Employee Appreciation Day may have 
been on March 3rd, but we like to color outside of the lines here at AdvantEdge and celebrate our associates when it feels right! It is not every day that a team decides to celebrate and commend one of its own without a push from upper management or the occurrence of a holiday, but the AdvantEdge crew recognizes a star when one is amongst us and we do not hesitate to show appreciation!
Our Senior Vice President, Penney Lagos, organized a surprise dinner in honor of our longest standing employee, Joanne Stallworth (Director of Client Service). The celebration, hosted at The Cheesecake Factory in the Chevy Chase Pavilion, included surprise appearances from Joanne's husband, daughter, and grandson, along with moving words of appreciation from our Founder and CEO, Prakash Gavri, and Penney.
Joanne Stallworth is a beacon of light at our downtown workspace and can always be counted on to be THE helping hand around the office. Her tenure (31 years!) with the company far exceeds every employee besides Prakash. Joanne and Prakash met 32 years ago as colleagues in the executive suite industry. Prakash quickly recognized the talent and superb work ethic that Joanne embodies, and when he opened his own center in 1988, she was his first recruit. Today, Joanne is one of the most valued personalities onsite and her commendable influence is felt by everyone from employees to clients and vendors.
Few businesses are fortunate enough to retain a star employee for the length of time that Joanne has committed to AdvantEdge (equivalent to the lifetime of a millennial!). 60% of today’s millennial job seekers are “open to a new job opportunity” and transition from position or company approximately once every three years according to Gallup's Business Journal.
The benefits of having Joanne as an enduring presence extend beyond the positive impact she has on our team. Our clients and their businesses thrive from such commitment as well! Joanne's calming presence and being on the receiving end of her cheerful smile truly helps our clients to feel at home in their workspace. What's our secret to retaining such a desirable employee? We have to refer you to Prakash to answer that one!
