With June underway and sunny days over our heads, Business is ramping up for the summertime as usual. During these busier months, we wanted to shout out an employee deserving of the spotlight. This month David Yoder who works at our central shop has all eyes on him. Beyond David’s upbeat attitude and overall friendly character, he was recognized for his ability to quickly diagnose and fix equipment in the shop and in the field. From my conversations with David, I could tell he’s quick to make friends, and his helpfulness is out-shone only by his enthusiasm for work. David started working with us here at Tates in January of 2022, and although he’s a newer employee, David hasn’t had any problems keeping up with our fast-paced work environment. David’s attention to detail was yet another reason he’s found in this month’s spotlight.
I started the interview with David by asking what he thought about the company, specifically what he thought we did better or worse than other places he had experienced. Organization was the first thing to come up in conversation. Good organization is the key to finding the right parts and tools, aiding in the fast pace work he does. Another big factor for him was the level of communication between different stores. Quality communication leaves a much smaller margin for error and keeps everyone on the same page throughout our day.
Wanting more perspective from David, I asked about his thoughts on growth opportunities and the ceiling you can run into at other companies. “There’s room to grow, for sure” David stated. Afterward, I asked about the benefits he likes the most. Being a 100% employee-owned business, David stated our profit share bonuses were nice, and the boot voucher also helped out when starting the job. He also stated his favorite part of the job was service calls where he’s able to take things apart and put them back together on the job.
Last but not least, I asked a few questions imperative to his job and performance. “How much do you know about the anatomy of a finch?” I questioned. After a burst of laughter, he snapped back with the reply “Absolutely nothing.” It seems they didn’t offer that information at the school he attended. Nevertheless, it doesn’t seem to impact his role. David’s favorite color is burnt orange, which tells you a whole lot about the guy. Great job David, your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed!