Ten years ago we were blessed to be hired on with a company expanding in the Midwest. My boss rallied us by telling us the company had doubts about our location in a rural area amidst the corn fields in Iowa. He called us misfits because we all came from different walks of life. I barely got time to settle in coming from Southern California. Typically, a new location receives numerous transfers from other locations to get the ball rolling. Not us. Few wanted to be in the middle of nowhere. We were pretty much on our own. We marched to businesses touting the benefits of our company, mainly by canvassing door to door. We coined the name "Welcoming Committee" in an effort to get past the gate keepers.
I will never forget approaching City Hall early on in my new job as a marketer. The receptionist picked up her phone and called the mayor of our town. "Mr. mayor, the welcoming committee is here to see you." He lined up his senior staff and invited us inside his crowded office where we talked about our mission to establish roots in the community. The mayor was all in and so was his staff.
Our marketing team had their hands full. One day we were across the street from a local hospital. The staff was eager but business rules prevented outside businesses from entering during business hours. One of our advocates gave us permission to use their office. Doctors, nurses, and support staff bombarded us. We called for reinforcements to handle the burgeoning crowds. Ryan Johnson showed up first. I pointed to an office where people were waiting to hear about us. Ryan was waiting for me to speak. "You're on," I told Ryan watching him light up like a Christmas tree. This kid was on fire. Oh my. I was holding back tears. Teammates were signing people up in hallways. We hit the jackpot everywhere we went.
Sad news hit us just before our grand opening. Ryan Johnson was killed while riding home on his motorcycle. We attended the wake the day during the week we were to roll our doors for the first time. Ryan was nominated as our first employee of the month. His spirit is still with us ten years later. His enthusiasm is still residing in our souls. The welcoming committee is a part of our Midwest culture everywhere we go to introduce ourselves in new communities. I'm thankful do be a part of all of this. My greatest joy was sharing Ryan's final moment with us in front of his parents when they visited to see Ryan's picture on the wall honoring him for his contribution at a critical time in our history. Have a great day.
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