Macario Scaliem
At Marpac, Macario Scaliem, who was better known as “Mac,”was remembered as someone who “walked the walk” when it came to being a dependable employee.
“He never said no,” said James Lee, Beverage Sales Manager, and someone who worked with Mac closely. “Even when he was busy, he’d free up his time. As soon as he takes care of what he needs to do he doesn’t just leave the office and say ‘Ok I’m done with my thing.’ If the warehouse is busy, he’ll jump to the warehouse and help. If another employee is busy and needs help he’ll jump in and help. I can say he’s always there for the company. He treated this place like his home.”
Mac began working for MarPac in August 2002, according to Marpac Resident Manager Guy Pudney. Pudney recalled Mac beginning his career at Marpac in the warehouse, where he would take care of products and occasionally make deliveries.
In time, Mac became a salesman, and would handle one of the company’s peddle trucks to make tobacco sales around Saipan.
“He drove around with product ready to sale,” Pudney said, mentioning that as part of his responsibilities, Mac needed to compete against other distributor’s sales people for shelf space.
“He was the big brother for everybody,” Lee says, of the impact Mac had on the office. “He was here for a long time, he really took care of everyone and guided them as well.”
Lee says that the knowledge base Mac had was impressive, and “helped a lot.” Lee also adds that although Mac was known for his quiet demeanor, still waters run deep.
“He knew the flow of the warehouse,” Lee said. “He could be quiet but he was very observant. And after he observes, he has an answer for [an issue]. Being in this company for a while, too, it was an easy flow for him, he knows what needs to be done. And then you add on his personality, always willing to help others, that adds in extra.”
Lee and Pudney had many good things to say about Mac’s personality.
For his part, Lee remembered Mac’s humility.
Pudney says that aside from being a hard worker, Mac was also a family man.
“At all of our company gatherings, he was always there. He was one of those guys that wouldn’t miss it and the good thing about Mac is he’d always bring his family,” Pudney shares. “Everyone got to meet his wife and kids. He was very family oriented.”
Today, at the company, he’s survived by his son, Macgerry Scaliem.
Macgarry Scaliem
“I wanted to continue his legacy here,” Macgarry said. “[Dad] was here for a long time. I wanted to come and work here too. It’s a really good company.”
Macgarry laughed as he confirmed that his father did indeed take the family to Marpac events.
“I wasn’t even working here but I felt like it. I was always coming to the parties. I felt like I was part of the family,” he says.
Today, Macgarry follows in his father’s footsteps, working in the warehouse.
“[Dad] would bring trucks to the house all the time,” he laughs. “It made me want to work here too. I want to drive the big trucks too.”
Macgarry shareed that his father was a Budweiser man, who enjoyed the King of Beers the most out of all the products Marpac distributed. At the company, Macgarry said his dad is someone to emulate.
“I got oba big shoes to fill,” Macgarry says. “I don’t know if I can, but I’m going to try.”
When Macario Scaliem passed away on July 1st, 2021, after nearly 20 years of service to his company, Marpac knew they had to send him off the right way.
To that end, Pudney arranged for the entire fleet of vehicles to escort Mac’s hearse and casket along the funeral route. According to Pudney, this included three six bay delivery trucks, two vans, one flat bed vehicle, peddle trucks, and more in the convoy.
“You had cars pulling over trying to figure out what’s going on,” Pudney says. “We were getting comments saying you guys know how to send your employee off.”
“It was an honor to be in that convoy for him,” says Lee. “[We] gave him a lot of love and recognition.”