Walt:

Star Radio, Sunday Jazz Brunch. It’s time, once again, for the Power of Potential with AIM Services, supporting people with disabilities and traumatic brain injury. Each week, we get a chance to talk to you the Executive Director, Chris Lyons. Good morning, sir.

Chris Lyons:

Good morning, Walt. Happy Sunday. It’s great to visit with you. It’s great to know we’re getting closer and closer to spring, and some pretty weird weather this week with lows and wind chill factors down below zero, and then we hit 40, 50’s. I didn’t know whether to put my bathing suit on or my parka.

Walt:

One thing you and I both have in common is birdwatching in our backyards, and the birds are probably wondering what’s up as well.

Chris Lyons:

Absolutely. We both love nature and yeah, we actually call each other when we see a grosbeak. We were like, “Hey, the blue jays are back.” It’s wonderful that we live in such a diverse natural areas as the Adirondacks, and you’re a Lake George guy. If you were lucky enough to have them stayed through the winter, it’s really calming to have nature, and hopefully all of life sort of have a blossoming in the spring season. I would like to just remind everybody that despite the fact that things are opening up again, precautions need to be taken at AIM. We will continue to mandate the wearing of masks and other personal protection equipment as we support individuals, despite the fact that the businesses are opening up, because we do want to avoid a surge. We want to avoid creating different strains of the virus, and we just want to be smart about it, so that all the good things we’re hoping for in late spring and summer and throughout the year actually happen.

Walt:

That’s right, Chris. No time to let our guard down. Well, our special guest this week, the Director of Creative Services at AIM, Karen Gregory joins us.

Chris Lyons:

I’m always looking for people who might want to interact with the people we support and make a difference. Karen’s an obvious one. She came on several months ago and she’s driving a very new initiative we call Workforce Retention so that when we do hire somebody who is in a direct support role, that they feel valued, they feel cared about, they can balance their personal life with their work life, they feel resourced with the tools and the skillsets to do the job, and most of all, the confidence to do it. We’re seeing really great results with it.

Walt:

All right. And she’s up next. Again, we appreciate checking in with you as always, and look forward to talking to you again next week.

Chris Lyons:

Walt, I can’t thank you enough. Please take care of yourself and I can’t wait to have some sunlight in both our lives.

Walt:

Amen, brother. Talk to you next week. Karen Gregory, Director of Creative Services at AIM. Good morning, Karen.

Karen GregoryKaren Gregory:

Hi, Walt. I’m so happy to be a part of the conversation today. Thank you so much for having me.

Walt:

It’s good to be talking with you again. As Director of Creative Services at AIM, tell us a little bit about your role.

Karen Gregory:

The beauty of my position is that I get to help and support so many moving parts at our agency, which is not only wonderful, but it’s really fun. So one project right now I’m championing is the Workforce Retention initiative. We have a critical focus right now on recruitment, onboarding and training. And for people who are listening today and who are curious about AIM Services, I would invite them to apply. We are an awesome agency, and if you have a heart and you care about people, that’s really all you need to start here. AIM is totally invested in a great onboarding and continuous training and development. We never walk away from the employee, we stay with each and every person to support and mentor them through the whole process. So if a member of our team is having a difficulty of any sort at all, we’re here to help them and navigate through.

Walt:

That’s a key support during the pandemic.

Karen Gregory:

Walt, I’m completely blown away by this agency. As you know, this pandemic has been brutal, right? Thankfully, AIM hosted a vaccine clinic and we were seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. And if there’s a silver lining I think in all of this, AIM has been the agency to step up in so many critical areas. And I’m so proud to be part of an agency who cares deeply for not only the people that we support every single day, but there’s such a tremendous level of support for every single person on AIM. And when a team member based difficulties, we’re all here for that person. If someone is struggling to pay their rent or car payment or if a hardship causes them not be able to put food on the table and they have children at home, we’re there.

Walt:

You’re listening to Star Radio, Sunday Jazz Brunch. I’m Walt Adams and our Power of Potential segment. Our special guest, Director of Creative Services, Karen Gregory. The agency has been really good at adapting the safety of not only the individuals that we support, but the employees that support them.

Karen Gregory:

Absolutely. That is first and foremost in every decision that AIM makes and every direction that we take is keeping everybody safe. We care deeply about everyone’s family as well, and we’re trying to keep everybody healthy. I think when I reflect on my career path and to where I am now, I have never felt so part of a family as I do here at AIM. We brought some incredible people into this agency. As you know, we brought Bo Goliber  in recently to be the Chief Officer of Development and Communications, and we’re excited to work with her. And one of the great things that AIM also does is they really like to support their team and develop them to the next level and next opportunity that’s available. And they set you up for success here, which is amazing. If you have a heart, you care about people we’ll take care of the rest. We’ll teach you and we’ll train you, and we’ll support you because here at AIM, we are just as invested in your development as you should be as you grow with the agency.

Walt:

Karen, so good to have you with us, and thank you for being a part of the Power of Potential today.

Karen Gregory:

It’s my pleasure, Walt. It’s always good to hear your voice and talk to you. I miss seeing you.

Walt:

Thank you so much.

Karen Gregory:

Thank you, Walt.

Walt:

Director of Creative Services, Karen Gregory. For more information about the services that AIM provides or to join the AIM team, go to aimservicesinc.org for the Power of Potential.