Dec 29, 2017
When ASD moved from our old building to our current facility
back in 2007, we knew how imperative it was to find an office we could grow
into over time. It’s incredible to look back at that period over a decade ago
and see how many of our employees have remained a part of the ASD family. The
longevity of our staff is truly a testament to the supportive company culture
we have worked hard to foster. At the same time, it has been quite inspiring
for us to welcome so many new highly skilled and dedicated individuals into our
employment.
Though our company has grown exponentially over the past ten
years, we have never lost that feeling of a small, family-owned company. We
highly encourage
staff interactions through collaborative projects, team
building exercises, social activities, athletic competitions, volunteer
events…you name it! This is because we want everyone at ASD to remain connected
as we grow and evolve as a company.
In support of these efforts, ASD recently introduced a new
“ASD Extra Mile Award” that gives our employees the opportunity to commend one
another for a job well done. Every month, several of our employees are selected
based on nominations submitted by their co-workers and featured in ASD’s
monthly newsletter,
The Team ASD Times. This award fosters positivity in the
office and helps us to spotlight employees who go above and beyond to do a good
job at ASD. Since this award was first introduced last fall, employees in each one of ASD’s different departments have
been featured. Our staff appreciates being able to recognize their fellow
colleagues and the different ways they contribute positively to ASD.
We will be regularly
sharing “ASD Extra Mile Award” Winners on our blog. Below are the first 20 ASD
employees to receive this distinguished honor.
1. Sue Norbeck
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in July 1994
“Sue is such an efficient and outstanding Supervisor. She
always goes above and beyond and gives more than 100%! It is always a pleasure
working with her.”… “Sue infuses our Operations team with her optimistic
energy. She is critical to ASD’s team atmosphere.”…“Sue knows the ins and outs
of ASD’s call center without a doubt, she always has an answer. She is always
there when you have a question. She is always willing to help, very easy to
talk to, and knows every detail of the system.”…“Sue is always ready to manage
any situation with a smile and provide you with professional assistance without
any hesitation. If an employee discovers a mistake on an account, she always
makes sure it gets corrected follows up with each employee to give an update.
She is a unique and dedicated employee.”… “Anyone who knows Sue can attest to
her kind, empathetic and gracious manner. Her guidance has been invaluable to
ASD’s operations team.”…“Beyond her outstanding work ethic, experience and
incredible wealth of knowledge, Sue is also one of the most approachable and
genuine people I’ve ever known.”
2. Bill D’Orazio
Electrical Engineer – ASD’s Technical Team
Joined ASD in February
1971
“If anyone has gone the extra mile at ASD, it’s definitely
Bill. Bill always puts in the extra mile: coming on weekends to fix problems,
not using much vacation to handle alarm service calls, etc.”…“Bill is the
only one who knows about fire alarms, building alarms, access control (fobs),
etc.”…“Bill works very hard and could have retired years ago, but he keeps on
keeping on. There likely would be no ASD without Bill.”
3. Dara Dix
Finance Manager – ASD’s Billing Team
Joined ASD in May 1997
“Dara is the all around heart and soul of ASD…She has
been with ASD for over 20 years and for the 16 years we have worked together
she has always gone above and beyond not just for the Finance department, but
for every department at ASD.”….“Dara is the glue that holds ASD together. She
is always available and never too busy for any help or advice that is needed.”…“Dara
does little things to make each and every one of us feel special and
appreciated. She is always smiling and offering helpful friendly advice.”…“Dara
is totally committed to all of ASD’s customers as well as the company. She is
constantly reaching out to customers, monitoring results and making sure they
are on the best call plan.”…“Dara is certainly a person that will go to bat for
a cause. She is constantly volunteering her time at the ASD volunteer functions
and is pivotal in where ASD stands as a company.”…“Dara gives great advice and
is always willing to help in any way she can. She is always coming up with new
ideas for the Tech Department to help things run smoother in the Support apps
for all departments as well.”…“Dara never fails to make employees feel
appreciated for what they do and is a pleasure to be around.”
