Applicant: D Title/Position – General Manager

Response #1 – Benefit to Employer What has the employee done to enhance the business?

Monster General Manager George Armstrong has brought an unrivaled desire to learn, grow, and innovate, and be the best at what he does. George started as a part-time plow driver with Monster in 2010. He had absolutely no experience in the industry, and though he had worked in similar service roles before, was completely new to snow and ice maintenance. I had founded Monster some 6 months prior, and was at the time, severely alone in creating, operating and managing my business. Little did I know how instrumental George would be in developing the resounding success that Monster Plowing Company is today.

George's initiation into the snow removal industry is best described as a trial by fire. Monster worked out of a storage unit downtown, had five of the most beaten plow trucks you could imagine, and was attempting to service well over 200 (mostly-residential) clients. I was really young, gung-ho and confident, but was severely hamstrung by having so much on my plate. I was, with limited experience, doing everything myself: Sales, equipment purchasing, staffing, accounting, marketing, and of course plowing. George came in mid-season, having answered an ad on Craigslist for an emergency plow driver. He got his feet wet running a truck, and quickly rose to the top of the ranks of drivers. By the end of the season, I considered him a snow pro in progress, but easily my most reliable guy. Luckily, he also had some backyard mechanical knowledge, so was happy to get dirty and help fix plows and trucks. He boldly took the initiative, and overnight assumed the role of managing the health and reliability of our equipment. It also turned out he had some experience running a wholesaling business in the past, and was confident in his ability to close sales. So, the following fall, George seized the opportunity to add the role of Jr. sales associate to his Monster rolodex. That fall, we well more than doubled our revenue.

Be careful what you wish for though, because with all that growth came a lot more responsibility. Suddenly, we needed twice as many staff, twice as many trucks, more equipment, more capacity for customer service, more salt storage, a bigger yard, the ability to deal with more breakdowns, and we had to do it all without breaking the bank. Working with a limited budget, George somehow always knew the best way to get something done. He was always first to the phone when we needed to source a cheaper part. First to the wanted ads when we needed better equipment. First to suggest that maybe a different approach would benefit us in the long run. Sales and customer management became his #1 focus, but he literally brought three sets of clothes to work with him. Morning time = khakis and jacket for sales meetings. Afternoon = coveralls and safety boots for equipment maintenance work. Evening = sweat pants and a t-shirt to interview potential staff, then go answer emails again. Customers started to rely on him to be their liaison for quality control. Staff started to rely on him for advice and direction. I started to rely on him for the dedicated loyalty, unwavering focus, brilliant vision, and innovative ideas he brought to the table daily.

Fast forward to 2017, and today Monster Plowing Company consists of 33 trucks, well over 80 staff, and revenue figures pushing 2 million dollars annually. George still brings multiple sets of clothes to work with him daily. These days however, it pays for him to keep the suit on, instead of his scrubs, as much as possible! Spearheaded by George's managerial vision, Monster has implemented numerous innovations to propel our company to the top of the local market. This past winter specifically, Monster's sales went from 1.1 million dollars over 400 clients, to 1.6 million dollars over 300 clients. Under George's leadership, the company increased sales by nearly 50%, while reducing the overall number of clients by 25%. Increasing revenue, while still maintaining a high quality of service delivery, becomes exponentially more difficult as a company grows in the snow industry. This past winter, not only did Monster break all revenue projections, but we had the most successful season ever in terms of delivering the best quality of service. Of our 300 seasonal clients, we did not receive a SINGLE negative review online, and expect a record customer return rate next winter.

George continues to be instrumental, not only leading our sales division to record revenue figures, but also innovating, improving and streamlining the day to day operations of our company. From equipment procurement and purchasing, to supplier relationship management and maintenance solutions, George's fingerprints are all over the DNA of how Monster does business. Since his inception in Monster, our fleet has risen from the ashes of a few downtrodden trucks, to one of the most impressive private collections of snow removal equipment in the industry. Yet, we have NEVER paid full price for anything. George exercises his knowledge of the market, and relies on relationships he's nurtured over the years, to ensure that Monster is always paying the most competitive prices for every single thing we purchase. Just this past month, George managed to secure unheard of dealer-level pricing for five brand new trucks, thereby saving Monster well over $75000 off the retail costs! That would bring a smile to any business owner's face.

