Melba Harrison joined SRI’s expanding staff as a switchboard operator in 1961. Her career progressed rapidly through a series of positions, culminating in the title of Senior Supervising Receptionist, with a staff of six reporting to her.
As the lead receptionist at the main entrance, Melba was often a client’s first impression of SRI. Many organization theorists have written about the importance of such front-line communicators as Melba Harrison, describing them as the most important link to company business in the organization. In Melba’s case, this proved to be true. In fact, the title receptionist was a misnomer, for Melba created and redefined this role.
To be responsive to her clients’ needs, Melba became familiar with the complexities of SRI’s research in many diverse fields. Her knowledge of SRI’s research combined with her extraordinary memory for names and faces made clients feel welcomed. She was appreciated by clients and visitors from all parts of the world. Her response to the thousands of varied personalities that approached her desk was unfailing helpfulness, knowledge, and cheer.
Melba considered changing careers only once. In the early sixties, she told a vice president she was considering getting into the field of computers because it seemed to be a growing area. The vice president told her, No, computers were just a passing fad.
From her beginning days in 1961 to her retirement in 1995, Melba Harrison touched the world with integrity, wisdom, and kindness. Melba represented SRI under six SRI Presidents, beginning with E. Finley Carter. Three of these presidents attended her farewell party, and others sent messages. Dr. William P. Sommers described her performance this way:
Melba was much more than a receptionist. Clients and visitors spoke of her as an extraordinary person who went out of her way to make people feel welcome. Melba Harrison’s legacy is a wealth of goodwill toward SRI.