Heller-Aller

Heller-Aller is the firm in Glen Ellyn, Illinois where Karin Johanson was already doing books in 1974, before her first Canyon Tours trip down the Grand Canyon and where she continued to work after marriage until her retirement in 1999. Since her retirement mentions the United Auto Workers,^DW69 it is possible that Heller-Aller is a manufacturing company in the auto supplier industry.

The receptionist was named Betsy.^DW53

In 1999, Cyndee, a young black girl, worked in the mailroom. Cyndee was attending a local community college.^DW65

Heller-Aller was the kind of place that expected their female workers to wear heels all day. Karin had family pictures on her computer desktop including one with her daughter with two friends and surfboards. Her life there was separate from her family as her husband hadn't visited her office in years, but still her children knew how to find her desk.

Heller-Aller had a scholarship program for employee's dependents. They paid Georgia Tech $5000 a year while Jon Chladek went there.^AT8

- - - - -

Real World Note:

From context, Heller-Aller is supposed to be a fictional company, possibly an auto parts supplier, but a real Heller-Aller did exist. It was a leading maker of windmills and the associated water pumps. They started business in 1886, and was purchased in 1995 by Hitzer Corporation. See www.hitzer.com.