Ed Horne is not just October’s employee of the month. He is also one of the most genuinely nice people currently working at Online Stores. Call Ed up on the phone and you won’t hear him sigh or grumble before he says hello. Ask Ed for help and that’s exactly what you’ll get, and it won’t be two or three weeks down the line, either. As a matter of fact, Ed is so top-shelf that if any of us were really as smart as we all think we are, we’d begin each day by asking ourselves one simple question: How can I be more like Ed Horne?
Ed burst onto the OLS scene way back in July 2007, when he was hired as a Customer Service Representative. Within a month, however, Ed was transferred to the Custom Department, where he worked for 11 months before once again being moved, this time to the Wholesales/Sales Department. Of course, as we all know, Ed eventually became a member of the IT Department, but only after what he calls “a long campaign.”
Today, Ed’s official title is Database Administrator, and he is responsible for keeping not only the database but also StoneEdge in tip-top shape. He is also charged with reviewing and uploading spreadsheets created by the Merchandising Department. Despite the importance of these duties, Ed likes to joke that his “primary job” is keeping Crystal Hammersley, his supervisor, happy.
Ed has been married to Ashley Horne, our HR Manager, for nine wonderful years. They are the proud parents of three handsome boys. Gabriel, the couple’s oldest son, is five years old. Ed likes to consider him “the negotiator” because he’s always trying to change the rules of their household through a little wheeling and dealing. “His current campaign is to reduce the hours at Kindergarten from six hours to four.”
Ed and Ashley’s second-oldest son, Elijah, is two years old and a type-one diabetic, receiving four to six insulin injections per day, not to mention finger pricks to check his blood sugar. Don’t think Elijah sits around feeling sorry for himself, though. Ed assures us that he is the family’s “fighter,” constantly starting wars with his older brother and parents.
Finally, last but not least is Ed and Ashley’s son Jakob, who was born just last year. “He’s already getting into everything,” says Ed, “and he’s also not taking any guff from his older brothers.”
Ed says he takes pride in his “geeky-ness”; that he likes to fly his “geek flag pretty high.” His primary hobby is miniature war gaming, and in particular the games Warhammer 40K and Warhammer Fantasy. “I have been seriously involved in the game for 4 years, and I even have a weekly article on one of the biggest 40K blogs.” Ed has also played these games competitively and even won a few tournaments.
Ed’s favorite book is Alien by Allen Dean Foster. His favorite movie is Star Wars and his favorite band in Metallica. He is also a huge Zombie fan and openly admits to having debated the “what ifs” of the impending Zombie invasion. According to Ed, “It’s not a matter of if” zombies will invade the earth, “it’s a matter of when.”
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