Neil O’Hare
Title: Operations Manager
Location you work at: Grandview Warehouse

  • How long have you been working for Winco? Too long….  Started in May 1992, left full-time work in fall ’93 working part-time as needed until April ’97 when I came back full-time after the infamous fire.
  • How did you get started with Winco? It began as a summertime job before college
  • What is your favorite firework? The original Assault Chopper, without wings of course.
  • Share a “Classic” fireworks story from your time with Winco. Fall of ’97 I was told to get my commercial driver’s license so I could start making deliveries for Winco. My maiden voyage was in December ’97 going to Gulf Coast Fireworks in Denham Springs, LA. I left on the trip on a Friday evening after work in Lone Jack and was being unloaded mid-morning the next day at Gulf Coast. Joe Atol asked me to make a delivery for them in Lafayette, LA on my way back home, so they reloaded me and I made that delivery that same day and continued home arriving Sunday morning.The next day I went to work just like any other Monday morning just to get called to the office and get reprimanded by John Barber for being in Lone Jack instead of Louisiana. After I explained to him, I had already been there and back and making an extra delivery to boot he asked to see my log book. Of course, I didn’t have one, nor did I know what one was. I had simply driven there and back straight through only stopping for fuel. At that point it was decided I needed a crash course in Hours of Service and that it was required for Commercial Vehicles to stop at weigh stations. Fairly ironic that now I am tasked with helping Winco entities on DOT compliance. For the record, I can still get from point A to B faster than anyone…
  • What do you like to do in your spare time? I farm outside of my fireworks life, so I really don’t have spare time. I row crop couple hundred acres and raise cattle.
  • Provide your favorite inspirational quote. “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”
  • If you could meet anyone in history, dead or alive who would it be? Ronald Reagan