Kuntz Electroplating Inc. has clearly stood the test of time — proudly 72 years in business this year.

A family-owned and operated business since 1948, Kuntz’s success as a local business leader is reflected in its legacy of charitable giving. In fact, the Kuntz family and their employees have supported United Way for so long during it’s 80 year history that no records go back far enough to show the full picture of their exceptional generosity.

What we do know is that in the past 15 years alone, Kuntz’s exceptional generosity has exceeded $650,000.

Mirroring that long-time legacy of service is Donna Diebel, the face of human resources and public relations who started working at Kuntz at the age of 19. Now at 58, she’s still doing her thing, remaining loyal to Kuntz and as Employee Campaign Coordinator of the company’s United Way campaign.

Donna sets a tremendous example for volunteerism. For more than 38 years, she has been an enthusiastic cheerleader for various United Way-funded programs and services and is now our longest serving employee campaign manager.

“I’m coming up on my 40th year at Kuntz in September,” Donna says.

 “I first started as a receptionist in 1980. By age 22, the Kuntz family thought I had a good way of dealing with our employees and encouraged me to go into what was then called personnel. By 1990, I was the company’s Human Resource Manager. The Kuntz family still own, operate and manage this company — and when you’ve worked for the same family for so long, you feel like you’ve become part of the family. It’s the third generation of Kuntz family that manage the company now. We grew up here together at the company over the past 40 years.”

Donna says United Way’s community focus makes it a natural fit for Kuntz, which now employs 400 people.

“That’s the kind of company we are and this is just a great way to help the entire community,” Donna says. “It’s like a one-time gift and look at all the different things you’re supporting. United Way has a legacy here. Kuntz and its employees continue to support the United Way as it continues to give back to our community.”

“Everybody has their own histories and they sometimes say, ‘You know what? There was a time when my mom was a single mom and United Way helped us.’ Or, ‘My family didn’t have two pennies to rub together and it was United Way that helped us at that time.’ We at Kuntz have listened, appreciated and valued those stories.”