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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Brenda Hunter of Seven Fields
became a Certified Nursing Assistant
(CNA) at St. John Specialty Care in
Mars in 1981.
Little did she know that 34 years
later she’d still be working at St.
John. Though her role has changed
considerably over the years, she’s still
thrilled to be part of the team.
“The people, the residents, and the
community – they all attracted me
here back then, and I can honestly say
that I enjoy it as much as ever,” she
says.
No longer a CNA, Hunter now is an administrative assistant and
receptionist, and while her path was atypical, she is a reflection of
the breadth of opportunities available at St. John Community, and
throughout Lutheran SeniorLife.
Lutheran SeniorLife manages a variety of facilities and services,
including Passavant Community in Zelienople; LIFE programs
throughout the region; VNA, Western Pa.; Lutheran Services Society
and others.
But the story of each employee is different – and special.
Hunter’s grandparents grew up in Mars, and she remembers
watching the shift changes during her visits. When she graduated
high school in Beaver County, she thought, “What a great place to
work.”
When she accepted the CNA position, St. John paid for her
certification and, echoing the past, St. John has initiated a similar
program in 2016 to attract CNAs to St. John Community, which now
includes St. John Specialty Care Center, RoseCrest assisted living and
Overbrook Pointe, a residential living complex.
Lindsay Strishock, Talent Acquisition Specialist for Lutheran
SeniorLife, said that while much has changed since 1981, Brenda’s
story is what professional recruiters are hoping for in any community.
“If people live in a community and think well of an organization,
that organization is likely to attract interest, and we hope that people
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in and around Mars recognize the value of a place like St. John
Community,” she says.
She and colleague David Lopus, Talent Sourcing Specialist for
Lutheran SeniorLife, use a lot of tools that were not available in 1981
to find and place talent, such as social media and other technologies,
but both agree there is nothing quite like a great reputation in a
strong community, like Mars.
“Hopefully, there are people in and around Mars who will be
attracted to St. John... moms who are ready to get back into the
workforce, retirees looking for part-time work, new graduates,” Lopus
said.
And Hunter feels that she is an example of how that plays out at St.
John Community.
“The opportunities are there. I moved from a CNA into other work
because that was my interest. It also is a great place to stay with one
career and advance,” she said.
Theresa Weber, an RN and Neighborhood Manager at St. John
Specialty Care Center, concurs. She has been at St. John for almost
three years.
“I had just received my nursing license, and I wanted to work with
vent (patients who are on a ventilator) patients,” Weber explains. “I
had worked with seniors for 17 years and loved it, but I wanted a little
more of a nursing challenge.
“It has been very satisfying,” she continued. “We are a family,
which is not [always] the case (at other jobs). I know that on my floor,
everyone pitches in and helps out.”
Unlike Hunter, Weber travels more than 30 minutes, from Ellwood
City, to get to St. John.
That’s another change that has occurred in the recruitment world,
according to Strishock and Lopus.
“People will travel farther, but they still like to be close to home,”
Lopus said. The major arteries – Routes 8, 79 & 279 – near St. John
make it a good fit both for locals and those who need to travel.
Lutheran SeniorLife has implemented strategies such as sign-on
bonuses, pay-scale improvements and related campaigns to help
with recruitment. “It’s a New Year for a New Career, with new starting
wages, great benefits,” Strishock said.
For information on job opportunities at St. John and throughout Lutheran SeniorLife, visit www.lutheranseniorlife.org and go to the careers page.
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