The Greatest Boss Contest Honorable Mention
Sandy Savage
Vice President Human Resources
Cross Country Automotive Services
Medford, MA
For-Profit Organizations Category
Nomination Essay
A boss can and really should be more than someone who just takes up a higher spot on an organizational chart. A boss can make the difference between just doing what you do and loving what you do. Luckily for us, we have an amazing boss. Sandy Savage is a tremendous Human Resources professional, empathic leader, patient mentor, and enthusiastic community advocate. As the Vice President of Human Resources she truly embodies the conscience of our organization.
Through her business acumen and collaborative nature she has earned HR a “seat at the table” and is a critical business partner for our internal operations customers. Our Senior Leadership Team would not consider moving forward on a key initiative without her buy-in and support.
She is a proponent of giving back to the community through organizations such as March of Dimes and the American Heart Association. Even with her busy schedule, she has found time to volunteer with local elementary school children. She encourages all of our sites to get involved and she sets the example through her dedication and involvement.
Although all of these traits are admirable, her sense of putting people first is her hallmark. Sandy does not let her title get in the way of doing business or building strong relationships at all levels. She always has a smile, greets employees by name, and takes the time to get to know them. She consistently demonstrates genuine concern and interest in others. She remembers anniversaries, children’s names, and what was happening in your world the last time she saw you.
One of our favorite people stories involving Sandy took place several years ago. Our organization had just acquired a new site. The new location was apprehensive about how our company was going to treat them. Sandy encountered initial opposition with employees believing they were going to lose a lot of the things they cherished in an employer. Sandy had a keen understanding of this. She made sure to fully communicate changes. During frequent visits to the location she took extra care to ensure that her personal interactions were consistently thoughtful, empathetic, and ultimately left a positive impression. Things were moving forward as employees did their best to assume positive intent. That is, until the first pay day. The first payroll did not happen as planned. Employees were not paid correctly. Rather than handling the concerns from Headquarters, Sandy made sure that she was at the site addressing concerns directly. She told employees that she understood the importance of being paid accurately and on time. She gave her word that she would fix the situation that day. Through personal sacrifice and tenacity she made sure that all 300 plus employees got paid. Now when she visits the site, employees remember her as the leader who put them first. This story is but one example of how we work for the very best.
Daily, Sandy Savage makes a difference in people’s lives and deserves to be celebrated.
