Environmental Services Associate Thrives as Go-To Guy
March 10, 2022 – Over the past 16 years as an Environmental Services Associate at Morris Hospital, Randy Kiefling has earned a reputation for being the go-to-guy. This is a result of his vast knowledge, positive attitude, friendly personality, and desire to lend a hand and make things better wherever he can. A resident of South Wilmington, Kiefling was selected as Morris Hospital’s Fire Starter of the Month for February.
The impact Kiefling makes is certainly widespread. Dave Bowers, who works in the Receiving department, said Kiefling made a positive impact on Bowers’ very first day with Morris Hospital. “You can never tell if Randy is having a bad day because he always has a positive vibe,” wrote Bowers. “Randy is a difference maker. Every day I work, he always greets me with a smile. I don’t know how he does it, but he always finds time to make sure our department is taken care of and he is always willing to lend a helping hand. And you don’t even have to ask him. Working with Randy is awesome just because he makes everyone else’s job so much easier.”
Kiefling thrives on being the kind of person others know they can rely on, which makes being Day Lead in the Environmental Services department a perfect fit. In this role, he orders supplies, provides assistance to Environmental Services staff wherever needed, and helps with linen, garbage routes and bio waste disposal.
Sue Raikes, Environmental Services Supervisor, says she can’t say enough good things about Kiefling.
“Randy will help wherever help is needed, not only in our department but in other departments as well,” said Raikes. “Everyone calls him when they need help. He’s willing to go out of his comfort zone. And he’s knowledgeable of pretty much everything: you can throw a question at him, and he can answer it. He is certainly helpful to me in my role as supervisor. I rely on him a lot. I wish there were more of him. We’re lucky to have him.”
A former maintenance supervisor at a nursing home, Kiefling said his father always encouraged him to become part of the Morris Hospital team.
“My mom and dad always used Morris Hospital,” says Kiefling. “My dad was in and out of the hospital and watched these wings being built. He believed Morris was the best hospital and wanted us to be part of it.”
Today, Kiefling thrives on being known as “the man to go to.” He takes pride in being able to easily locate anything someone is looking for in one of the Environmental Services storage rooms. He works hard to keep up his knowledge on biohazard information. And he appreciates the good relationships he has with other departments.
“If I can answer a question or find the right person to do the job, I’ll do it. It feels good when we all work together as a team,” says Kiefling.
Still, what Kiefling really likes best about his job are the people interactions. He feels good when he’s walking down the hall and hears someone call out his name – whether it’s an employee, patient, or visitor.
“Taking a few minutes to stop and interact with someone I know from the community is another part of my job,” adds Kiefling. “That’s what people come to Morris Hospital for – the personal touch.”
In early civilizations, fire starters were individuals who had the important job of keeping the flame alive. With over 1,400 employees, Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers is the largest employer in Grundy County.
# # #
