Welcome to the Employee Spotlight Series! For this feature, we interviewed Ben Davis. Ben wears several hats at SpendMend in his hybrid role, including IT Automation, Research Analyst, and PM Assistant. He joined the SpendMend team about four years ago! When asked what he thinks is the best part of serving the healthcare market, he said, “Supporting hospitals with efficient deliverables, so they can focus on what’s important.” Ben attended North Central University for his Associate’s degree in Business. He then received his Bachelor’s degree in Project Management in Technology from Davenport University. He chose this degree path because he likes to organize and create structure, he states “I believe it makes people more productive and feel confident in knowing what they’re doing.” During work, he enjoys listening to the “Lex Fridman” podcast. Lex Fridman is a scientist, and during his podcast, he interviews professionals in a variety of careers. The podcast discusses the different careers in hopes of better understanding them, and how their work impacts society! If you’re looking for a new podcast to start during work, check it out. Thanks for the recommendation, Ben! A fun fact about Ben is that he is really into playing online chess! Chess has become a great outlet for him because he enjoys solving puzzles. As of right now he plays the game with people online but looks forwards to making the jump to play with a local chess group. If you want to practice your chess skills, be sure to reach out to Ben!
Ben does such a wonderful job in his roles! We appreciate his ability to juggle between tasks. Al Sibley, IT Director, said, “Ben manages and configures the RPA (Robotic Process Automation) projects. When he started in this role, he was unfamiliar with the software and the processes. Now, he has a firm handle on these projects and knocks them out with increasing efficiency. He does a great job helping to improve the efficiency of various shared services processes by automating the processes to free up resources to work on other tasks.” We are lucky to have Ben a part of our team!
Interview with Ben:
What is your role at SpendMend?
Hybrid – IT Automation | Research Analyst | PM Assistant
How long have you been with SpendMend?
4 Years
How did you first learn about SpendMend?
Robert Half
What 3 words would you use to describe SpendMend?
Supportive, Transparent, Laissez-Faire
Where are you located/from?
I grew up in Holland, MI
Where did you go for higher education? What did you study and why?
I attended North Central University (in Minneapolis) for my AA in Business before attending Davenport University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Project Management in Technology. I chose this degree path because I like to organize and create structure and I believe it makes people more productive and feel confident in knowing what they’re doing.
Why do you look forward to coming to work?
Solving new challenges and working with team members to achieve them.
Before working at SpendMend, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
I was blessed to have experienced the process of funding and co-founding a real estate media startup called NextDoorPhotos (those guys are still killing it!).
What is one fun fact about you?
I have become slightly addicted to online chess.
What piqued your interest to start playing online chess?
I enjoy solving puzzles with logic and Chess became a great outlet! I play people online, but still haven’t made the leap toward meeting with local chess groups yet.
What type of music or podcasts do you listen to during the workday?
I’ve been listening to Lex Fridman recently, very long episodes!
What is the podcast “Lex Fridman” about?
Lex Fridman is a scientist who interviews professionals with interesting careers and insights to help us better understand in laymen’s terms what they do and how their work impacts society. I don’t know if I’d suggest a particular episode, as I’ve only heard a few!
Do you have any hobbies or participate in any activities outside of work?
Pickleball and Volleyball are always a good time.
Who do you enjoy playing pickleball and volleyball with? What is your favorite part about pickleball and volleyball?
Pickleball and Volleyball are both hobbies to me. We play volleyball with a group of friends in the summertime. My partner loves to play pickleball and we get a nice tan as an added bonus.
Can you describe an interaction when you helped a client or a supplier that stands out in your mind?
I mainly work internally with our IT team and Shared Services.
What is the best part of serving the healthcare market?
Supporting hospitals with efficient deliverables, so they can focus on what’s important.
If you work at the Grand Rapids headquarters, what is your favorite Recovery Room Activity?
I am currently living in the Twin Cities, but if there’s a Ping-Pong table I’m there.
What has been your experience with SpendMend community service events?
Unfortunately, I have not attended a Bee Brave event yet!
Do you want to shout out a co-worker who has helped or inspired you at SpendMend?
Cindy Allen has always been very supportive and she goes the extra mile to make sure you feel safe and informed.
What advice do you have for prospective candidates who want to join the SpendMend team?
Don’t be afraid to think long-haul and be flexible with what you’re willing to learn towards meeting company needs.
What has been your proudest accomplishment at SpendMend?
Being given the opportunity to work on project-based work within a team.
What is something you’re looking forward to for your future at SpendMend?
Continuing to learn more about how we get things done.