4. Andrew (Andy) Troutt
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in January 2012
“Andy has always been so professional. He is a great
team leader. I’ve heard clients specifically ask for Andy when they have a
problem.”…“Andy encourages you and when there is something that needs to be
addressed, he handles the situation in such a delicate yet professional way.”…“Andrew
never misses work, he is always kind and fair and easy to talk to. I miss
having him as my lead! He works on 2nd shift, which we all know is the busiest
shift yet he manages it all, from going over things with his team to helping
assistant supervisors.”
5. Renee Mancer
Training Supervisor – ASD’s Training & HR Team
Joined ASD in March 1994
“Renee is a veteran at ASD. She is also an instructor here
and is constantly striving to make sure that all the information she has is up
to date to assist in producing the best candidates for this ever-evolving
atmosphere.”…“Renee is such a FANTASTIC teacher and I look up to her, she
really goes the extra mile and gives great insight and explanation when helping
me with anything I’ve ever had a question about.”…“Renee has made me into a
better ASD employee by answering my questions and following up with
explanations or examples, sending me in the right direction towards success. She
is someone who is always approachable when questions arise.”…“Renee has proven
her dedication to the company time and time again, both through her exemplary
work ethic and outstanding attendance. She has trained so many of ASD’s
long-standing employees.”…“I feel I have grown into a better employee
because of Renee.”…“Renee jumps at the chance to be part of any volunteer
function that ASD has. She is the epitome of a truly devoted and caring
employee and I believe she is honestly deserving of the ASD Extra Mile Award
since she always goes the extra mile.”
6. Kristy Soderland
Technical Analyst – ASD’s Technical Team
Joined ASD in November 2005
“Kristy is always willing to help with a smile, not afraid
to tackle tough issues!”…“Kristy always goes the EXTRA Mile to help with
system issues!”…“I think we can all agree that Kristy is the glue that holds
this place together.”…“Kristy recently helped PCS to implement a
“synopsis” feature for our Daily Report of accounts, saving the
customer service department valuable time each day.”…“Kristy is always
available for home computer issues, which alleviates stress in
Operations!”…“Kristy does an excellent job communicating technical updates and
issues.”…“Kristy is always very friendly and professional at all times. She
assists all times throughout the day with home computer issues. She
communicates to Supervision with updates from the technical team. She is
Superwoman!!!”
7. Eric Oppeltz
Assistant Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in March 2015
“Eric is one of the most selfless, hard working people
I have ever met. For the past two years, he has hardly ever needed to miss a
day of work. He is extremely pleasant and always puts a smile on my face. Eric
has even walked to ASD from his home in a snow storm and made it to ASD for his
shift.”…”Eric recently agreed to become a Call Specialist Trainer.
He has been taking great calls and has always been eager to help, so it made
the entire Supervisory team and many of the Call Specialists very happy that he
agreed to become a Trainer.”…”I can’t say enough good things about
Eric. He has offered to help jump cars, carry out home computers, and even
though he just worked a full shift, he will help cover hours for Call
Specialist’s in need. For a while, we had a dip in the graph, right around 11p.
Eric was always the one to extend himself an extra 20-30 mins after his shift
to accommodate that dip.”
8. Jen Hoban
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in June 2000
“I would like to nominate Jen because no matter how bad
your day is, she makes you smile. She has such a positive energy.”…“Jen is
always there to answer any questions you have concerning work and even if you
just need to talk about life.”…“Jen is always available and willing to help with
questions, issues and open hours.”…“Jen’s years of experience have only
enhanced her level of excellent customer service. She is always professional
and patient with clients and staff alike.”…“Jen will always take time to
explain an issue and how to resolve it. She answers every question without
hesitation and always has a positive attitude. You can never tell if anything
is wrong with her because she always has a smile on her face.”…“Jen’s
initiative working open hours has set a great example for the rest of us to
follow. Her patience and calm demeanor should be mirrored by all.”
