Sep 05, 2019
Here at ASD, we believe the longevity of our staff is truly a testament to the supportive company culture we have worked hard to foster. 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 2017, we introduced the ASD Extra Mile Award to give 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, 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 most recent recipients of this distinguished honor.
2017 Award Winners
2018 Award Winners
Winter 2019 Award Winners
Spring 2019 Award Winners
ASD’s Summer 2019 Extra Mile Award Winners
Keyla Santiago
Assistant Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in November 2013
“Keyla always makes herself available for whatever capacity she is needed. Whether we need her to Supervise, do extended calibrations or co-calibrating – Keyla is ready whenever we ask.”… “Keyla gives 100% to whatever she is doing. She offers helpful tips and information to the newer call specialists to make their adjustment into operations smoother.”… “Keyla greets you with a smile every time. With the new hires for 1st shift, we needed someone who was consistent and positive when co-calibrating and Keyla never hesitates when asked to help with this task.”… “Keyla is a great asset to ASD with the many “hats” we ask her to wear and goes above expectations!”…”Keyla is not only a great co-worker but a fantastic friend. She is a wonderful person to work and spend time with.”
Norman Franke
Chief Software Architect – ASD’s Technical Team
Joined ASD in August 2006
“Norm is an integral part of ASD without many knowing all that he does for us. He will take an idea before it’s even fully figured out, and make it happen in our system just to make our lives easier.”…“Norman goes out of his way to help make our apps work more efficiently. Anything we ask he either will do or has a better solution to help make our jobs a little easier. The Finance team would be lost without his help!”…“I truly feel ASD would not be where we are today without Norm. He is one-of-a-kind with a great sense of humor too!”…“The amount of work he does to keep all the tech stuff up and running and the improvements he is constantly making are really want keeps ASD going. It would be very difficult to find someone as talented and funny as Norman. He is truly an asset to ASD.”… “Norm, as well as the entire Tech Department, always goes above and beyond to make sure that StationMaster is up and running to its best capability. His job is never done, and we can always rely on him to know that any issues will be addressed immediately.”… “Norman is quick to fix any issue when given a detailed explanation of the issue. He is also great at fixing multiple issues at a time.”… “I think he does a great job keeping our company up to date with the latest technology.”… “Norm works behind the scenes to ensure we can all use our systems to do our jobs efficiently. Without him we’d be a mess. He’s got some pretty good “Dad jokes” too.”
Christina (Chrissy) Welsh
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in June 2014
“Chrissy was an excellent assistant supervisor and is an even better supervisor! She is willing and ready to help whenever she is asked.”…“Chrissy is considerate and friendly. She is ready with a joke to make anyone smile and always asks how everyone is doing.”… “Chrissy is an asset to ASD and a gift to everyone here. She brings a wonderful, positive attitude into the office. We are lucky to have her to keep everyone upbeat!”
Michael Maurer
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in December 2015
“Mike is always eager and available to assist. Even when I was a Call Specialist, I could always go to him not to just solve a problem, but also teach me how to handle those situations myself.”…“Mike was extremely instrumental in helping me learn and excel in being an assistant and to this day, I can turn to Mike for guidance when I am supervising. He has been there every single step of the way.”…“Mike is always willing to go the extra mile and is even spearheading the Southern Campaign while performing his Supervising duties at the same time.”…“I think Mike should receive the Extra Mile Award because he goes out of his way to make people feel comfortable and brings out the confidence in others.”…“Mike never says no, is very approachable and is always willing to lighten the mood. He knows how to keep the composure of Supervisor while still being very friendly to everyone at ASD.”
Lauren Kress
Project Director – ASD’s Sales and Marketing Department
Joined ASD in January 2002
“Lauren single-handedly organizes all of our conventions and conferences. She keeps everyone organized and in the loop on what’s going on.”…“ Lauren taught me how to do conventions and gave me a full run down of everything I needed. She’s always there when you need advice or need help.”…“Lauren always stays available to everyone even though she works remotely. You can contact her at any time if you have an issue while on a show.”
Terrence Townsend
Call Specialist – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in March 2019
“Terrence is a model ASD employee. He is always kind and compassionate not only to callers but also his coworkers.”…“Terrence is always willing to help out in any way he can.”… “Terrence has the ability to lift the mood of anyone around him. He is always positive and a pleasure to be around.”… “Terrence deserves to be recognized for the care and consistency of his performance at ASD.”…“Terrence’s attendance and call records show he is dedicated and passionate about the work he does at ASD.”
Kourtney Dix
Assistant Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in May 2007
“Kourtney’s knowledge of all things ASD is appreciated by everyone to the fullest.”… “Kourtney is ALWAYS available to help with new Call Specialists and is helpful in her explaining of new procedures or features. When assisting, Kourtney is right there for Call Specialists and clients in need of help.”… “Kourtney is very thorough when she follows up to explain any needs our clients may have.”… “Kourtney’s move to assist PCS has been beneficial to all. It has only expanded her knowledge of how things work in order to explain procedures when necessary.”…“Kourtney is never afraid to hear a client’s concerns nor does she hesitate to offer the best solution to resolve issues.”… “Kourtney will adjust her schedule to accommodate in house scheduling needs, without hesitation.”
Brian Pretti
Supervisor – ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in March 2017
“Brian always goes out of his way to check in with his team and make sure our day at ASD is perfect! He has always been a go-to person for me, even when he was a Call Specialist.”…“Brian is extremely helpful and always positive. Honestly, I don’t know where I would be at ASD without Brian in my corner! He is truly a pleasant person to be around and very easy going when you need help.”… “Brian always makes me feel valued. There are times when he has sent me messages just acknowledging my work ethic on a call that went unnoticed, but never unnoticed to Brian. He is AMAZING!”
Gina McConnell
Assistant Supervisor– ASD’s Operations Team
Joined ASD in October 2014
Gina’s compassion on her calls is amazing. She is always willing to assist with projects and never complains.”… “Gina is dedicated to doing the best job she can for ASD, our clients and their callers. She is always helpful to new staff – giving whatever tools they need to succeed doing their job.”… “Gina has been helping in our PCS department and doing an excellent job and most recently started training to become an Assistant Supervisor. She is a great asset to ASD!”
Be sure to check back next season to read about our Fall 2019 Extra Mile Award Winners.
RELATED READING
ASD’s Winter 2019 Extra Mile Award Winners
21 ASD Employees Recognized With Extra Mile Award
ASD Recognizes 20 Employees With “Extra Mile Award”
29 Reasons Why ASD Employees Find Their Work Rewarding
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
