So, funny story. Serendipitous, even. I was making my rounds to our local coin dealers in the Philadelphia area, and I happened upon a small coin shop in Northeast Philadelphia which I hadn’t been to before. I went in on a whim, introduced myself, and had a nice conversation with the owner and one of his employees. I was so taken by the good nature and evident knowledge of this young man, that I mentioned to him we might have a position available as an intern in our New York Gallery – the New York store was seeking summer interns at that time. He was excited about the prospect, so I put him in touch with our New York Store Manager and Director of East Coast Retail, Mark Schimel.
Mark was equally impressed, but there were no more positions available in New York. Plus, it was a bit of a commute for Brian to go to New York City every day. Still, I really wanted him to work for us and I didn’t want to miss this chance, as I had a feeling that he would develop into a real asset for our company. I mean, how many qualified (and available) numismatists do you meet, especially with a can-do attitude and a whole lot of enthusiasm? I did what I could to get him into the Philadelphia store as an intern and, with Mark’s help, he started on April 1.
Since then, Brian has proven to be a tremendous asset to our organization. He can do it all. He can wait on customers at the counter. He can answer phones and emails, he inputs purchase orders, he helps sort coin purchases, and he’s become our shipping department! In addition, he works closely with Larry Charney and Head Numismatic Trader Bobby Avena. And sometimes he brings doughnuts, which is always nice for everyone!
I’m happy to announce that beginning in July, Brian will be a full-time member of our team! Frankly, I don’t know how we got along without him before! His bright and sunny disposition, willingness to tackle any task, and desire to learn as much as possible make us very grateful to have him! Welcome Brian Oetzel!
