I recently heard a sermon with this statement:
“The more you complain, the more things stay the same. The more you praise, the more you are raised.”
It hit me. I still catch myself complaining about how hard JP Graphics was hit by COVID: a 50% reduction in sales, and the struggle over the last four years to get sales back up. I have often lamented that maybe I should have laid off more people.
Instead, I used all the PPP funds to keep our people employed through cross-training and process improvements.
Reflecting on July sales, and our actual return to profitability for the month (not yet the whole year, but July, which is normally not a strong month in print), I felt proud of what we have accomplished here as a team, with so many new young people propelling us forward.
The Senior Staff Meeting is the compilation of the metrics we track. It happens after we close the books, so it is always about a month in arrears. We were talking about July, but the meeting did not happen until August 27. That is why so much was happening at once. We were celebrating Debbie Rainwater’s retirement the next day, Friday. We closed down and had a great BBQ lunch prepared by Joe Hasselmann and Michelle Del Re.
Debbie had been a longtime Customer Service Representative, supporting Marie Gowman and Delicia Niami, and she also gave a great deal of support to the front office. The selection of Employee of the Month for July was the managers acknowledging Debbie as a key player who kept JP Graphics in the print game for a long time.
Debbie began working for JP Graphics in March of 2014. She spent much of her career in print, including time at Hillis Printing and Almaden Press before coming to JP. As I planned for her leaving, I asked her to help put together sales packages, finish cleaning up the dockets, and of course her desk. I also asked her for a list of the customers she took care of, and to send an email announcing her retirement.
That is something to be proud of: ending your career at a company you enjoyed working for. Companies should not find out after the fact.
I asked her what she planned to do in retirement. She said she wanted to visit family she had not seen in a long time. We made sure to get her plenty of airline certificates. Delicia even got her a nice piece of luggage.
The responses to Debbie’s emails gave me the speech I gave at the luncheon. Over 30 clients wrote back to tell her how much they enjoyed working with her. Some sent gifts. Some brought flowers and cards. Some said she left big shoes to fill, and wondered who was going to fill them. I read every reply to the entire staff so they could hear it and understand that everyone has to step up and take on more. Like any good team, we remember the greats, learn from them, and play on.
It was a nice moment when her company monogrammed shirt was lifted into the rafters with the other retirees who made JP Graphics their career. It was even more special when I asked if anyone had anything to say. Joe got up, after making the amazing pulled pork sandwiches, teary-eyed, and talked about working with Debbie at Hillis Printing before he came to JP, and how he would miss her after 13 years of working together here again.
It was truly unanimous (only Debbie did not vote for herself). The managers’ comments express the teamwork and dedication Debbie showed at JP Graphics:
- “Debbie is always checking on her jobs and reminding me of the jobs I needed to do. Working great together as I took over the role of Bindery Manager.”
~ Jonathan - “Debbie, for the years of working hard. Rarely missing any workdays.”
~ Claudia - “For 13 years she has worked hard here at JP Graphics, but these last couple of weeks I watched her put together over 100 sales packages, clean up dockets and filing, and truly leave the place better than it was when she got here.”
~ Joe - “Debbie helps me out so much with Buzzsaw. Communication is always good.”
~ Dave - “If I cannot find a file, Debbie always could. She helped me so much throughout the years in the office, from answering phones to cleaning up for tours.”
~ Michelle - “13 years of the good and the bad. But we are still in the game at JP Graphics.”
~ Miguel - “I never forget the people that have helped me build this company to where it is today. Debbie was one of those people. Reliable. Dedicated. Caring. Those are the traits all these wonderful young people got to work with, and then see that JP Graphics, as an organization, is not about profits, but about people and serving the community we work in. The retired jerseys on the wall are a testament that you can have a great career in printing, because everything is better with print.”
~ Joan
Thank you, Debbie, for all you have done. We truly appreciate your service.
