ATLANTA — Stefond Harris went from seasonal employee with UPS to a president of Human Resources during a 38-year-career that nearly didn’t happen.
A seasoned security supervisor gave his time and attention to 20-year-old Harris in 1984. Harris calls it the most important hour and fifteen minutes of his life.
“I wanted to quit every night for the first three weeks I was there,” he said. “He took an hour and fifteen minutes. Took me from frustrated and wanting to quit every night. I walked out with my chin up and my chest out.”
That encounter with a man who took the time to encourage and instruct Harris on his truck loading skills convinced the college student to take a new attitude toward his work.
“Sometimes, people miss out on a great career opportunity because of where you start,” he told 11Alive. “I caution people, it’s not about where you start, it’s about getting the opportunity of any time, doing your best, and great things can happen.”
Harris will retire at the end of the year after 38 years worth of great things. His career at UPS includes seven cities and multiple promotions. His encounter with that encouraging security supervisor convinced Harris to be a source of encouragement and inspiration for others.
“I was blessed to work with a series of good bosses who invested in me, that developed me, that coached me,” he explained.
Those bosses include John Jones, the man who gave Harris his first managerial job. The walls of Harris’ office at UPS are filled with inspirational messages given to him by co-workers. Those messages surround a picture of Jones.
“You can change a life in a matter of minutes with something you say,” he added.
Even when he leaves UPS, a legacy of encouragement will remain.
“If I can give one last message it would be to say ‘yes’ to things, to say yes to opportunities, especially the ones that scare you,” said Harris.
His faith tells him that God put him here and kept him here so that he could serve as a wall of inspiration to those around him.