Rob Bruce Baron has helped set the stage for ABC’s “The View” since the show launched in August 1997, and today, May 25, marked his final day of work before officially retiring after 40 years in television.

In celebration of Baron’s contributions, moderator Whoopi Goldberg took time to share information about the show’s lead stage manager as he prepares to enjoy the simple life.

“He started his career as a 15-year-old production assistant on the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention. He’s stage managed sports, sitcoms, game shows and talk shows. He was a lounge singer in Chicago and he was a voiceover actor,” shared Goldberg, while noting some biographical information about Baron during his entertainment career. When not being a stage manager, Baron owns and operates an alpaca farm with 70 alpacas.

Reminiscing for a moment about Baron, Goldberg revealed that when the show moved from its old digs at 320 West 66th Street in New York before relocating to ABC’s New York Headquarters, she had to beg him to stay with the show. 

“I begged him to come over and be here because I was afraid to be here by myself,” said Goldberg, recalling when she was the only returning personality at the opening of the show’s new season in September 2014. 

“I didn’t know who was going to be here and what was going to happen and he said, ‘Okay!’ So he’s retiring today, cause there is other stuff for him to do and so we just wanted to say “We love you!”

Watch the clip below.