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Ms. Earline King, a
Winston-Salem native, unveiled her sculpture of Commodore
Funderburk, a longtime IFB employee, at the L. Glenn Or, Jr. Building
Dedication on
September 23, 2004. For nearly a year, Ms. King worked on “this labor
of love”. Born blind and deaf, the “Commodore” as he was known to his
friends and co-workers, never spoke during his lifetime, but
demonstrated that “actions speak louder than words”. During his 41
years at IFB, the “Commodore” never missed a day of work and led his
team in producing thousands of mattresses for federal and state
customers.
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Congressman Richard
Burr, a longtime supporter of people with disabilities was named a
Congressional JWOD Champion on
October 27, 2004
at LC Industries in Durham,
NC.
Congressman Burr
received this national award in recognition of his commitment to the
JWOD Program. In addition to impacting the lives of
North Carolinians
, Congressman Burr’s actions over the years have enhanced the lives of
more than 38,000 Americans with disabilities. According to
Dan Boucher, President of Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, a
non-profit agency in Mr. Burr’s Congressional District, “Richard
Burr is always there for us, he is an incredible supporter who has
directly contributed to improving the quality of life for those people
we serve. Our industry is fortunate to have Richard Burr.”
Among those who
attended the presentation ceremony were Senator George F. Allen of Virginia; William Hudson, President of L.C. Industries; Dan Boucher, President
of Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind; and Eric Bridges of NIB. Also in
attendance were the employees of LC Industries.
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Click on the following to see
others who have been honored:
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2005 Career Achievement of the Year Award Winner
MARK MURRAY
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• Dedication to his family
• Commitment to his career and fellow workers
• Strength of Character
• Focused Ambitions
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From manufacturing Thousands of mattresses that made him our
2001 Employee of the Year
To
Now selling Thousands of mattresses and heading up the
Customer Service/Mattress Sales Department…
Mark has Thousands of Reasons why he has been selected as our
2005 Achievement Award Winner.
If you ask Mark his biggest accomplishment, he will say it was the day he was able to walk away from Social Security Benefits and become totally self-supportive.
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Dedication, Commitment,
Character and Ambition all are superb qualities to possess. Any agency would
be lucky to have an employee with some or most of these attributes. IFB can
proudly say we have Mark Murray. We can say Mark Murray is a person that
cares about his family. We can say Mark Murray is a person that cares about
his career and his fellow workers. We can say Mark Murray is a person with
strong character. We can also say Mark Murray truly has focused ambitions.
What does Mark Murray say about himself? Mark says, “It’s all in a
day’s work.”
While Mark (and his wife Terry) are totally consumed with IFB, they both
believe that family is first. Mark says, his family has “supported him
throughout it all”. When asked about his wife Terry, Mark gets a smile on
his face that matches nothing else. He talks fondly about his daughter, two
step children and two grandchildren. A day doesn’t go by with out an
e-mail or phone call from his twenty-four year old daughter.
Mark prides himself on being a “people person”. He and his family truly
enjoy helping others that are less fortunate. When Mark is not working, he
and Terry have charged themselves with the responsibility of making sure new
employees are orientated to IFB and the Winston-Salem area. They offer other
employees mobility assistance and help with food, clothing and house
shopping. Mark also makes sure every IFB employee has a place to spend the
holidays; this year he invited four employees to his home for Christmas.
The amazing thing about Mark is the way his positive attitude always shines
through, even when he is faced with extreme hardships. In 1995 he lost his
son at the age of 17 in a tragic accident, and then suddenly in 2002, his
wife Debbie, also an employee at IFB, passed away after what should have
been minor surgery. This caused Mark to leave IFB temporarily and move back
to the North Carolina coast, however, he soon realized that he and his
family would not be truly happy unless he was back at IFB. It took him very
little time to take over the lead in the Mattress Department; replacing
Peter J. Salmon Award Winner Commodore Funderburk who had recently passed
away. He became IFB’s spokesperson as tour after tour came through IFB,
Mark proudly explained how he could never fill The Commodore’s shoes.
Mark’s dedication to his family is matched only by his commitment to his
career and fellow employees.
Six months ago Mark was a leader in our Mattress Department “starting”
every mattress made there---every day. Today he closes big contracts on
Mattress Business with customers—talk about going full circle!
