October 16 is National Boss’s Day across the country. We all know that a boss can be the difference between a job you love and one that you dread.
As we have learned from members of #teamADEC, we have a strong management team at ADEC. Managers across ADEC — from house managers to top administration — who are honest, compassionate and patient. Sound like a boss you’d want to work for? We are always hiring!
We are also always looking for ways to grow our employees into leaders, whether it’s through tuition reimbursement or professional development. When employee believe they can be a good leader, we try to give them the chance to prove it.
We asked #teamADEC for nominations for outstanding bosses, and here’s what they had to say about ADEC managers.
Katy Miller, House Manager at Lutz
“My boss at ADEC is awesome because she’s one-of-a-kind. Katy has a passion for her job and cares so much for the guys. They come first and the clients respond so well with Katy. As for the staff, I couldn’t ask for a better boss. I can handle my own, but if there’s anything I can’t do, she’s right there to help me out. She just genuinely cares about staff, whether it’s a full-time staff or a new person coming into the house. I just asked one of our clients what makes Katy so special and he said: ‘When I’m sad, she makes me happy.'”
-Tracy Rousculp
“In the few short months that I have been with ADEC, Katy has been nothing short of exceptional. Katy welcomed me into the Lutz home with open arms and treated me like family. She went above and beyond to ensure that I was comfortable working in the home and provided the training I needed to be successful. Katy took time out of her day to let me know that I was doing a good job in the home and to ask if there was anything that I needed. Katy cares and shows compassion for her staff and our clients daily and her character has left a long-lasting impression on me. I am thankful to have a manager as wonderful as she is and look forward to working with her for years to come.”
-Ashley Schrader
“My boss is awesome because she is very hard working, she never asks staff to do something that she herself would not do. She is kind, caring, companionate, she gives constructive criticism so that you do not think you are just doing bad but she also tells you what you do well. She not only genuinely cares about her clients but about her staff as well. She stands beside us as well as behind us and sticks up for her staff when she needs to. She is the best boss that I have ever had.”
-Monica Shankle
“I have been in the workforce for 40+ years, and I have not come across a boss who is genuine and loyal to not only her staff but the people who we serve.”
-Armetha Maddox
Ashley Frayre, Team Manager at Day Service at Bristol
“Ashley goes above and beyond her job description. She has a kind heart and two very great listening ears. Ashley is not the type of boss to sit back and watch all the DSPs do the work. If you walked into the building you probably would not know she is the boss and I don’t mean that in a bad way. But she is there in the trenches with us. It would not be unusual to walk in and find her holding a mop or helping in the bathroom.”
-Anne Cripe
“In all of my years of working, and all the jobs I’ve had, I have never had a boss like Ashley. You can tell she truly loves her job, her staff, and the people we serve. She does not look at her staff just as staff, but as people. She does not judge anyone. She has a huge heart, and is by far the most caring and understanding boss I have ever had. She is just a great person all around. I’m lucky to have her as my boss.”
-Sarah Medlin
Jessica Koscher, Chief Development Officer
“I consider myself lucky to work for Jess! In order to coordinate events and spread the word about ADEC to the community, our team is constantly collaborating and communicating. Jess recognizes how important team dynamics can be and invests in the development of our team as a whole. She spends time learning about each of our strengths and how we can each contribute to our work. She cares about each of us on a personal level and recognizes what kind of support we each need to be successful. Jess is passionate about what we do at ADEC and forms authentic relationships with the people we serve. She leads by example.”
-Michelle Sokol
“Jess is the kind of person (and boss) who asks how your day is going and is genuinely interested to find out. If you’re struggling, she immediately wants to know what she can do to help you; her caring and compassion is evident on a personal and professional level. Those traits create real, lasting relationships other staff members as well as the individuals we serve. Jess consistently challenges myself and the entire team to create the best work possible, and I’ve learned countless new skills because of her push to do great things. Jess understands how teams function and succeed and she’s taught me more about the value of collaborative teamwork than I thought possible.”
-Joe Kuharic
Dawn Akins, Supported Living Director
“This lady is always going the extra mile and we never have to ask because she already has it handled. We were in a tough situation with staff out and we didn’t have enough people to cover all sites. The only way to cover was to have one person cover two sites, and I was the chosen one. Not a problem, I thought, but I wasn’t sure how we would get through the dinner meal. Without even asking, Dawn volunteered and showed up to give me a hand. That night, the people we serve happened to choose to eat from Applebee’s — which does not deliver. This was going to be an issue. We could go get the food, but two of the individuals were in wheelchairs. This is when Dawn showed up to save the day. She ran and picked up the meals, handled the money, stayed and helped feed — even though she already had plans of her own that evening. She stayed until I was able to get through by myself. She saved the day.
“Personally Dawn is the one person who I can and do depend on to help me when I’m so stressed or can’t seem to find my center, when everything is crazy, which this job can do at times, I can go and spend a few minutes unloading on her and before I know it she has helped me see the answer I was looking for and has brought it all back into focus. She is a wonderful boss and a big asset to all of us in supported living. Thank you, Dawn, for everything you do!”
-Beth Alexander
Stacey Damron, House Manager at Village Women’s
“She rarely takes a day off and is always willing to go the extra mile for staff and the clients. She is beyond knowledgeable when it comes to the ins and outs of this field. Stacey cares deeply about the clients and always has their best interests in mind. ADEC is better because she works here.”
-Rachel Jones
Meghan Thornton, Q-Tech for St. Joseph County
“While she hasn’t been my boss very long, I do have a history of working pretty directly with her and I want to express my feeling she will prove to be an excellent boss. Meghan is a person who has offered to help out whenever and however she could. If I had a conflict in appointments or just needed someone to assist with keeping a client company, she has always been ready to pitch in. She is also open to ideas and suggestions, and all of this is greatly appreciated.”
-Stephanie DeBlase
Lisa Kendall, Vice President of Human Resources
“She sets a great example by being hardworking, caring and generous. She is always helpful to our human resources department and is patient — some of us need that more than others! Lisa is very supportive of her team and that is very comforting during these extremely busy and difficult times. She is very creative and is constantly coming up with new ideas on how to recruit and retain employees. I consider myself very lucky to have her as a boss and a friend.”
-Sue Keller
