Brian at his workspace in Cudahy, with his birthday balloons.

Last week, branch managers surprised South region district manager Brian Bozek for his 50th birthday, showering him with some nice presents and a few gag gifts as well.

“Mary Benz emailed the group about his birthday, but we knew it would be difficult to gather in one place to surprise him,” Cudahy branch manager Kathleen White said. “Since he’d scheduled his first in-person check-in for the day at Cudahy, we planned the surprise for here.”

Along with balloons and cupcakes, branch managers got him a travel mug for the coffee he’s frequently seen drinking, some of his favorite beer (Yuengling) and an accompanying stein glass engraved with the year, and a bottle of Champagne bearing the message “Happy Birthday, Old Man! Enjoy This Without Breaking a Hip.” The gag gifts included adult diapers, denture adhesive, reading glasses and a magnifying glass, ointments for arthritis and muscle pain relief, and a traffic cone alerting everyone of his age.

“I tend to keep my birthday on the down-low, but my district was ready for me,” Brian said. “Kathleen did an amazing job decorating the office I use, and the gifts made me laugh out loud. Most — not all — of the them will be put to use!”

The branch managers who helped organize the surprise and gifts were Kathleen, Mary, Lisa Brooks, Robin Callis, Julie Goebel, Danielle Hansen, Tim Klare, Jason Mermolia, Dee Patel, and Jonathan White.

“I really should not have been surprised they did this,” Brian said. “When I had my hip replacement in August, they sent me balloons, a get well card, and a stuffed beagle, because I have a Beagle and they know I love dogs. I am a very lucky person to be a part of this district, working with this super-talented and fun-loving group of individuals. They are the best!”