2021 Second Half EOM Honorees Then and Now
Some consider Compass Precision unique for its public recognition of employee achievements. But top management sees it differently.
“Honestly, I think we are different from most companies, but not because we have an Employee of the Month program,” explained Gary Holcomb, Compass CEO. “We are distinctive because we have so many great employees.”
Including Molly Adank from Douglas Machining, named as Compass’s Employee of the Month (EOM) for January two weeks ago (Molly Adank Named Compass Precision Employee of the Month for January (January 2, 2024) – Compass Precision, LLC), the company has recognized 47 employees for this honor since the program began in March 2020. The very first Employee of the Month was Al Farrar from Quality Products (Al Farrar named Compass Precision Employee of the Month in March (March 1, 2020) – Compass Precision, LLC).
Of course, receiving Employee of the Month recognition is not the culmination of contribution, rather an achievement along the path of years making positive impact for many Compass EOM honorees.
Previous articles have looked back at EOM award winners from 2020 and the first half of 2021. Let’s now reflect upon what has happened with the recipients of this honor from the last six months of 2021:
Mike Leopard – July
Since his Employee of the Month honor, Mike (above photo, upper left) has celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary with Tri-Tec. He continues to be a role model for the company’s younger employees and takes pride in his quest to learn something new every day.
Mike recently became a “Pawpaw” for the first time with the birth of his grandson. He and his wife Jennifer are currently expecting a granddaughter in July and looking forward to seeing their family grow.
Don Bartlett – August
Don (above, upper middle) is, and has always been, one of Quality Products most versatile employees. He joined Quality in 2017 as a welding and fabrication employee. Don served as Fabrication Manager for about two years starting in June 2021, then returned to the floor to help the company meet its shipment goals.
“Don continues to be a pleasure to work with,” said Greg Donaldson, Operations Manager at Quality Products. “We recently landed a new customer with some urgent, short-term delivery requirements. We shipped all these parts on-time at the end of 2023, with Don being right in the middle of this successful effort.”
Donna Campbell – October
Donna (above, upper right) still fulfills the key Office Manager role at Gray and remains the company’s only continuous employee since its founding in 2013. She is thrilled to have contributed to Gray’s growth and success in 2023 and enjoys everyone she works with at Gray and Compass.
Donna’s older daughter Kate is now a junior in college and working towards a BS Degree in Nursing. Her younger daughter Caroline finished high school last spring and has started college.
Ivan Rico – November
Ivan (above, lower left) continues to lead Tri-Tec’s lathe department. Away from work, he recently traveled to Columbia to visit his mother and help her celebrate her ninety-eighth birthday. At home, Ivan has recently discovered a new hobby – camping. He and his wife Mireya are enjoying spending time together going camping every chance they get.
Branden Faulkenberry – December
Branden (above, lower middle) worked for Quality Products between 2020 and 2023, during which time he made many contributions to the company’s machining operation including in set-ups and programming. He was well liked by his fellow employees who wish him well wherever his career may take him.
For more information about Compass Precision, its innovative Employee of the Month Program, and its many outstanding employees, please contact CEO Gary Holcomb at [email protected].