Employee Spotlight

We’re proud to highlight the recent accomplishments of some of our staff:

Executive Director Denise Jones has again been included among the most powerful businesswomen in Western New York.  Denise is ranked No. 32 on this year’s Business First Buffalo’s annual “Power 200 Women” listing.  This marks the eighth straight year Denise has been included on the list.  Last year she was ranked No. 34.  Earlier this year, Denise also was ranked No. 67 on Business First’s “Power 250“ list of the most influential business leaders in the eight-county WNY region.

Staff Development Specialist Don Traynor co-wrote an article for the August issue of Frontline Initiative: The Diverse Voices of Direct Support Professionals.  The article is titled “Staying True to Yourself in Your Work.”  Don drew on some personal work experiences to convey concepts of “Cultural Reflection” (recognizing one’s own biases and not letting them interfere in work relationships) and “Cultural Connections” (assisting people to find social, learning and recreational opportunities valued in their culture).

“When providing supports to people in situations where some of the person’s beliefs, values and attitudes may not align with my own,” Don wrote, “it’s important to have the ability to recognize the purpose of your presence in the life of someone you support.  My professional role is to provide support as a conduit to help someone else execute their life on their terms.  I’m not being asked to change my belief system to do this.”

To read the entire article, click here and scroll through the article headings on the left.

Doug Anderson, who is a member of the Recruitment team that interviews applicants for Direct Support Professional positions, holds a certificate naming him TRC’s Volunteer of the Year by the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County.  Doug serves on our Board of Directors and Human Rights Committee.  He also is a member of a Continuous Quality Improvement Workgroup focused on strengthening our workforce.  In addition, Doug advocates to New York State leaders to provide more funding for organizations that support people with disabilities.

Shanon Burdick was named the Employee of the Month at our manufacturing facility in Dunkirk, after being nominated by his peers. Shanon’s co-workers admire him and like the fact he smiles and says “Good morning” to everyone. He is pictured here receiving his award from Sandy Korzeniewski, left, Production Coordinator, and Harold Roberts, right, Production Superintendent.

Haydee Diaz recently was named the Employee of the Month at our Allied Industries manufacturing facility in Jamestown, after being nominated by her peers. She has worked her way to become a leader among her co-workers.

Matt Olson recently was named the Employee of the Month at our Allied Industries manufacturing facility in Jamestown. “Matt is a dedicated worker and puts 100 percent into anything that is asked of him,” said a supervisor, adding that Matt “has proven that if you put your mind to it, anything is achievable.”

Jennifer Shelman recently was named the Employee of the Month at our Allied Industries manufacturing facility in Dunkirk. A co-worker said, “Jennifer can handle any task that we give her with grace, and she will do her best that she can.” She is pictured here with Harold Roberts, Production Superintendent.

Arthur Silleman recently was named the Employee of the Month at our Allied Industries manufacturing facility in Dunkirk. He is well-liked by his co-workers and says “Good morning” to everyone. Arthur’s a hard worker and moves from job to job throughout the day. He is pictured here with Todd Frangione, Director of Business Operations.