Very similar to the workings of a clock, a company can solely work correctly if its transferring components – the employees – do what they should. Right here at American Time, we acknowledge the significance of these whose work usually goes unnoticed similar to upkeep staff – so we determined to provide them the popularity they deserve by internet hosting our first-ever Upkeep Hero Contest.
The competition was open to any group in any business that wished to appoint a valued upkeep skilled who routinely goes above and past within the office however receives little recognition for it.
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And the Grand Prize Goes to…
This yr’s Upkeep Hero is Elmer Gable, Upkeep Director at Kingsway Christian College in Orrville, Ohio.
Nominators famous his sturdy sense of service, technical ability, willingness to go above and past with out grievance, and his group involvement. His mentorship of youngsters inside and outdoors of faculty is making a major distinction of their lives.
“I used to be very shocked,” Elmer says about successful the $3,000 American Time product credit score. He thought a a lot bigger college or enterprise would win. “I by no means dreamt that we’d get chosen for the grand prize.”
Little did he know, 11 of the college’s 50-person employees would write glowing nominations to earn him the grand prize.
“What can I say, it is fairly humbling,” he says of the variety of nominations he acquired.
Elmer Gable, a Humble Servant
After working 40 years for Schantz Organ Firm, making his manner up the management ladder to turn into a design and structure engineer, the corporate skilled declining enterprise and Elmer was laid off.
There weren’t many job openings in his business on the time, however one among his former colleagues, who was a father to a Kingsway scholar, knowledgeable him of the accessible place on the college.
Greater than a yr after being laid off, Elmer began working at Kingsway, the place he is labored for seven years.
“Over time, I used to be uncovered to completely different expertise that lent itself to working right here,” he says.
Now, a one-man upkeep machine, he both fixes it or finds somebody who can. Generally he will get assist from college students as effectively.
Apart from his paid work at Kingsway, he additionally teaches boy’s ministry, sings within the choir and serves on the Elder Board on the church.
Notable nominations
A lot of Elmer’s nominations included widespread themes – laborious work, constructive angle, kindness, and a servant’s coronary heart.
“He works numerous hours and makes sacrifices in order that our college can proceed to operate,” Ashleigh Kuhns, operations supervisor, says in her nomination. “He’s a plumber, electrician, custodian, repairman, gardener, mover, mechanic, fireman, and any and the whole lot else we may have on any given day.”
Doug Yoder, a bodily training and well being trainer, says “Elmer has at all times been an excellent steward of the assets accessible to him,”
Janie Terwilliger says he goes above and past his duties, at all times with a cheerful disposition. “He exemplifies true Christian values and is an excellent position mannequin to youngsters in addition to employees and academics,” she says.
Plans for the prize cash
Gable plans to make use of his prize cash to switch the college’s management unit. “That piece of apparatus has its points,” he says. He is additionally been ready for the college’s permission to spend cash on substitute components for a lot of of their clocks.
“I am very grateful and really feel actually blessed that we received this,” he says. “Like all non-public faculties, we’re always struggling for funds to deal with issues. This may positively be an enormous assist to us.”
Gail Good, a custodian at Carter’s Valley Elementary College in Church Hill, Tennessee, and Kevin Bowles, lead upkeep at Windsor Excessive College in Windsor, Colorado, had been the runners-up. Every runner-up acquired $1,000 in product credit score.
