05/29/2026
It’s rare these days to find employees who work at the same company for multiple decades. Lately, it can be equally rare for a small or medium company to exist for that length of time. But that’s what Clark County residents Donna Boetticher, Sue Nokes, and their employer, Bosca Accessories have in common.
Combined, the two women have a little more than 100 years working at the internationally known leather goods company based in Springfield. But their employment years still don’t add up to the amount of time that Bosca has been in existence.
A strong desire to work as an artisan in the United States brought Hugo Bosca from Italy in the first quarter of the 20th century. He eventually settled in Springfield, and in 1911, Bosca created a high quality leather brand of accessories primarily for men with a limited inventory of women’s wallets and handbags. His entrepreneurial dream drove the company to international blue chip status, employing more than two hundred workers until downsizing through organic attrition.
For more than 40 years, Hugo’s grandson Chris Bosca was at the helm, guiding the company through a catastrophic economic collapse and a pandemic. In 2025, his decision to retire meant the business would be sold or shuttered, which could have created an uncertain employment future for Bosca veteran workers Nokes and Boetticher. They have had diverse roles in maintaining Bosca’s premium status.
“I rounded corners on wallets and put decorations on, I put buttons on. I look for scratches and proper stitching. I’ve done a little bit of everything,” Sue Nokes said.
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