Referencing a recent order of nearly $100,000 that Mark brought to IFB –
Mark quickly points out that “sales of that magnitude” are not
cultivated over the phone. Instead they require “customer satisfaction”
which means face-to-face relationships. Mark who is totally blind does just
that. He gets out and visits the customer and rarely comes back without a
commitment.
To hear Mark’s awards and accomplishments is like hearing a biography of a
hall of fame inductee. Mark has received the:
• Goodwill Achiever of the Year award (1990) in Raleigh, N.C. while
working for Sears, Roebuck in Greensboro, NC
• Recognized for two distinguished Circle of Honor Awards (1994) customer
service at Sears, Roebuck
• Selected as the IFB Employee of the Year (2001)
• Accepted into the NIB Business Management Training Class on the
recommendation of the Senior Management Group at IFB.
This doesn’t tell you half of Mark’s accomplishments, to really see his accomplishments, you need to know him. Mark is proud of his work at IFB and has recently recruited six new employees in recent months. He states that he is “truly proud of the organization he works for and the opportunity it affords people who want to succeed and advance their careers”. This leads us to perhaps one of Mark’s biggest accomplishments--his ability to become totally self-supportive. In October 2004, Mark proudly went off of Social Security Disability. He will happily tell you that, “because of IFB and its people he was able to make the transition”. Mark also states, “Now, I’m even able to earn commission from the products I sell!”
As Mark looks back and reflects on his professional life, he reiterates that the days when he worked in the plant played a key role in forming a strong foundation for what it turning out to be a very successful career. In IFB’s Customer Service and Sales Department he says he is constantly challenged, but at the same time he is happier at this job than any other before. Mark states, “No two days are ever the same, so it never gets boring. If I’m not making a sale, I’m a problem solver and that’s what I want to be known for. If anybody needs something, I want to be there with the solution and want them to know they can count on me once we’ve spoken.” According to Dan Boucher, “in all of my years and experience in Marketing and Customer Service, I have never had anyone who was so responsive to the customer’s needs as Mark.”
According to Mark, five years ago he set three goals: Win the IFB Employee of the Year Award, win the IFB Career Achievement of the Year Award and be completely self-supportive. This year Mark has successfully completed all three of his goals. When asked if Mark had yet set any new goals, he stated, “Right now, I am focusing on learning all aspects of customer service and sales. I want to be the best I can be for IFB, my family and myself.”
Now that’s a man with Focused Ambitions.
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2005 Direct Labor Employee of the Year Award Winner
BUDDY URBAN
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 Bernard Alan Urban, or “Buddy” as he is fondly referred to by all his fellow workers and friends comes to Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind ( IFB ) from Long Island, New York. He recalls his earliest work habits and experiences were picked up on the family potato farm in New York when he was just a child. He contributes much of his strong work ethic to those days back on the farm, but also to his simple yet proven philosophy about work, “ If you are asked to do a job right, do it right the first time. If not, where do you find time to do it over?”
Buddy was diagnosed officially with macular degeneration at the early age of seven. The diagnosis and the profound effect it would have on him for the rest of his life did not deter him from becoming a volunteer fireman in New York as a young man. Before retiring from 18 years of active duty in 1980, Buddy’s official capacity with the department was that of a dispatcher, but he is quick to point out that on many occasions he made the trip to the scene of a fire. The respect that Buddy gained from his fellow firefighters after 18 years of service became evident at his retirement ceremony when his Badge #508 was retired and never to be worn again.
Buddy started working as an IFB drill grommet machine operator in early 2001 after relocating from Volunteer Industries for the Blind in Tennessee. His most recent claim to fame was a comment he made while being interviewed by Fox National News during the early stages of the Gulf War, when asked about his role in The War on Terror at IFB his answer was profound, he said “ Although I’m not able to serve my country because of my blindness a soldier over there knows that I here making sure he comes home safely.” Buddy regularly wears his IFB shirt that he has sewn a small American Flag on the soldier. He is also quick to point out that three of his daughters serves in the National Guard.
