Joel comes from a family of 15 children—one girl and 14 boys. He is now 71 years old but doesn’t plan on letting that slowing him down.

“My father lived 90 years, my mother 98. I don’t want to live to 98, but maybe 95,” Joel says with a laugh.

When he’s not working, Joel enjoys running, soccer, and baseball. In fact, his desire to be active is what initially drove him to get a job as a DI associate.

“I don’t work for money, I work to be active,” Joel says. “I’m very happy to be working here with this company. A lot of other places don’t give you the opportunity to work [at my age].”

Joel’s responsibilities at DI have included sorting books, electronics, and shoes. He is an extremely hard worker and loves feeling accomplished.

“I don't play around—I just keep working,” Joel says of his work ethic.

Prior to working at DI, Joel lived in Mexico, where he was a mechanic. After immigrating to the United States, he worked on the oil rigs in Texas.

Joel’s philosophy in life is to treat others with respect. He always seeks to make friends rather than doing anything to harm a relationship, which has been particularly important in his current position.

“Don’t close doors, because it’s hard to go inside again,” Joel says. “It's better to leave the doors open so anytime you need to walk in, it’s easy to walk in.”