Express Employment Professionals Announces 'Employee Of The Year' Recipients

OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of job seekers on the market remains high, but according to a recent hiring trends survey conducted by staffing franchise Express Employment Professionals, which surveys hundreds of employers across North America, respondents noted that an applicant's job experience, attitude and work ethic are the most important characteristics they look for in a candidate when making a hiring decision.

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The individuals who excel in these areas are often the ones securing jobs and getting noticed by employers. Express annually recognizes these individuals with the esteemed Employee of the Year award. Express officials announced today that the top three nationwide industry winners hail from Mount Vernon, Wash., Birmingham and New Orleans.

Helen Simmons with the Mount Vernon, Wash. Express office is the Administrative Employee of the Year. Chosen for her significant career growth, Simmons has proven on several occasions her willingness to stay in an assignment until there is no longer a need. Whether it's a three to four week or three to four month assignment, Simmons will be there to make sure the job is finished and finished correctly. This has proven invaluable on a variety of different assignments since she first came to Express in 2009.

Mark Spann was named Commercial Employee of the Year and works for the Birmingham Express office. Over the years, Spann has worked for several different Express locations, and when he moved to the Birmingham area, he came to the local office saying, "I will only work for Express!"

Since October 2009, he has worked on assignments at 27 clients, many of them as repeat placements, through the Birmingham Express office. According to the company, he has always been dependable, and willing to do whatever job is offered with enthusiasm.

His house was destroyed by a tornado that came through Alabama in April 2011.  As he was trying to get his life back together after a devastating event, he consistently stayed in touch with his Express office and never missed an assignment. Spann completed his job duties while staying in good humor and providing his office with leads on new clients that could use the help of a staffing firm.

New Orleans Express associate Jonathan Groeger was named Professional Employee of the Year. Groeger earned his Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. After college, he found work, but wasn't satisfied. A few years later, he was directly recruited by the local Express Employment Professionals Specialized Recruiting Group for a long-term assignment to work for a manufacturer of valves for use in the oil field servicing industry. There he conducted time and motion studies on the processes used on the metal from the raw state to the manufactured state.  He also conducted baseline studies on the processes while on assignment.

After seven months of hard work, dedication, and innovation, Groeger was hired on full-time by the manufacturer. His dedication and persistence helped the company re-route their processes in order to improve efficiencies. According to Express, Groeger demonstrates integrity, good judgment, discernment, as well as dedication to doing the job well.

"In these times, it's vital for job seekers to stand out among the competition and be willing to improve their skills and learn new ones, take advantage of the resources available and go above and beyond to secure a position," says Robert A. Funk, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Express Employment Professionals. "Each year we find jobs for hundreds of thousands of associates, and we often come across truly exceptional individuals who deserve to be recognized for their dedication to their growing careers. The men and women who win the Employee of the Year award are true examples of what it takes to succeed in today's workforce."

Winners of the Employee of the Year award are chosen based on their unique story as a job seeker and their level of growth in their set career. Nominees are also selected because they exude a "character of excellence," which means they are reliable, honest, hardworking, have an exemplary attitude, and a willingness to go above and beyond to ensure their and others' success.

Regional winners were also announced today as part of the Express Employee of the Year awards program.

In the Central Region, Shannon Delatore with the Champaign, Ill. Express office was awarded for her enthusiasm, positive attitude and tremendous growth over the past three years. Delatore was placed as a volunteer recruitment coordinator at a nonprofit organization and her passion and desire to help others has made a strong impact on her colleagues, managers and volunteers.

In the East Central Region, Windsor, Ontario associate Josef Mazuran was awarded as Employee of the Year for his respectfulness, intelligence, professionalism and incredible determination. Since being placed as an auditing analyst for an enterprise group in April, Mazuran has advanced from data analysis to mediating and interacting with large automotive clients and assisting with audits. He has been dedicated to honing his skills and absorbing new information and has proved rapid and significant advancement in the business world.

In the Northeast Region, Frank Smith, who works for the Braintree, Mass. Express office, was awarded for his dedication, reliability and versatility. Since working for Express, Smith has completed more than six temporary positions and is now working full-time on a long-term basis as a warehouse driver.

Newport News, Va. Express associate Phyllis Mayfield was named South Region Employee of the Year. Mayfield came to Express with a broad range of administrative experience and skills, and was assigned to a district nonprofit where it became apparent that the position would require supporting many different district leaders and offering some support to the more than 65 branches and more than 3,000 members in the district.

In the West Region, Edmonton West, Alberta resident Dianna Aslin was recognized for her professionalism and dedication to her job as an office assistant. Since being placed by Express in 2009, Aslin has earned a reputation for being flexible, extremely pleasant and reliable.

Worldwide, Express Employment Professionals put 341,000 people to work in 2011 and has more than 585 offices in three countries. Express provides expertise in evaluation hire, temporary staffing, professional search and human resources and works across a wide variety of industries. For more information and to view a complete list of state and province winners, visit www.expresspros.com/eoy.

SOURCE Express Employment Professionals