Monster General Manager George Armstrong is the full package. He carries an all-star attitude with him at all times, and is a perfect role model for our staff. His positive manner is infectious, and drives the entire team to proudly achieve their goals. At work, at home, or on the road, George is just a phone call or text message away, any time of day or night. A great communicator, motivator, and listener, George is always available to provide our entire team, from the most senior manager to the newest shoveller, with hands-on assistance, advice, direction, or just an ear to vent. I personally rely on him to help debate the pros and cons of business decisions daily, and often these conversations last well into the night. George is always available, and is personally devoted to making Monster the best it can be.

A consummate professional, George generously represents what Monster Plowing Company strives to be. Without George's vision and adaptability, Monster's leading position within the local snow removal industry would not be the same. Without George's leadership, Monster Plowing Company would not be the greatest environment for someone to start a new career. Without George's innovative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems, posting record revenues, year after year, would not be a guarantee. Without George's tireless dedication, selfless perseverance, goal-oriented focus, and commitment to achieve, Monster would never have become the glowing success it is today.

Response #2 – Customer Service / Ethics / Involvement in the Community How has the employee displayed excellence in dealing with customers, dealing with supervision, and through involvement in the community?

When it comes to crunch time, George Armstrong is Michael Jordan in the clutch. Although snow and ice maintenance is a seasonal trade, George's dedication to our clients continues year-round. During the summer, we set our sales goals as a company, based on proposed improvements, limitations and efficiencies. During September, October and November, George does not rest until those goals are met. At his peak, George spends 90 or more hours per week dedicated to sales. Last season, Monster created close to 1000 proposals for potential new clients seeking quotes. George personally followed up with each and every one of them over the course of the season. Calls and emails flood in, often dozens per day, and George is the one to ensure every single question, problem, adjustment and request is fielded. On top of this, he spends many hours out in the field, meeting potential clients, surveying sites, and creating customized snow response plans. His communication skills are unmatched, and his ability to find the level ground to make a deal happen is unrivaled.

Even more impressive is George's ability to handle the constant pressure. George solely makes up the majority of the sales department for a multi-million dollar company, so you can imagine how intensely important to the success of Monster his role can be. Every morning, with a confident smile on his face and a determined hop to his step, George just makes it happen. He will selflessly devote his entire being to making sure the work gets done, to the best of his abilities, each and every time. George rises to every occasion, no matter how adverse, tirelessly devoting his energy to ensure the needs of the customer are met, while also maintaining the demands of the business. He lives and dies by the success of Monster as a whole, and is personally committed to ensure company-wide goals are not only reached, but consistently blown right out of the water (or in this case, ice)!

George's commitment does not end there, however. In most sales environments, the sales department is solely focused on generating revenue. At Monster, service delivery, quality control and customer satisfaction are at the top of George's extended list of responsibilities. George's role expands to include leading customer relationship management activities throughout the course of the service delivery season. In order to grow as a company, we must guarantee excellent client return rates, year after year. George makes it his number one priority to ensure all of our clients are happy, no matter how much extra effort it takes. He goes above and beyond to ensure not only all of our sales goals are met and exceeded, but that customers continue to receive the best throughout the service season.

A few examples of George's excellence with providing support for a customer came this past winter. The day after a major snowfall, a fairly routine client contacted us with a complaint about their ice melter bins not having been refilled. They had forgotten to request a fill-up, but were desperately nervous about not having enough ice melter to service their own walkways. George answered the call, and since all of our staff were resting after having been out all night, personally went to refill all four 500 lb bins. He ensured the client was immediately satisfied, acting selflessly in the face of fatigue after a major storm.

