Hello everyone! Let’s end the 2022 year with a spectacular edition of the Employee Spotlight Series. For this feature, we are spotlighting Adam Keefer! Adam is a Medical Device Analyst and has been a part of the SpendMend team for five years. When asked why he looks forward to coming to work, he said, “I find a lot of what we do to be interesting and I feel like most days, even after 5 years I still see new things so I try to take it as a learning opportunity. So a lot of the interest in coming to work every day is finding new problems and hopefully new solutions right along with it.” Something interesting about Adam is that he knows a TON of jokes, and could tell jokes all day long! Adam started his love for joke-telling at a young age and entertained his friends throughout middle school and high school. To keep his repertoire from repeating, he always had to have fresh jokes on deck! When asked what his favorite type of jokes are, Adam stated, “My favorite type of joke is probably story jokes and ones you can substitute peoples’ names. It’s a lighthearted way to pick on someone and most people don’t take it very seriously.” If you ever see Adam around in the office, don’t forget to ask him for a joke! A fun fact about Adam is that he worked as a ranger at a golf course in his last year of college! Adam worked on course maintenance, such as cutting/raking bunkers and moving the pains around the greens. Adam’s main responsibility was to maintain the pace of play, and ensure that people followed the rules. Make sure to check out the rest of the interview to read more about Adam’s job as a ranger! A hobby that Adam enjoys doing in his free time is cooking. He started in high school because his mom made the, “whoever cooks, doesn’t clean” rule. Adam learned his culinary skills from his mom and grandmother – they are both great cooks! His favorite part about cooking is seeing the reactions of people trying his food! Other than smoking ribs, Adam’s go-to dishes are Peanut Pad Thai, Biscuits and Gravy, Jambalaya, and Buttermilk Fried Chicken! The Employee Spotlight Series is excellent at finding all the amazing chefs among the SpendMend … so when is the next company potluck?!
Adam does a great job as a Medical Device Analyst and he is greatly appreciated by his team! Dennis Beall, Medical Device Audit and Compliance Manager, said “Adam has been helping with various projects for the Med Device Team. The one thing that sticks out about Adam’s work is his response and accuracy to every request. The request is always delivered in a very timely manner and exceeds the expectation of the request. We look forward to Adam joining the Med Device Team on a full-time basis after the first of the year.” Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Adam!
Interview with Adam Keefer:
What is your role at SpendMend?
Medical Device Analyst
How long have you been with SpendMend?
5 years
How did you first learn about SpendMend?
Indeed
What 3 words would you use to describe SpendMend?
Driven, Enthusiastic, Teamwork
Why do you look forward to coming to work?
I find a lot of what we do to be interesting and I feel like most days, even after 5 years I still see new things so I try to take it as a learning opportunity. So a lot of the interest in coming to work every day is finding new problems and hopefully new solutions right along with it.
Where are you located/from?
I am originally from Quincy, MI.
Where did you go for higher education? What did you study and why?
I went to GVSU and earned a Mathematics degree. Originally, I wanted to be a teacher but changed my mind.
Before working at SpendMend, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
I worked as a ranger at a golf course during my last year of college.
How did you get the opportunity to become a ranger at a golf course?
A friend in college worked at that golf course and the owner told him he wanted another ranger for the afternoons, and he asked if I was interested and I thought it could be fun so I said sure.
What did being a “ranger” entail as a job?
I did a lot of course maintenance like cutting/raking bunkers and moving the pins around the greens. But Ranging was largely helping maintain the pace of play, and making sure people followed the rules
What was the best part about the job?
I loved the job, it was a lot of fun and I got to meet a lot of interesting people.
What was your least favorite part about the job?
The worst part was having to remove people from the course for breaking the rules. I didn’t get too much pushback being a bigger guy but telling groups that they had to go was always a bit nerve-wracking, especially if they had a few drinks.
What is one fun fact about you?
I know a lot of jokes. I could sit around telling jokes all day long.
What piqued your interest in telling jokes?
Just overheard a few jokes while at a cookout and I remembered them. One day on the way to a track meet in 7th grade, one of the “cool” 8th graders overheard me tell one of those jokes to a friend and thought it was funny, so I got invited to the back to tell jokes to and from all the track meets for the rest of the season. Being in a small town, a lot of our games and meets were 45-50 minutes away which meant I had to know a lot of jokes. This went on the rest of the way through school, and they seemed to be able to notice if I slipped in an old one so I always had to have fresh ones.
