Employee of the Month

We strive to provide our employees with safe, self-fulfilling jobs in a positive, enthusiastic environment.

Employee of the Month January 2022

Scott Ballas

Nominated by: Dan Dupree

%3Cp%3EIt%20is%20with%20great%20honor%20that%20we%20award%20Scott%20Ballas%20as%20Employee%20of%20the%20Month%20for%20January%202022.%20Scott%20Ballas%20started%20working%20for%20Willow%20Run%20in%20December%20of%202008%20as%20a%20Cooler%20Picker%20and%20it%20didn’t%20take%20long%20to%20realize%20just%20how%20valuable%20Scott%20was.%20Scott%20would%20always%20go%20the%20extra%20mile%20to%20help%20train%20new%20employees%20along%20with%20keeping%20an%20eye%20on%20date%20sensitive%20items%20such%20as%20frosty,%20beef,%20and%20produce%20items%20to%20make%20sure%20they%20were%20rotated%20and%20shipped%20out%20properly.%20During%20the%20next%20several%20years,%20Scott%20was%20eager%20to%20learn%20and%20take%20on%20other%20tasks%20in%20the%20dry,%20freezer,%20and%20loading%20areas%20whenever%20they%20were%20shorthanded.%20In%20July%20of%202015,%20a%20position%20opened%20in%20the%20Produce%20Department%20and%20Scott%20seemed%20like%20a%20perfect%20fit.%20His%20attention%20to%20detail,%20excellent%20attendance,%20knowledge%20of%20the%20product,%20and%20ability%20to%20work%20well%20with%20all%20departments%20made%20him%20an%20easy%20choice%20for%20the%20role%20of%20Produce%20Specialist.%20While%20training%20him,%20I%20was%20pleasantly%20surprised%20by%20how%20quickly%20he%20learned%20quality%20inspection,%20receiving,%20and%20rotation%20of%20our%20fresh%20produce%20items.%20Just%20like%20his%20previous%20years%20with%20the%20shipping%20crew,%20he%20quickly%20learned%20how%20to%20receive%20in%20all%20other%20areas%20of%20the%20warehouse%20and%20help%20wherever%20needed.%20He%20was%20also%20happy%20to%20learn%20how%20to%20order%20product,%20manage%20the%20inventory,%20and%20work%20closely%20with%20our%20suppliers%20to%20make%20sure%20everything%20runs%20smoothly%20in%20my%20absence.%20Scott%20has%20also%20worked%20very%20closely%20with%20the%20IT%20department%20during%20the%20implementation%20of%20the%20WMS%20program%20for%20receiving%20and%20letdowns%20providing%20vital%20feedback%20which%20was%20used%20to%20make%20the%20program%20more%20efficient%20and%20user%20friendly.%20When%20the%20operating%20system%20and%20computer%20equipment%20was%20upgraded%20from%20Windows%20to%20Android,%20Scott%20was%20once%20again%20called%20upon%20to%20test%20out%20the%20new%20scanning%20equipment%20and%20software%20and%20he%20did%20so%20without%20hesitation.%20During%20the%20past%20year,%20Scott%20was%20again%20instrumental%20in%20helping%20out%20the%20shipping%20and%20receiving%20crews%20with%20order%20selection,%20large%20customer%20pickup%20orders,%20and%20transfer%20loads%20while%20they%20were%20extremely%20shorthanded%20due%20to%20labor%20issues%20caused%20by%20the%20pandemic.%20In%20addition%20to%20all%20this,%20he%20has%20also%20been%20very%20helpful%20in%20filling%20in%20for%20Chris%20Hamlin%20occasionally%20over%20the%20last%20few%20years%20in%20the%20receiving%20office.%20For%20these%20reasons%20and%20many%20more,%20the%20Warehouse%20Management%20Team%20would%20like%20to%20thank%20Scott%20for%20his%20extra%20efforts%20over%20the%20last%2013%20years%20and%20award%20him%20with%20Employee%20of%20the%20Month.%3C/p%3E