On another, even more impressive occasion, our team had just finished a deicing run. We'd received only a few centimeters of snow, everything went smoothly, and the team happily dispersed to their homes. However, on his way home, George noticed that more flakes suddenly started falling. Since Toronto is geographically large, and our sites are spread out all over the city, he realized that some of the northern-most properties will likely get snowed over again. It was cold, so if enough snow stuck, it would freeze, and create a horrible situation for our customers in the morning. So at about 2:00 AM, instead of continuing home, he turned around and went back to the yard to fill up with more ice melter. George's first thought was for the well-being of the customers who may potentially get snowed over again. It turned out his hunch was right, and the northern-most section of the city ended up getting much more wind-driven snow than expected. George stayed out spreading product on his own all night, well into the morning, managing to personally service several of our northern-most routes in their entirety. What was supposed to have been an easy deicing shift, turned into a 14 hour solo 'mission impossible'. By the morning, George had been out all night, but as chipper as ever. He'd personally serviced well over $200,000 worth of clients that night, all by himself. George's heroic actions that night averted what could have been an unmitigated disaster.

Despite facing intense pressures at work, George still finds the time to be a happy, devoted husband to his wife Samantha, an excellent dog-father to his two girls, Trouble and Socks, and an upstanding, productive member of his tight-knit community. Since he is a snow professional, you can easily find George out the day after a storm, helping dig out the local seniors, free of charge. George is actively involved in mentoring members of his community to develop opportunities for stable employment and a higher quality of life. He is a vocal advocate for labor rights, fair wage, and equal-opportunity employment. George is also heavily invested in charitable work and fundraising. This past winter, he helped raise a donation of $15000 for the Polar Bear Club, which funds went to actively support local families living under the poverty line. This fall, he is spearheading a joint project with Habitat for Humanity, working together with the Monster team to build affordable housing in the community. In his spare time, which seemingly he does not have much of these days, George enjoys attending Crossfit classes with other members of the Monster staff, taking his boat on long fishing trips in beautiful Northern Ontario, tinkering with two-stroke motors, and spending time hanging out with his family.

Proven by numerous acts of valor, and a flare for overcoming adversity, George's personal commitment to meet and exceed the needs of Monster's clientele remains unwavering. No matter how daunting, difficult, or seemingly impossible, George has, on countless occasions, shown that he will put the needs of Monster Plowing Company ahead of his own. George will do whatever it takes to ensure the continued success of the business as a whole, and in the eyes of this business owner, deserves the title of Employee of the Year, every year.

Response #3 – Commitment How has the employee shown commitment to the industry?

George's commitment to the snow and ice maintenance industry is punctuated by his tireless insistence on promoting professionalism and openness in the way Monster Plowing Company does business. George has always been able to recognize the importance of his role in the snow removal community. Where George's influence developed on the small-scale, today his widespread reach as General Manager of Monster Plowing Company is undeniable. George is keenly aware of his dutiful responsibility to positively represent professionalism and honesty in the industry, and he proudly embraces his role as spokesperson for the entire snow removal community.

In his commitment to be the best at everything he does, George has had to persevere through many trials and tribulations. Having the unfortunate connotations of a backyard business, pursuing a career in snow removal was off the beaten path. As Monster was growing, George initially faced criticism not only from his peers, but also from his family. He was questioned for potentially chasing a fruitless endeavor. Dedicating himself so wholly to growing a start-up, in an industry not known for record-breaking profits, or professionalism, seemed a risky decision to many. George was willing to defy the odds. He chose to commit entirely, injecting his own personal values into every single action he performed for the company. From sales to equipment maintenance, George's fingerprints are woven into the very fabric of Monster's soul. George's desire to infuse professionalism, honesty, trustworthiness, and courtesy in everything he does, continues to heavily influence not only our company, but also the entire industry Monster so proudly represents. Through hard work, dedication, and perseverance, George continues to propel the values instilled in Monster Plowing Company to the forefront of the snow and ice maintenance community.

As George was helping Monster grow into the leader it is today, the company faced numerous challenges. Initially, one of these hardships was learning how to educate the consumer on how important professional snow and ice maintenance really is. In the era of massive personal injury lawsuits, fear and paranoia reigned supreme. When Monster was young, snow removal operators had the reputation of being fly by night scammers, and breaking through such stereotypes proved to be a necessity in order to develop the trustworthiness of owners and operators in our industry. George passionately led the charge in establishing a program which would educate the general public on the challenges, requirements, and logistics of a professional snow removal outfit. He spearheaded the creation of a Consumer Tips Knowledgebase section within the Monster Plowing Company website, and continues to create new content to this day. George fervently broadcasts his intricate knowledge of the challenges related to operating a snow removal business, and advises steps the consumer can take in order to avoid the pitfalls of poor quality service. Geared towards building trust with the general public, George's insightful online writings cover industry-specific topics such as lawsuit liability, contract terminology, pricing structures, reliability of staff and equipment, ice melting products and techniques, client communication, and weather forecasting. These articles are a key tool in George's arsenal of consumer education techniques, and are read and referred to on our company website daily. George's active role in consumer education not only promotes transparency, honesty, and knowledge, but also confirms his commitment to developing the snow removal industry as a whole.

