Happy Friday! For this Employee Spotlight edition, we are featuring Zarren Aylor. Zarren is a Contract Compliance Auditor and joined the team a little over two years ago. When asked what he thinks is the best part of serving the healthcare market, he said, “The best part of serving the healthcare market is knowing my work helps improve patient care for our clients.” Zarren grew up in the West Michigan area, and now he currently is located in Norton Shores, MI. He went to Baker College and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. When asked why he decided to study Finance, he stated, “I studied Finance because my parents owned a small business while I was younger, and I felt having a strong understanding of how finances work would allow me to succeed in a lot of different areas.” A fun fact about Zarren is that he has a twin named Keenan. They have a lot of similar physical features, but Keenan is about an inch taller than Zarren. They played football together all throughout school too, Zarren states, “We had a connection that was hard to compete against in every sport we played together.” Be sure to read the full article to learn about Zarren’s favorite part about having a twin! Outside of work, Zarren is really into fishing! His favorite place to fish is Lake Michigan since it’s only a few minutes away from where he lives, and it is also where his passion for fishing started. The coolest fish he has ever caught was a 26” Walleye off of a bridge over the Muskegon River. Zarren’s dream place to fish one day is the Gulf of Mexico and he would love to catch a Swordfish!
Zarren does a great job in his role and we are grateful to have him on the team! Seth Glaser, Audit Supervisor, said, “I had the pleasure of working with Zarren for over two years here at SpendMend while he was an auditor in the Blue Pod. He was always someone I heavily relied on and could always count on during our time working together. Zarren was an outstanding auditor who always put the company first, was always willing to assist in helping and training new auditors, and is an invaluable asset to the SpendMend team. I’m extremely thankful to have been able to work alongside Zarren while he was part of my team and appreciate everything he added to our group. I’m excited to see where Zarren’s new role takes him in the company!” Thank you, Zarren! We appreciate your dedication to SpendMend!
Interview with Zarren:
What is your role at SpendMend?
Contract Compliance Auditor
How long have you been with SpendMend?
A little over 2 years
How did you first learn about SpendMend?
I first learned about SpendMend through LinkedIn and the great opportunities they offer recent graduates.
What 3 words would you use to describe SpendMend?
Community, Innovative, and Hard-Working
Where are you located/from?
I am located in Norton Shores, MI and I grew up in the West MI area as well.
Where did you go for higher education?
I went to Baker College and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance.
What did you study and why?
I studied Finance because my parents owned a small business while I was younger, and I felt having a strong understanding of how finances work would allow me to succeed in a lot of different areas.
Growing up, what was your dream job and why?
I did not have a specific dream job, but I always thought it would be cool to be a professional fisherman. However, I enjoy plenty of fishing in my free time.
Why do you look forward to coming to work?
I look forward to knowing that my work makes a difference for our clients so that they are able to focus more of their time on improving patient care
Before working at SpendMend, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
The most interesting job I had prior to working at SpendMend would have to be being a baseball umpire for youth baseball
What is one fun fact about you?
I have a twin brother that I am 13 minutes older than!
What’s your brother’s name?
My twin brother’s name is Keenan
Are you and your twin identical or fraternal?
I don’t know whether we are fraternal or identical as it was never clear to my parents, and we never had a DNA test done to determine what we were.
What are the biggest differences in your appearance? Do you two have a lot in common or opposites?
We are quite similar in appearance, but he is about an inch taller than me. We have a lot in common, and we played football together all throughout school where I was the QB and he was the WR. We had a connection that was hard to compete against in every sport we played together
What is your favorite part about having a twin?
My favorite part about having a twin was always having someone to compete with and against in whatever we do, but also having someone you could always relate to and lean on.
What type of music or podcasts do you listen to during the workday?
During the workday, I listen to multiple genres of music, and I am unable to pick a favorite!
Do you have any hobbies or participate in any activities outside of work?
Outside of work, I am a big fisherman and I love to play cornhole!
What piqued your interest to start fishing? When did you start fishing and why?
I started fishing when I was a kid and going out on Lake Michigan in a family friend’s boat for Salmon is what piqued my interest. I caught my first Salmon that day which was 22 pounds and I share the same excitement I had then as I do today.
Where is your favorite place to fish and why?
I got back into fishing heavily after college which was a few years ago, and my favorite place to fish is still Lake Michigan as it is only a few minutes’ drive away from where I live and is where my passion for fishing started.
What I the coolest fish you’ve caught?
The coolest fish I caught was my first Walleye in March of last year which was 26” off of a bridge over the Muskegon River.
Where is your dream place to go fishing?
I have been fishing in Saint Lucia which was a very cool experience, but I would love to fish the Gulf of Mexico and catch a Swordfish one day.
Do you interact with
Clients and suppliers
Can you describe an interaction when you helped a client or a supplier that stands out in your mind?
There have been multiple instances in which suppliers needed help in resolving large amounts of past due invoices in which I was able to escalate the issue with our client to get involved. Helping out suppliers when possible is always beneficial in building strong relationships.
What was the best compliment you’ve ever been paid by a client or supplier?
I am always happy to receive genuine appreciation from the suppliers I have interacted with.
What is the best part of serving the healthcare market?
The best part of serving the healthcare market is knowing my work helps improve patient care for our clients.
If you work at the Grand Rapids headquarters, what is your favorite Recovery Room Activity?
I work from home for the most part.
What has been your experience with SpendMend community service events?
All of SpenMend’s events are always a good time.
Do you want to shout out a co-worker who has helped or inspired you at SpendMend?
I credit Seth Glaser for always making sure my work as an auditor at SpendMend was acknowledged and appreciated.
What advice do you have for prospective candidates who want to join the SpendMend team?
The SpendMend team is very supportive and wants to see you succeed!
What has been your proudest accomplishment at SpendMend?
My proudest accomplishment at SpendMend so far was improving my approved claims and overall claim volume by over 50% in my 2nd year as an auditor.
What is something you’re looking forward to for your future at SpendMend?
I look forward to continuing to grow in my new role and learning the many different aspects we provide in our recovery.