Acme Announces the 2022 Pinnacle Award Winner

When she confirmed up for perform on her 1st day at Acme Brick, Julie Sowards could not have identified her new task was likely to change into a 38-yr ride to the pinnacle. Even so, which is specifically what has transpired.

On March 1, 2022, Acme CEO, Dennis Knautz declared the winner of what will be an yearly award for excellence – The Pinnacle Award. “With this award, we want to identify an affiliate who has demonstrated a long-term dedication and contribution to the accomplishment of our corporation. No a single epitomizes this much more than Julie Sowards.”

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An Incredible Job

“I truthfully hardly ever thought I would have so a lot entertaining in a position,” Sowards mentioned. “The skilled rewards have been incredible, and in quite a few ways, humbling. Any achievement that I have savored has been the consequence of hundreds of other men and women, my buddies and colleagues at Acme Brick. They have served me, and I have experimented with to aid them.”

In an overview of what Julie Sowards has attained in her vocation with this 130-year-aged enterprise, Carol Kiburz, Vice President of Human Assets at Acme claimed, “She began her occupation with us as a receptionist and an administrative assistant for Dave Martin and John Harp.   

“Julie’s enthusiasm and excellent intellect allowed her to come to be a “subject matter expert” (SME) for the Mideast Location (in Springfield, MO). Afterwards, she assumed the purpose of head SME for the full company. In this purpose, she handles the coaching and implementation of new insurance policies for unique departments and new hires, which most just lately included the “Smarter Commerce” (a new program for credit score card processing) plan as properly as get entry and pricing assessment for the Midwest area.  

“Julie is the sort of associate who under no circumstances says ‘No’ and is often there to support.  She has mentored new associates into their roles by heading to their area in individual. Her list of task responsibilities is practically countless: payroll, purchase entry, credit score, dispatch, non-brick buy orders, produced brick allocations, SME obligations, education, mentoring, gross sales rep aid, office environment manager, and administration.

“Her commitment to Acme is next to none,” Kiburz concluded. “Julie is truly just one of Acme’s finest belongings. We are delighted that she has received the 2022 Pinnacle Award!”

Embracing Alter

More than the span of her tenure at Acme Brick, Julie has viewed a great deal of change and, not like a lot of employees who really feel awkward with a continually expanding solution combine, administration know-how and purchaser expectations, she relishes it.

“The SME’s of our corporation really embrace improve,” she explained. “That’s a portion of the work description. Our corporation management would make conclusions about extra products and solutions or new organization technologies that will enhance the growth of our organization, and it is our occupation to thoroughly comprehend it and then advertise this to the area. 

“Ultimately, the professionals in each individual of our places of work make this course of action operate. With any luck ,, we do a great position of mentoring our co-workers and describing any new apply, but at the conclusion of the day, they deliver their huge expertise and commitment to guaranteeing outcomes. 

“Almost each and every working day, there is a little something shifting in our organization. It is this style of problem that makes me psyched to get up and go to work!”

The 2022 Pinnacle Award winner and 3-many years veteran was asked the clear issue: How has Acme Brick adjusted in the earlier 38-decades?

“The most important change is that we’re no extended just a brick enterprise,” Julie mentioned. “The selection and varieties of items we now give operate the gamut of the ‘home improvement’ category. 

“This implies our profits associates must be properly trained to assist prospects fully grasp the functions and added benefits of a a great deal broader assortment of goods – from flooring to out of doors entertainment appliances to lower routine maintenance landscaping products and solutions. It also implies our accounting, marketing and advertising, offer chain management, credit procedures and each other element of our enterprise ought to be expanded in get to exceed our customers’ anticipations. It’s a significant challenge, but these modifications have made us a improved company.”

There are hundreds of Acme associates just like Julie Sowards, ready to enable you discover the responses you require. Click on in this article to chat to just one.