Team ETG Spotlight: Sally Sturgis
This month we are launching a new series on our blog to give you all an opportunity to learn more about the individuals that make up Team ETG and the impact some of our long-standing employees have had on our organization. We are so excited to share the stories of our employees with you and offer you a chance to learn more about some of the individuals that you invite into your homes and businesses when you work with our organization.
Meet Sally Sturgis, one of our longest-serving employees. Sally has been a part of our organization since 1995 and has seen the business through a variety of changes and transitions, including the relocation from our original facility to our current warehouse on Mike Padgett Highway, the handing over of the reins to Brian and Nyles when they took over for their Father, Don, the opening of new business segments, a celebration of our 50th anniversary and much more. Sally has been a fixture in our organization for many years, and will be retiring later this year; although we know she will leave a gap in our team, we are taking advantage of this opportunity to celebrate her and her service to Team ETG and our customers over the years.
We sat down with Sally for a quick Q&A to learn more about her time at ETG and here is what she had to say:
How long have you been with ETG
I have been here 23 years, I started way back in 1995.
What is your current role at ETG, what other positions have you held during your time here?
Now I deliver medical records and tapes, but I started on the moving side as a driver and crew member.
How have you seen the company grow and change during your time here?
I think it’s growing and changing every day, we do a lot of growing and changing around here. I think Data storage has been the biggest change, it seems like they are moving up every year, we built the new office last year just for that and have just grown a lot.
What is one of your favorite memories about working here/something that stands out from your time here?
The people. The family, Brian, Nyles, and Anita! I enjoy working for them, they are my friends, my very best friends, and my co-workers. I will miss them most when I leave, but I will be coming back to visit.
You have been here for over 23 years now, what things have made it appealing to continue coming in each and every day?
I like the work we do and enjoy keeping busy. And the people, too.
When we asked Sally about some of her most distinct memories while working for ETG she said, “I definitely remember working for Don, he was always playing jokes and trying to get me into trouble, I miss him.” Sally says that if she could share one bit of advice to some of our younger team members it would be “If you work hard, you will succeed, but you have to put your focus on what you want to do. If I made it 23 years, you can surely make it 40″
Sally is the type of employee that leaves an impression wherever she goes and she is loved and appreciated by our Team and Customers, a like. “Sally is a very special employee! One of those very rare employees that becomes a special part of your company and family,” said Brian Ellefson, CEO of Ellefson Transportation Group. “Her dedication and loyalty is second to none. Throughout her 23 years here she has held several positions from a packer and driver for United Van Lines and ADSI Moving Systems to a driver for Augusta Data Storage and in each capacity she always put the customer first.”
“Over the years Sally has seen many changes, playing a vital role in our remarkable growth,” Brian continued, “She experienced the good times and the bad but has always maintained her dedication, loyalty and work ethic. Sally always worked, spoke and promoted our company as if it was her own. Her sense of humor brought a great dynamic into the workplace. Her retirement announcement was bitter sweet but it is well deserved. She will always be missed but we can never replace Sally Sturgis.”
Brian’s sentiments were echoed by his brother, Nyles Ellefson, COO of Ellefson Transportation Group, who said, “Sally has worked for our company for many years and has worn many hats in our operation. She started as a household goods local driver, then an over the road driver, to a local dispatcher and now one of our data storage drivers. She is super dependable and is one of our top employees and has a great attitude. She is what we look for in excellent employees and we have loved having her as a representative of Ellefson Transportation Group. Thank you to Sally for all the years of dedication and hard work!! We appreciate you!!”
We hope you will join us in congratulating Sally on her upcoming retirement, as you can tell, it is well-deserved, and she will be sorely missed.
Stay tuned in the coming months as we continue to bring you stories about all the great people that make up Team ETG and how they are impacting our organization.