What is your best or “go-to” joke?
I guess I don’t have a go-to joke, it’s always been based on the group and the context. I don’t usually throw out jokes/stories until the conversation makes them relevant, which is how Colleen got to hear the Emu story but that will have to wait for another time.
What is your favorite type of joke?
My favorite type of joke is probably story jokes and ones you can substitute peoples’ names. It’s a lighthearted way to pick on someone and most people don’t take it very seriously.
What type of music or podcasts do you listen to during the workday?
I am not much of a podcast person. As far as music goes, it largely depends on the day. I don’t really have a favorite genre, I try to listen to a little bit of everything and I’m always open to suggestions.
Do you have any hobbies or participate in any activities outside of work?
I have always been into cooking, anyone who worked in the office pre-Covid can attest to that. I like to smoke pork shoulders and brisket and have been trying to dial in my fried chicken. It’s pretty good but I think I can always do better.
When did you start cooking?
I started cooking in 10th grade because my mom made up the rule whoever cooked didn’t have to do the dishes and that sounded like a good deal to me.
Who did you learn to cook from?
My mom and grandmother are both great cooks. They both taught me a lot and it’s cool that they even call me from time to time and ask how I would do something.
What is your favorite part about cooking?
My favorite part of cooking isn’t really about the cooking itself but seeing people react to the things I make.
Other than smoked meat, what are your favorite dishes to make and eat?
If I don’t have time to smoke some ribs or something, my go-to dishes are Peanut Pad Thai, Biscuits and Gravy, Jambalaya, and Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Sometimes people in the office get to be my Guinea pigs.
Do you interact with
Clients & Suppliers
Can you describe an interaction when you helped a client or a supplier that stands out in your mind?
I just think of all the times I have called a vendor and they are upset about all the past due invoices and I give them the email where they can submit their invoices and how often they didn’t know about that email and then 2 and 3 weeks later they call me to say thank you because they have already started to receive payments for their invoices. What’s interesting about it is those vendors are generally very appreciative and later when we call back for help looking into duplicate payment or credit memos, they are so helpful and it’s a great way to build a relationship and get them to see SpendMend is here to help them too.
What was the best compliment you’ve ever been paid by a client or supplier?
Just a couple of weeks ago I had an AR manager say that they wish every client had someone as sweet and helpful as me they could talk to about their accounts.
What is the best part of serving the healthcare market?
I guess I know how vital the healthcare market is to keeping everyone healthy and knowing we can support them in any fashion is pretty great.
If you work at the Grand Rapids headquarters, what is your favorite Recovery Room Activity?
Definitely playing Shuffleboard with Steve Kennedy. I would like to extend a challenge to anyone that comes in. We are pretty good if I do say so myself.
What has been your experience with SpendMend community service events?
We were doing Department based fundraisers for BEE BRAVE before the pandemic and I made and sold a bunch of Buffalo Chicken Dips and I remember Josh Kiel asked if he could buy some before going into the Managers’ meeting. I got a lot of emails from other Pod Managers and Supervisors asking me to save them some. We sold out before the meeting was over but it was a good time.
Do you want to shout out a co-worker who has helped or inspired you at SpendMend?
Collen Kretowicz. When I started here I was an auditor and I wasn’t even working for Colleen but I went to her a lot for help. Actually, “a lot” is an understatement. I practically lived at her desk for my first several months and I think I drove her nuts but she never gave up on me. She’s my work mom and seeing all the obstacles she’s had along the way and seeing how she just pushes forward and always goes over the top to keep her clients happy is mind-blowing. I have learned so much from her about accounting and auditing and I try to pass that knowledge on when I have an opportunity to do so. I don’t know if I would have managed to hang around for 5 years if she didn’t take me under her wing. Thank you, Colleen!
What advice do you have for prospective candidates who want to join the SpendMend team?
Keep an open mind and embrace your teammates. They are here to help you. We succeed as a team and we fail as a team so we want you to be successful because it benefits everyone for you to do your best.
What has been your proudest accomplishment at SpendMend?
I really don’t know. I guess I would say being on a loaner program to the GOLD POD and trying to help them hit numbers for the last few months.
What is something you’re looking forward to for your future at SpendMend?
With the way the company has grown since my arrival, I am interested to see what opportunities will present themselves. Management maybe. Time will tell.