9. Sandy Palmore
Human Resources Administrator – ASD’s Training/HR Team
Joined ASD in July 2004
“Sandy P. is the BEST! She is a great listener! She
will help you with anything HR related even when she has a lot going on…Her
role within the company is key to the relationship between employees and
employer….Sandy does a great job of helping and supporting each and every one
of ASD’s employees. She makes sure everyone understands all of the different
benefits available and keeps everyone informed of changes or updates. We’d all
be lost without Sandy!”
10. Will Chicola
Technical Analyst – ASD’s Technical Team
Joined ASD in October 2008
“Will goes above and beyond for every department to
ensure our technology is properly functioning so that we can achieve our job
duties. When something is asked of him to help make our jobs easier, he never
hesitates to do his best to get the task done so quickly!”…“Will is always
available to help in any way he can. If you have a technical issue or question
he will go out of his way to find the answer and make sure you understand the
issue and solution fully.”…“Will is great at giving advice and guidance, and
can always make you laugh.”…“Will always goes above and beyond. Always right
there when you need him. He is continually coming up with ideas that really
help the company as a whole whether it’s the technical, sales, operations, or
billing department.”
11. Lori Bongiovanni
Operations Manager – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in May 2012
“Lori always goes the extra mile to help others. She is very
easy going and easy to approach. I feel comfortable going to Lori with issues
and concerns.”…“Lori takes care of her team of Supervisors and makes sure they
have everything they need to succeed. She always has an open door to help
others when in need and is great directing people as needed in a very professional
and friendly manner.”…“Lori has always been such a great team player.”…“Lori
always has time to speak with you no matter what…She is an all-around nice person
who is genuine and cares.”
12. Andrew McCune
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in March 2014
“Ever since I was hired, Andrew has been very
supportive in every way I’ve needed him to be. I cannot think of any other
employee that deserves this like he does. I owe a lot to him in regards to
growing with the company because any time I was thinking about whether or not I
wanted to go for a new position, he was always pushing me to do
so.”…”Anytime I’ve had a question, Andrew has always taken the time
out of whatever he is doing to assist me.”…”Andrew positively
impacts ASD in a good way every time he is here by the way he treats call specialists,
supervisors, and managers all with respect. If you need him for something, he
is there. That is going the extra mile, and he does that every
day.”…”If someone asked me to describe Andrew in one word, it would
be leadership. Supervisors are a team and Andrew really demonstrates
this.”
13. Anne O’Reilly
Client Solutions Supervisor – ASD’s Customer Service Team
Joined ASD in March 2008
“Anne has a very genuine love for what she does. She is
always happy and smiling.”…“Anne has truly proven herself as an incredible
asset to the company and has a deep understanding of all of ASD’s systems and
training procedures”…“The customer service team works extremely hard behind the
scenes and aren’t recognized nearly enough for the hard work and dedication
they have to ASD and the success of the company. Anne is very good at what she
does and the relationships she keeps with the employees who work under her
leadership is imperative for the department to run as smooth as it does.”
14. Josie Miller
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in June 2013
“Josie is a terrific supervisor, she is always willing to go
the extra step with helping people with any questions they have. She is helpful
in answering questions about funeral home and alarm calls.”… “Josie is always
kind and cheerful which is contagious throughout the company. She is a wonderful
co-worker and the perfect example of what the ASD Extra Mile Award stands
for.”
15. Aaron Wylen
Assistant Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in September 2016
“In his brief year with the company, Aaron has shown,
dedication, responsibility, compassion and loyalty: four key attributes any ASD
employee needs in this industry.”…“Aaron moved to 3rd shift a few months ago
and he acclimated quickly. He is always on time and ready work with a smile and
a pleasant word for everyone despite going to school full time during the day.
