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