From inside a speeding racecar, atop a horse on a desert path or in the sky on a sunrise hot air balloon ride, this spring a select group of Ziply Fiber employees got to experience a weekend of fun and relaxation in appreciation for a job well done.
In March, 46 employees named to the annual Circle of Excellence spent a weekend with a guest at Boulders Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, AZ. It marked the third year of the Circle of Excellence, which evolved from a dinner cruise for top-performing sales-reps five years ago into a weekend recognition event for employees and a guest whose performance ranked in the top 3% of all Ziply Fiber employees.
Jesse Gregory, Vice President of Residential Direct Sales and the founder of the original sales-rep event, acted as MC for the weekend.
“We kept it light, we kept it fun,” he says. “We wanted folks to know how much we appreciated their contribution to making the company a better place.”
The group meals, the activity options and the sunny Arizona climate altogether provided a deep sense of thanks to the honorees, who were nominated by their peers and leaders for a job well done.
“I’m truly honored to have been an honoree at this year’s Ziply Circle of Excellence,” says Sarah Crabtree, an Operations Specialist. “I’m still blown away by how fun and memorable the entire event was. The resort was incredible; the excursions were a blast, and getting to share those experiences with coworkers and their guests made it all even more special.”
Bill Kilcullen, a senior negotiator, enjoyed racing a car at the Firebird Raceway Park. “It was great fun, and as it was throughout the whole trip, being with such a great group of people made it all the more so,” he says. “All the activities were amazing; the facilities, the rooms, the amenities, the food and the service provided by all the staff were top notch.”
The most memorable moments for Jesse include watching a hot air balloon lift off at dawn with a basket full of Ziply Fiber employees and their guests, as well as a herd of wild donkeys that a group came upon while riding ATVs. Above all, though, his favorite moment was when Senior VP of Fiber Design and Construction Brian Economaki accidentally hit CEO Harold Zeitz with a golf ball.
“Brian Economaki hits the longest drive, but he also hit Harold,” Jesse says. “I had so much material up at the stage. It tapped his shoe, but it still hit him. We got a lot of mileage out of that one.”
The award dinner itself was Bill’s favorite event. From the walkup songs to Jesse’s humorous commentary to the support he received from fellow employees and their families, Bill was humbled by the entire evening. “The applause that each awardee received was loud, proud and well earned,” he says.
This is the third year of the Circle of Excellence in its current format. “Chris said, ‘every year gets better and better,’” Jesse says of COO Chris Denzin’s aspirations to grow the program every year.
The first year, honorees went to Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, Washington. The next year the group went to Palm Springs, in search of warm weather and, critically, a golf course. The number of people has slowly grown as teams beyond sales garner recognition by peer nomination.
“I like the way we’ve developed Circle of Excellence,” says Ryan Luckin, VP of Marketing, who helped plan the trip and orchestrate the nomination process. “It looks at all parts of the organization to recognize all the people who are driving meaningful results and moving the needle for our company.”
“Being nominated by the people I work with every day genuinely moved me,” Sarah says. “It means so much to know that my work is seen and appreciated. This experience has inspired me to think carefully about who I want to nominate for this year’s event, because I now get just how epic these trips are.”
The common refrain Jesse hears from honorees is one of selflessness. They don’t perform well at their jobs to take credit; they do it because they love what they do.
“This recognition is just as much about the support and collaboration of the team around me as it is about anything I’ve done individually, and I’m extremely grateful to be part of a company that values both excellence and people,” says Michael Burgess, a Tech Support Specialist.
“I have never regretted a single day working at Ziply,” Bill says. “I came away from this event more convinced than ever, in all my long career, I have never worked with better leadership, nor have I had better colleagues.”
