Butler County chamber awards employee of the year
FRANKLIN TWP — Finding top employees is a hot topic right now.
People such as recruiter Stella Cowan from Specialized Staffing in Butler are on the front lines of this battle.
Cowan was recognized by the Butler County Chamber of Commerce for her hard work Wednesday afternoon as its employee of the year during the Employee Appreciation Luncheon at the Atrium.
“I had no idea this was going to happen,” Cowan said. “There are some people much more deserving than me. There are just a lot of really good employees in Butler County.”
Cowan has been a recruiter for 18 years. Specialized Staffing helps recruit employees for sectors such as accounting, human resources, administration and manufacturing management.
“We mostly specialize in office staffing,” Cowan said. “Anything with corporate office space.”
She said she truly loves what she does because she gets to shape people’s careers and make sure they are headed down the path they want.
“The reward is definitely helping the employer as much as employee and bringing the two together,” Cowan said. “There is a right person for every job, and I find it incredibly rewarding.”
Before becoming a recruiter, Cowan worked at a local bank where now Lisa Bruno-Guard, Specialized Staffing owner and past chamber president, recognized Cowan’s hard work and thought she might make a good fit for her company.
“I was always impressed with her customer service,” Bruno-Guard said. “One day I put my business card through the drive-through and said if you ever decide to consider a different career let me know.
“Then I hadn’t seen her in a while, but one day I had to go inside and saw her in an office. They didn’t have her working with customers as much anymore, so I stepped into her office and had a talk and was able sway her back into a position more like that.”
Jordan Grady, chamber president, presented the wooden mantel clock to Cowan, which is awarded with the honor each year.
“I relied on Lisa to fill out the application and apply on Stella’s behalf,” Grady said. “There then was a vote from a committee, and Stella won based on what was presented in the application.”
Cowan made the point to thank her fellow employees.
“I couldn’t do it without these people,” Cowan said. “We have a very talented and supportive team.”
Cowan said knows through her experience that it’s important for events such the Employee Appreciation Luncheon to take place.
Some companies still are in search of employees, and that leaves those who are working to perhaps work harder and work longer shifts to fill the voids, Cowan said.
“It’s nice to see employees recognized,” Cowan said. “I know this from talking to employees every day. They don’t always feel recognized, and they’re not engaged as employees.”
During her almost two decades of service with Specialized Staffing, Cowan has seen some changes with the company and with her job as a recruiter as well.
“We are facing a demographic that is changing,” Cowan said. “A lot of people are retiring in those bigger generations. The younger generation is smaller, which is a problem.
“So we need just as many employees if not more to fill those jobs. Technology can help to a certain extent allowing us to work with less people, but we still need those key people.”
Bruno-Guard started specialized Staffing in 1997, and Cowan has seen most of the changes in the company with her, which includes the need for more recruiters.
“We’ve really grown as a company in the past 18 years,” Cowan said. “I think we’ve added two more employees in the past year. That is just because of our success as a business.”
The Butler County Chamber of Commerce is in its 17th year of presenting this award.
“I like that this is a long-standing event,” Grady said. “I like that it hasn’t been replicated in any form. It provides an opportunity to have all these companies in one room. Everything is planned and set up nice and it’s a great way to treat your employees.
“I think there is a lot of momentum to keep this award and event open and going.”