After just completing alarm training, he saw a co-worker struggling to follow
the training segments. He offered to share his notes and helped to ease her
anxiety without any prompting. He was so reassuring and knowledgeable, she was
confident enough to take the tests”…“Since I started and met Aaron, I’ve
admired how he handles calls and remains professional. He is a wonderful friend
but when it’s time to learn he’s open to helping and is extremely thorough and
patient when it is time to buckle down. I am confident I will succeed if I am
privileged to continue training with him!”…“Aaron was recently awarded Call
Specialist Trainer. This will positively impact ASD because those who will
train with him in the future will receive the same benefits as anyone who has
trained with him previously! He’s incredibly dedicated!”
16. Lauren Knox
Training Specialist – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in April 2015
“Lauren is the most selfless person there is she is always
helping someone out whether it be a ride to work, covering a shift, organizing
a fund raiser etc. She not only goes the extra mile at work but in her personal
life as well.”…“Lauren is an all-around fantastic person that I don’t think is
recognized enough…She is always looking for ways to bring a smile to someone’s
face.”…“Lauren really supports her friends and co-workers. We are lucky to have
her!”
17. Juan Silva
Lead Creative Designer – ASD’s Sales and Marketing Team
Joined ASD in September 2009
“Everything Juan delivers is first class, nothing is just
basic or passable, he makes everything look like it is the top of the
chart…From the NFDA convention in Boston to the ASD Christmas lunch with
employees and owners, Juan makes everything shine.”… “Juan is unbelievable
asset to ASD. He is incredibly skilled at graphic design and is an awesome team
player that contributes to just about every ASD project, not to mention hopping
in to take calls whenever a bilingual person is needed.”…“Juan handles several
projects at the same time, multi-tasking is an everyday event for him.”…“From
producing marketing materials for conventions, to developing internal app menus
for ASD Mobile to creating designs for TEAM ASD T-Shirts, Juan is involved in
almost everything that makes ASD the top company in our field.”
18. Brittany Wilcox
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in January 2015
“Brittany is a great co-worker and friend, inside and
outside the workplace. She is always pleasant no matter what is going on in her
personal life or if it’s crazy in the office. She always has a smile.”…“Brittany’s
positive personality is one of the many great things about her. She talks to
you as a friend even when she needs to talk to you as a supervisor and is
always approachable, always willing to listen to your needs and goes above
and beyond to help in whatever you need.”…“Brittany is easy to talk to and will
guide you through any problems you may be having in a step by step,
non-judgmentally way. She makes sure you understand the situation before
hanging up.”
19. Andrew Yavil
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in November 2015
“Since Andrew has become my team lead, he has always gone
out of his way to make sure his team succeeds. He is always there to happily
answer any questions and if he does not know, he finds out and comes back right
away.”…“Andrew has personally pushed me to be the best assistant I can be,
always giving me tips on how to improve. Since he became a Supervisor, I
have seen Andrew pushing to learn everything and anything he can. He is
constantly sharing those tips with his team so everyone succeeds!”…“Andrew is
an asset to me as a lead, and to ASD in general.”
20. Michelle Grobes
Advanced Call Specialist – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in June 2015
“Michelle goes above and beyond for her colleagues. For
instance, I need help during the week because of my kids and their schedule.
Rather than have to hustle trying to find coverage, month after month, she has
my back.”… “Michelle is a dedicated employee and amazing friend. I’m grateful
to have her in my life. She is always willing to help out a fellow
employee.”
Be sure to check back to see our next ASD Extra Mile Award Winners.
RELATED READING:
- 20 Things You Didn’t Know About ASD
- 17 Ways ASD Promotes a Supportive Company Culture
- 18 ASD Employees Share Why They Find Their Jobs Rewarding
- 9 Ways ASD Evaluates Our Staff
About The Author
Jess Farren (Fowler)
Jess Farren (Fowler) is a Public Relations Specialist and Staff Writer who has been a part of the ASD team since 2003. Jess manages ASD’s company blog and has been published in several funeral trade magazines. She has written articles on a variety of subjects including communication, business planning, technology, marketing and funeral trends. You can contact Jess directly at Jess@myASD.com
