Bill Bates of Belletetes Announces Retirement

Upon retiring, Bill doesn't plan to be idle. He'll be out in the community as a credit and collections consultant, helping small businesses keep their accounts receivables under control as well as helping throughout the community wherever possible. Caption and Photo: Charlie Darling — Upon retiring, Bill doesn’t plan to be idle. He’ll be out in the community as a credit and collections consultant, helping small businesses keep their accounts receivables under control as well as helping throughout the community wherever possible. Caption and Photo: Charlie Darling

Saturday, December 17, will be Bill Bates’ last day at Belletetes. After 25 years as Vice President and General Manager at R. P. Johnson and Son and the past three-plus years as General Manager of Belletetes’ Andover and Sunapee locations, Bill is retiring.

Steve and Bryan Johnson brought Bill on board at the end of 1988 as the family-owned business was expanding out of the old mill location into today’s retail store on Mill Road and, not too long after, across the street into the drive-through lumber yard and Millwork Showcase. Bill shouldered the responsibility for human resources, credit, training, and operations, freeing Steve and Bryan to concentrate on growing the business.

One of the accomplishments of which Bill is proudest is working with Steve to bring the We Build It Forward program to RPJ (and ultimately to Belletetes), empowering and motivating employees and the community as a whole to tackle important comfort, convenience, and safety projects for our neighbors in need.