Ring The Bell – November 2015

Community Partner

This month, our community partner ring the bell winner is Ben Case, President of Columbia and Pioneer Title Company. Carya Bair from our Benton Franklin WIOA team nominated Ben and had these great things to say about him:

What make your nominee a great partner?

Ben is an exceptional community partner; over the past decade he has provided Eastern Washington’s Workforce with ‘on-the-job-training opportunities which resulted in unsubsidized  employment for four dislocated workers in our communities.  Ben operates two businesses in the Tri Cities and Walla Walla and said; “The title escrow industry requires a specific niche skill set.  Finding the right people with the aptitude and skills necessary for this kind of work is difficult, because of the specialized skills that are needed in this field. WIOA and the On-the-Job Training (OJT) provides him with the opportunity to pick people with the right aptitude for the job. Columbia and Pioneer Title Companies provide these individuals  with the specialized training and feedback that employees need to be successful in this industry.

What part of the community does your nominee serve?

Ben meets our communities needs by providing training and employment opportunities for those who are unemployed. His training program help clientele develop the necessary skills for this niche industry. Although, Ben is the President of these companies, he stills takes the time out of his hectic schedule to interview, discuss trainees progress and  complete progress evaluations in a timely manner. He affords people the opportunity to become gainfully employed which leads to self-sufficiency. It’s people and companies like Ben that provide valuable services in our community and give back to the community.

What specific story or example relating to the partnership would you like to share?

Ben has a hands on approach for customer service and training. While  most companies utilize an electronic system for hiring, Ben takes the time to review individual resumes, interview applicants and provide them with the training and skills that are required for this growing industry.

I’m glad to have had an opportunity to work with a partner who is serving his community in so many ways.

Employee

The stylish Leslie Davis (who has amazing hair and fashion sense) joined Career Path Services in June 2013 as a Program Specialist in King County. In her 2 years with the organization, she has become an indispensable member her team and the entire Commerce Division. Leslie approves payroll, submits billing, and provides general administrative support, but her role is so much more than that. She travels between multiple CSOs to provide client orientations and support to her team. She has been on several interview panels in King and Pierce County and assisted the division in finding great new teammates. Her role doesn’t stop at recruitment, but also carries on into training.  She has assisted in monitoring sub-contractors in King County and insuring quality control and their adherence to policy.

Leslie’s support of her team goes beyond just her specific duties. She is always positive and has a can-do attitude. She is willing to take on new tasks and challenges and constantly seeking to grow in her position. She recently took on the role of Safety Officer for her team and became the Program Specialist point person for the Stratus timekeeping system. She is flexible in her support and even put on a Practitioner’s hat to do client intakes when one of her team went down ill. Her team and division truly appreciate all that she does. We love all of our Program Specialists who step in and up, this month we ring the bell for our POWER HOUSE, Leslie!