“I can say, hands down, this is the best company I ever worked for,” said Wanda Rodriguez, a former Worley and Obetz employee.
Rodriguez planned to retire at Worley and Obetz.
“We had a very family oriented workplace. Everyone was open to our policy. Very family oriented. Everyone cared about each other. We weren’t a number, we were people,” said Rodriguez.
She worked for the company for eight years.
Now she, and about 250 other employees, are left without a job and without answers.
“We just literally came into work one morning and we had a meeting fairly early and it was heart wrenching for them to even say it,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was a part of the first wave of employees to be laid off after Worley and Obetz learned an executive with the company was being investigated for potential fraud.
Despite efforts to keep the company afloat, including liquidating his life savings, owner Seth Obetz was forced to announce on Monday that the company would be shut down.
“To this day they’re mourning. Not just the loss of the company, but the devastation the employees are now experiencing. I’m sure they’re feeling horrible, but I just want to let them know, this is not their fault and we do not blame them,” said Rodriguez.
As for the next steps, Rodriguez says she has been in touch with a few other energy companies in the area about potential employment.
Some companies, like Aero, for example, want former Worley and Obetz employees to know they are there for them.
“It’s kind of tragic. I feel bad for that company, but now we are focusing on maybe helping some of those customers and employees out where we can and pick up some of them,” said Jim Sperry, CEO of Aero.
Sperry says he encourages former Worley and Obetz employees to reach out, especially HVAC technicians.
He also wants customers to know they are there for them as well.
“Companies like Areo are ready to help them out,” said Sperry.
Aero will now be servicing delivery trucks to 18 giant food stores, which was one of Worley and Obetz’s biggest customers.
They encourage other customers to reach out as well.
It is also worth noting, Shipley Energy said in a statement they too are ready to help out former Worley and Obetz customers and employees.