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News & Notes #43

Welcome to the digital format of Focal Pointe News and Notes.


  Message from John: 

Focal Pointe Team,

Although the calendar says it’s technically still Winter, Spring has sprung at Focal Pointe! Cool mornings, warm afternoons, longer days, and the smell of mulch are all signs that our “100 Day Dash” has begun! From now until the first week of June, we will be running long hours to complete our high-quality work safely, and on time; delighting our customers along the way.

For all of our team members who are new to Focal Pointe – welcome! You have joined a wonderful company and I hope you’re already experiencing the warm, authentic environment our long-term employees have created. I also want to welcome our seasonal Hispanic workers back from Mexico – many of which have been with us for many years. Several of you missed your chance to play in the snow and sub-zero temperatures…maybe we’ll have a good storm in November and make it up to you!

Last week, we restarted our Anniversary Dinners, which were put on hold last year due to COVID. I had a chance to visit with several employees who were celebrating January and February hire dates – we had a nice evening and shared a lot of laughs. I’m also in the process of meeting with all of our Crew Leaders throughout the company to remind them of how much they matter to the client experience. Whether meeting during anniversary dinners or with our crew leaders, I always enjoy those visits. We are a great company because of the quality of the people who work here, and that is a wonderful feeling for me.

In spite of all the disruptions last year, we had the distinction of being recognized in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as a Top Workplace and we also had the highest client satisfaction score among leading companies from around the country. We have great reason to be proud of those accomplishments, but I still see so much more potential! As you look at 2021, I hope you share the same optimism that I do. COVID or not, let’s continue to Put People First, Create our Future, Embrace Results, and Inspire Communities! As market leaders, we’re charting our own course. We’re not limited to the worn, rutted path created by those ahead of us. Let’s not only keep it that way, but also let’s create more distance between us, and those trying to keep up. Eventually, they’ll lose sight of the path we took and we’ll be in a space all our own.

Sincerely,
John


 Welcome Cindy Braun  

Cindy Braun
Cindy Braun, Accounting Assistant

Cindy joined Focal Pointe in February as Accounting Assistant, taking over many of Laureen’s duties. Previously an Accounts Payable Specialist and Payroll Administrator for Beltone Hearing Aid Center, she earned a Management Information Systems degree from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Cindy has spent nearly a month absorbing knowledge while training with Laureen and has started flying solo this week.

Cindy’s days are currently filled with answering the phone and directing calls, receiving sorting and distributing, and applying vendor invoices, receiving and applying customer payments, and managing payroll. She says, “Everyone at Focal Pointe is friendly and supportive, willing to help out the new gal even when busy with their own work!”

While away from work Cindy enjoys hiking, biking, and most outdoor activities as well as spending time with her husband Brian and daughters Sarah, Lydia, and Emma. The Braun family also includes two fur-babies (rescue kitties) Binx and Minnie, a polydactyl longhair


 Operational Excellence: 

  • Greg Gundlach sent a note to Eric and Blake thanking them and Greg Bollmann for their installation of a new smart-irrigation controller saying, “This will really be great once we turn it on this Spring.” He was also grateful for Doug Ettling’s goose repellant application. He said, “They [the geese] do avoid our lawn, now walking in the street and spending time in the neighbor’s yard. I have at least three photos showing the geese in the neighbor’s yard.”
  • Zach Klestinske a resident of Genesee Park Condos sent his compliment through the property management team, “I just have to pass along my compliments and thanks to whoever is currently clearing our complex because they are doing an absolutely tremendous job. It looks better than literally every other road I drive on from here to Kirkwood.”
  • Erik Brown, Director Operations/Security at St. Clair Square said, “Thank you to you and all the team that has been on property for what seems like 24/7 the past week they have done an amazing job keeping us operational and safe. I’m sure they don’t get enough praise I have no idea how they did it the past couple days it’s been brutal.”
  • Vernon McIntire said, “Chris does a great job on my yard!”

  Birthdays  

Robert Tyler Goodwin – 3/2
Rodrigo Andrade Beltran – 3/6
Carlos Sanchez – 3/7
Dana Fritsche – 3/9
Joaquin Bautista – 3/9
Adam Benes – 3/12
Storm Mensing – 3/13
Jose Bautista Perez – 3/19
Adam Colstock – 3/21
Matthew Kalisiak – 3/22
Richard Fadel – 3/22
Carlos Uriel Palmeros Reyes – 3/23
Joshua Merrill – 3/25
Lazaro Hernandez – 3/26


  Anniversaries

Roberto Lagunes Flores – 03/01/2001 (20 Years)
Alejandro Lagunes Flores – 03/01/2011 (10 Years)
Alberto Hernandez Jimenez – 03/01/2011 (10 Years)
Juan Delgado Garcia – 03/01/2011 (10 Years)
Marco Antonio Leon Rebolledo – 03/01/2012 (9 Years)
Jose Antonio Pacheco Reyes – 03/09/2014 (7 Years)
Brian Bobikiewicz – 03/09/2015 (6 Years)
Scott Wallace – 03/10/2015 (6 Years)
Jesus Villegas – 03/11/2015 (6 Years)
Antonio Hernandez Aleman – 03/16/2015 (6 Years)
Carlos Ruiz Andres – 03/02/2016 (5 Years)
Guillermo Sanchez Perez – 03/02/2016 (5 Years)
Jorge Ruiz Bonilla – 03/07/2016 (5 Years)
Luis Alberto Colorado Hernandez – 03/07/2016 (5 Years)
Gustavo Elias Amador Martinez – 03/07/2016 (5 Years)
Benjamin O’Neal – 03/20/2017 (4 Years)
Stephen Blake Diehl – 03/28/2017 (4 Years)
Antonio Estrada – 03/30/2018 (3 Years)
Robert Tyler Goodwin – 03/18/2019 (2 Years)
Adolfo Berriozabal – 03/20/2019 (2 Years)
Joe Haselhorst – 03/25/2019 (2 Years)
Ana Bautista – 03/29/2019 (2 Years)
Dan Schaefer – 03/09/2020 (1 Year)
Carolina Laguna – 03/20/2020 (1 Year)
Jesus Marquez – 03/20/2020 (1 Year)
Sebastian Lesmes – 03/20/2020 (1 Year)


  New Employee Corner  

Name: Carlos Arenas

Position: Landcare Professional

Branch: Washington University

Hire Date: 2-12-2021

Name: Manuel Arenas

Position: Landcare Professional

Branch: Washington University

Hire Date: 2-12-2021