Andesa Services 2016 Accomplishments

A blog written by Andesa’s CEO Ron Scheese.
A special greeting to express my sincere appreciation for your confidence in and loyalty to Andesa. Best Wishes for a Healthy & Happy Thanksgiving Day!

With nearly half of the Pilgrims succumbing to the hardship of the New World, tradition holds that the first Thanksgiving was neither a feast nor a holiday; but a simple gathering of colonists to celebrate a bountiful harvest amongst themselves and the Native Americans who helped them survive that initial winter.

Customs and traditions have been added over time, but the core of a Thanksgiving celebration continues to be a time in which we:

• gather in unity to enjoy family
• reflect upon the blessings that shape our lives, and
• prepare our hearts for giving to others.

On November 24^th, I will gather with my family for a traditional Thanksgiving meal.  We will share stories from the year past and express gratitude for the many gifts in our lives.  We’ll pray for our extended family, our church, our country and for those less fortunate whom we serve. We will enjoy a bountiful harvest of laughter.

I imagine my simple family tradition would be similar if I could gather the clients and team members of Andesa together.  I recently had an emotional experience reflective of that vision when many of us gathered for a dinner in the rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame during Andesa’s Client Forum in Nashville this past September.  During the event, I stole away for a couple of minutes to observe the camaraderie and interactions and to reflect on the special environment that is Andesa.

2016 has been an eventful year.  Andesa’s accomplishments have positioned the company for years of success.  Struggles and challenges have made us stronger. We welcomed new team members and clients to the family, but also said “so long” to several colleagues as they sought a different pathway. As in life, change was our constant companion; but we did not waiver from our core focus of building our team, relationships and business for the long-term.  I further appreciate how truly special my time at Andesa is:

• I am blessed by a passionate team who believe delivering results for our clients is their top priority. Year in and year out, our client survey process recognizes Andesa’s staff as our strongest characteristic.  Each day I am blessed to come to a place where people collaborate, exemplify a positive “can-do” attitude and strive to get the job done correctly.  Many of the Andesa team worked tirelessly to help us achieve our corporate objectives in 2016, often at great personal sacrifice.  We are working to make Andesa a special place, but none of it is rewarding without seeing the personal growth of so many individuals.  Thank you to the Andesa team and your families for all your hard work and commitment.  None of our success is possible without you.
• I am blessed by an insightful board of directors who get it, and who have the long-term best interests of the company at the center of its deliberations.  This is a group who appreciates that some of the most impactful results leadership delivers are not expressed in financial statements or quarterly measures.  I am grateful for increasing my own understanding through the interactions and relationships I have developed with the board over the years.
• I am blessed to work for a socially-aware organization that appreciates a corporate as well as personal responsibility to society. In his book “Value from Values” on the founding of Andesa, John Walker wrote:  “unless operated with a soul, a firm will fail to live up to its critical role of reinforcing good citizenship in its employees.”  Andesa’s long-term relationship with United Way, the recent Andesa Fellowship, and efforts to support Meals-on-Wheels and Aidan’s Avengers reflect a perspective of corporate accountability which engages our team.
• Finally, I am blessed by an incredible group of clients who entrust their business to Andesa.  When John Walker described Andesa as “a firm with a soul,” I believe he challenged us to make our clients feel like they were doing business with a human who cares about them, not a faceless company that hides behind policy.  We truly appreciate the special relationships we share with our clients and strive to provide a personalized level of service.  We are blessed when we visit a client and witness how they “embrace” us as a partner – not a vendor.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!  Please enjoy your family and friends this holiday season.  Warm Andesa wishes for a wonderful holiday. 

I would love for you to share a personal expression of gratitude response.
It’s what you would say if we were sitting around the table sharing a Thanksgiving meal.

You can reach Ron on LinkedIn: Ron Scheese or on Twitter: @RScheese