GARY HOOVER CELEBRATES 20 YEARS WITH BERMEX

GARY HOOVER CELEBRATES 20 YEARS WITH BERMEX

Like many others, when Gary Hoover began his journey at Bermex, he didn’t anticipate it to be long-term. At the time, he owned and operated his own cleaning business and was taking part-time jobs here and there to help keep his business afloat during lulls.

Hoover laughs and says, “Well, that was in 2002 and I’ve been here ever since.” He was originally hired to do collections in Columbus, Ohio.

Reflecting on his early days with the company, he shares, “The job gave me space. It gave me freedom and not have someone micromanage me, stand over and watch what I do. Bermex said they would pay 8-hours of good pay for 8-hours of good service, and that’s what I provided for them throughout the years.”

After two decades’ worth of experience, Hoover has seen his fair share of change throughout the company. When he started back in the early 2000s, employees provided their own transportation and were compensated for their mileage. Another, more environmentally friendly, change was the introduction of MDTs. Before Bermex introduced the computers, each collection notifier would receive 60-some pages of paper each morning for their assignments.

“I’ve been here, and I’ve watched over the years all the changes, not for the bad, but the good. I’m very pleased to have been a part of those changes,” says Hoover.

There is one thing that has stayed steady over the years, says Hoover, and that’s Bermex’s family atmosphere.
“Being able to come together and being on one accord with everyone out in the field is very important. I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable when I was out in the field because I knew there was a line of communication always open.”

As part of his role as a meter services supervisor, Hoover often recruits and interviews new employees. As a tenured veteran, he likes to share nuggets of advice.

“One thing I speak about with possible candidates is the pride Bermex has in taking care of our technicians. We are a close-knit family and have an open-door policy. I explain what they should expect out in the field when coming to this job – I don’t leave anything out, because I’ve worked out in the field, and I know what goes on. I give them a brief description of the job and what it means to work for Bermex and what it means to be a part of the Bermex family,” says Hoover.

Another thing Hoover pays notice to is Bermex’s commitment to safety.

“I’ve worked for many companies and never have I seen the commitment that Bermex puts into its safety policies. That’s one thing that I stress when I interview potential candidates, how committed we are to safety and protecting our technicians out in the field by making sure they always have a line of communication.”