Furthermore, George is a strong advocate for employee rights and responsibilities in the snow removal industry. One of the most challenging aspects of Monster's day to day operations, and for snow removal companies as a whole, is the difficulties we face in finding, training, and retaining new staff. Just as the snow industry has a poor reputation with the consumer, it also fails to instill confidence in the industry's workers. In order to increase the labor market's confidence, and open its eyes to how awesome working as a snowfighter can be, George confidently advocates the benefits of working for a professional snow removal contractor. He is a fervent supporter of equal opportunity employment opportunities, ongoing education in the workplace, and personal rights, responsibilities, and freedoms. George helped instill his personal-brand of code of ethics and values in all of Monster's hiring procedures. Under George's leadership, the satisfaction of the Monster staff has over the years grown from seemingly disgruntled, to passionate, happy, and engaged. George advocates strict professionalism in all aspects of the workplace, yet his approach to leadership is full of understanding, patience, and wisdom. Locally, we have seen a shift in the perception of potential candidates arriving to our office for the first time. Where job applicants used to primarily wonder if they would be getting paid and when, today our industry is seen as an excellent opportunity to begin a new career. George's values have had a profoundly positive effect on the productivity of our team, and consequently on the bottom line of our company. Similarly, the local snow removal industry as a whole has benefited from George's concerted efforts to enhance, improve, and promote what a positive experience working for a professional snow and ice maintenance company can, and should be.

While experiencing success in establishing himself as an expert in our industry, George is also keenly focused on improving the efficiency, viability and efficacy of how the art of snow and ice maintenance is performed. In order for an industry to gain traction and respect, its members must be successful at what they do. Due to safety concerns, and the appeal of appearance, gone are the days of using a straight piece of metal on the front of your truck to plow snow, and sprinkling some salt out of a bucket to take care of ice. In order to improve the industry as a whole, snow removal contractors need to remain flexible, and adapt to new ways of doing business. George has routinely been able to come up with innovative solutions to old problems, by using the knowledge and experiences he's gained from years spent in the field. He is constantly learning, researching, testing, or planning a new tool or technique, and is first to suggest a novel approach to an existing dilemma. Active in the online snow removal community, George routinely shares his knowledge, tips, tricks, and experiences with owners and operators all over the world.

George's character perfectly aligns with Monster's vision of providing innovative, honest, and reliable snow and ice maintenance services, made widely available to the public. Ever at the forefront of the company's day to day decision making, his personal values deeply influence the inner workings of Monster's operations. George's passionate dedication, earnest leadership, desire to succeed, and tireless perseverance continue to help propel not only our company, but the entire snow removal industry forward. No matter how challenging the task at hand, he ensures the team is always focused on getting the job done right. A professional at heart, George's vision, direction, and management ensures every aspect of our operation lives up to his ingrained standards of quality.

Monster's team prides itself on delivering responsible, courteous, and professional service, and our commitment to quality, reliability, and innovation starts from the top. May I present you with, Monster General Manager, Mr. George Armstrong: The person who most embodies these values within our company, and the person who loyally lives up to them, every single day.

PS: In writing this essay, I would like to thank SIMA for allowing me the opportunity to recognize how amazing of a person, let alone outstanding employee, George Armstrong really is. As the owner of Monster, it is an absolute honor for me to be able to work with George, and it is a joy to spend time with him daily. This nomination for Employee of the Year is just the tip of the iceberg that represents my gratitude for everything he has done for my business. In my humble opinion, his commitment, dedication, perseverance and passion, not only to my company, but to the snow removal community as whole, deserve to be recognized, applauded, and celebrated, industry-wide. I hope I've done a good enough job highlighting the man, the myth, and the enigma, that is my friend, Mr. George Armstrong.