Tuscaloosa, AL – July 24, 2025 – AFFLINK is proud to honor and celebrate the retirement of Denise Hargrave, the company’s longest-serving employee, who will officially retire on July 31, 2025, after an extraordinary 35-year career.
Denise began her professional journey in May 1990 with Anniston Paper in Anniston, Alabama—one of the original distribution houses owned by Affiliated Paper Company. She was hired into the Customer Service department by Michael Conrad, now President of NSA and the AFFLINK liaison for that Strategic Account. Her career soon flourished as she took on roles in Inventory Control and Purchasing, always demonstrating a commitment to excellence and adaptability.
In 1996, Denise transferred to AFFLINK’s headquarters in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where she became a foundational part of the National Accounts team. Her leadership and versatility led her to serve as Strategic Account Coordinator, New Business SAC, and eventually as Supervisor of both the Account Coordinators and Customer Service departments. In the latter part of her career, she played a key role in proposal development, marketing initiatives, and most recently, in supporting the Packaging division.
“Throughout my 30+ years at AFFLINK, I've had the chance to work with incredible teams and contribute to many areas of the business,” Denise shared. “Along the way, I got married and raised two wonderful children, both of whom are now grown and living in Huntsville. Jeff and I plan to take short trips in our camper until his retirement next year. After that, we will relocate to Huntsville to be closer to our sons and plan to travel for extended periods and enjoy the next phase of life together.”
Denise’s legacy is woven into the fabric of AFFLINK. As the company’s longest-tenured employee to date, her unwavering dedication, institutional knowledge, and leadership have left an indelible mark. Her presence will be deeply missed by colleagues across the organization.
Please join us in congratulating Denise on an exceptional career and wishing her the very best in her well-deserved retirement.