“Fire-Dex Family” is more than just a catchy saying—it’s a way of operating business and life. Just ask Stacy Foster, a Fire-Dex employee who has been with the company for nearly three decades.  

“I started when I was 18 years old,” says Stacy. “It was my first Monday through Friday job.” Stacy explains that she wanted this kind of schedule so she could still go out and have fun with her friends—but she didn’t think it would last. “I took this job thinking it would be temporary,” she says. “I didn't have any sewing experience when I started.” But still, she was excited to learn.  

Stacy was a sewer for a few years, working her way through the different production stations. After mastering the different aspects of production on the floor, Fire-Dex decided to let Stacy try her hand at something new. By the time she was in her early twenties, Stacy became a turnout supervisor , managing  the production floor. Stacy held this position for over a decade. During her time, she began to see a gap between production and sales. This was a gap she wanted to fill, and Fire-Dex was more than willing to let her try. 

Stacy eventually became the first person in product development and worked to create the process for product change and special orders. Stacy is proud of what she built with the company, saying, “Just the overall quality that we've built into the system is amazing. Now I'm a manager in product development.”  

But Stacy doesn’t plan on staying in one role forever. Even though her position title may change, Stacy knows that she will never leave Fire-Dex. “There's nowhere else I'd rather go.”  

Stacy feels like Fire-Dex is so much more than her employer—it’s her family. “The Burkes have seen me through so much,” says Stacy. “Through all three of my marriages, all three of my kids, just the ups and downs of life.”  When Stacy wasn’t sure who to lean on, she knew Fire-Dex would be there. “It's been the one stable thing in my life… It's just been the one thing that I can count on, and I don't worry about.” 

Stacy knows that her job at Fire-Dex has shaped her as a person. “This job has definitely formed me. It's been my whole life.” 

When describing her journey with Fire-Dex, Stacy says this: “A whirlwind. Fire-Dex has seen me through it all—the good, the bad. And I don't ever worry what they think. I know that I've got family, and they care. It's nice knowing that.”  

“If I were to see or talk to a new employee, I would tell them to be patient and ask lots of questions,” Stacy says. “Just take your time in the beginning trying to learn and soak up all the details. There is a lot, and it's overwhelming. But don't give up on yourself. Don't give up.”