At work he is known for the helping hand he always offers those in need, but that kind heart and genuine concern for other human beings is not just found at work. Buddy is an active member of the American Council for the Blind, which is instrumental in helping people who are blind in the Winston-Salem area. He has personally provided financial assistance to fellow workers and friends and has openly admitted he gives to those in need he doesn’t know. As IFB has grown he has been instrumental in recruiting workers from as far away as South Florida, but he doesn’t just recruit he makes sure they reach Winston-Salem safely and is quick to help with any moving issues, orientation and mobility, or anything else the new employees may need.
His supervisors at IFB have documented time and time again that Buddy’s attention to detail and desire to succeed have made him invaluable to the organization. Mr. Boucher, president of
IFB, fondly refers to Buddy as his “Biggest Headache”, but this nickname is truly out of respect for what Buddy does for the people at
IFB. According to Buddy the thing that drives him is “ Being viewed as a positive person who not only identifies areas of need in the company, but offers solutions instead of complaining.” He states that his main goal is to be part of a Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind team that is someday #1 in the blind agency world, Buddy states “ That will be my proudest moment because I’ll be able to say I was part of something very special.”
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PETER J. SALMON 2004 DIRECT LABOR
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Mark Jenkins |
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Mark Jenkins was born
in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. He has lived in Hawaii, California,
and Arkansas and now resides in Fletcher, North Carolina. Mark is
married to Tris and has a daughter Sara, age 12. Mark graduated from
Monte Vista High School in Spring Valley, CA. Mark was born with Ushers
Syndrome and drove a car and motorcycle up until 1990 when he became
legally blind and had to turn in his driver’s license. |
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He started working at
IFB in 2001 as a Boxer in our IMP Department. During the past year he
has been trained by Judy Hatton from NIB to operate a sewing machine.
He now sews binding on our Poncho Liners. Mark is very soft spoken, has
a good personality, and is well liked by everyone. He is always willing
to help his blind co-workers. He is a great asset to the company and we
are happy to have him as part of the IFB family.
Prior to working for
Industries for the Blind, Mark attended Raleigh School for the Deaf and
Blind for one year. He continued his education and received an
Associates Degree in Studio Art in 1998 and a Certificate in Small
Engine Repair in 2001. Mark also has degrees in Pottery, Metal
Engraving, Auto Technology and Auto Body. He was Production Manager of
East San Diego Orchard for 2 years where he supervised and instructed
500 workers on duties and proper work methods.
Mark has volunteered
for two years as Recreation Director at Camp Dogwood (a summer camp for
blind persons) where he helps the camp participants with exercises and
play acts. Through his church, he helped with landscaping the Post
Office in Carthage, North Carolina. His hobbies include re-building
motorcycles and he is presently working on an invention of a new insect
trap.
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2004 MILTON J. SAMUELSON CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Charles Lindsay
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Charles was born in
Washington, DC on May 24, 1961. He attended Ballou High School and
graduated in 1979. While there he was a member of the Chess Club,
Basketball Team and the High School band. He loved playing the
saxophone and clarinet.
After High School he attended Cheyney University in Pennsylvania from
1979 to 1981. During his sophomore year he began to have severe vision
problems and had to undergo many eye operations and |
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treatments. Even
though he has to drop out of school at that time, he developed a real
interest and excelled in the use of the computer. Charles has plans to
continue with his education in the future.
After leaving school and receiving the eye
treatments, Charles worked as a cashier/clerk at Swarthmore College.
Later, he went to work for South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation
Authority (SEPTA) where he cleaned buses. He also worked as a handyman
at J and R Construction. In 1995, Charles moved back to the Washington,
DC area and acquired a position with the US Census Bureau as an
Enumerator. When that temporary position ended in 2001, he went back to
school (Career Blazers) and took classes in Computer Programming and
Repair. While still attending this school, Charles came to work for the
Department of Energy Paperclips division of the Winston-Salem Industries
for the Blind where he worked as a Cashier.
Due to his outstanding
achievements at IFB, he was promoted to Assistant Manager at the
Paperclips division of the Treasury Department. Charles has strived to
be the best in whatever field he has chosen to work and doesn’t use his
vision as an excuse. Despite his limitations, he has moved ahead.
Among his hobbies,
Charles enjoys working on computers. He and a group of friends meet
regularly to discuss the latest computer technology.
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