In 1962 Joan Gellermann Seiler answered a newspaper ad for women to work at the Space Needle during the World’s Fair. She initially thought it would be a modeling job, but discovered it was for elevator operators. The Needle specifically wanted tall women to match the theme of this new towering building, and Joan was a perfect recruit at 6’1”. However, when she saw the uniforms they proposed to use, she thought they were hideous. So, she redesigned them, recruiting a friend from her old job at Boeing to help with illustrations for the presentation. Her pitch was a hit and her design for the uniforms— a fitted blue top and skirt with a dramatic red cape – was put into production by Seattle-based company Sportcaster. As head elevator operator, Joan ran the freight elevator which was used to transport celebrity guests. During the fair she met John Wayne, Yuri Gregaran, Henry Mancini, Chubby Checker, Carol Channing, Elvis, and Bruce Lee. She also met her second husband, Theodore Palmer Nykreim Jr,. in the employee breakroom at the Space Needle.