Our popular checkout colleague Jim Cutaia is known to everyone at Asda Falkirk as “American Jim” – and he's as well known for his friendly service and smile as he is for his accent.
Jim, who's 75, was born in Canada but later moved to California and regards himself as a Californian. He moved to Scotland with his wife May, who's originally from Falkirk, because she wanted to be near her family. The couple have been married for nearly 52 years and have a son, Aaron, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Before joining Asda 14 years ago Jim worked as a computer programmer but says he enjoys having more of a customer-facing role.
One of his regular customers, Marion Convoy, got in touch on Facebook to say how Jim brightens up everyone's day. She told us: “He’s a wonderful man. Always smiling. It’s a pleasure to be served by him.”
Carol Johnstone, people manager at the store, said: "He's a really lovely man – the type of man who would go out of his way for anyone.
"Customers will go to him every day because he's so happy; he has a smiling face and he cares. If you spoke to him one day about your brother he'll always ask after him. We get lots of nice customer comments about him all the time. They all call him "American Jim". He really cares for the individual, he has the highest respect for every one."
Jim started in the store's deli and then worked as a greeter before moving to checkouts 11 years ago. Over time he’s got to know lots of customers and has regulars who will wait to be served by him.
He said: “I try to treat each customer the same. I have regulars that I have extra banter with. I’ve got a customer, Diane, that will come in every Thursday and wait until I’ve finished my break so I can serve her.
“Another regular is a guy who comes in about lunchtime – we both keep budgies and we have a blather. He’s invited me round to his house a couple of times.
“I enjoy it when it gets really busy because I feel like I’m in a cocoon. I ignore the queue and concentrate on the customer in front of me and try to give each one the same attention.
“My dad and his brothers owned a hotel in Canada and a nightclub in Santa Fe in California. He was out there talking to people all the time – he was a bar tender most of his life. He had a high-class restaurant and he met some famous people: Eleanor Roosevelt, Joe DiMaggio, Frank Sinatra. I never had a customer-facing job before Asda but maybe some of that has rubbed off on me.”
