10 May 2026 Working 9 to 5: What a way to make a friendship
By Rita Halter Thomas
Some friendships start in childhood, or develop in college, but some of the best bonds begin at work. Somewhere between the copier jamming, coffee brewing, and coordinating projects to meet deadlines, friendships are formed. For two pairs of women in the 501, their bond didn’t just make work a little better. It made life a little brighter.
Staff Accountant Ashley Harwood and Administrative Assistant Autumn Fulton, who both just survived another tax season at Harwood, Ott & Fisher PA, found working together natural and effortless. “Since Autumn moved from our Perryville office to the Conway office, we just clicked,” said Ashley, who has been with the company 17 years. Autumn joined the firm 20 years ago but has worked in the Conway office for the last 10 years.
“We just hit it off,” Autumn echoed. “[Ashley] is kind, funny, and her sarcasm is the best.”
The two initially bonded over commonalities. Both came from big families and discovered they shared several mutual friends. Their work quickly fell in sync, and their ability to read one another became their superpower.
“Autumn has always been so easy to get along with,” Ashley said.
“We’ve worked together long enough to know what the other needs without having to be asked. I can always count on her to jump in on any situation. I don’t know how I could work without her.”
Autumn reciprocated. “We do whatever we can to help each other make it on our crazy, busy days. Ashley is our ‘go-to’ on all things, and if she doesn’t know it, she figures it out.” Whether it’s crunching numbers, analyzing spreadsheets, or life, they value the relationship. “Having work friends who care about your life outside of work is a blessing,” Autumn said. “We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, and we’ve helped each other through the toughest days.”
Another dynamic duo can be found at Conway’s First Community Bank. Lori Melton, senior vice president/business development and Tara Mallett, mortgage loan originator, have been friends for about 10 years, and coworkers for five. Although they met outside their current workplace, when Lori hired Tara for an opening in business development, something unexpected happened.
“She had banking and sales experience, so it was a win/win,” Lori said. “What I didn’t expect was the immediate bond we had. After all, there is a 22-year age gap. But after getting to know her, we realized we had led similar lives, just decades apart.”
Tara agreed. “The bond was instant! I was her advertising rep many years ago and always looked up to Lori.” Both describe themselves as always looking to keep things fun and entertaining, even while tag-teaming to get things done. “I call her ‘Lori 2.0,’ the new and improved version of me,” Lori joked. “We even show up to work a lot wearing the same color.”
“Lori and I keep each other sane. Well, most days,” Tara laughed. “We are similar in so many ways. It’s nice to have someone in your corner both in your personal life and work life.”
For the bank, their bond not only brings joy to the workplace, but helps them get things done. “I can always count on [Tara] to help me with projects, and she can always count on me to give her referrals,” Lori said. When working events, these two operate like the Wonder Twins. “When we are together, 1+1=3,” Lori said.
Like the previous pair, both agree their superpower is less about work and more about simply being there for each other. “She’s really the daughter I never had,” Lori said. (And yes, they joke about Tara’s tasks for Lori’s elder care, or about putting the FUN in her eventual funeral.)
Jokes aside, Lori says it’s nice to have someone she can unload on when life gets overwhelming, and vice versa. A simple text saying, “I need lunch,” is code for needing to talk, blow off steam, or decompress. Tara agrees, and says Lori provides the lift she needs, often with laughter. “When I need a minute, I just walk upstairs and sit in Lori’s office. Chances are, I’ll leave with a good story, a good laugh, and a light heart.”
While work may have brought these colleagues together, their friendships are what truly inspire. When women support women in the workplace, the result is powerful. Work gets better, and life gets a little brighter. In the end, it isn’t about tasks or titles. It’s about the people who stood beside us, encouraged us, and made our lives better simply by being a part of them.
