10
S moke S ignals
march 15, 2014
Casino names supervisor, employee of the year
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
Security Systems Administrator
Rodger DeVore, 63, and Executive
Casino Host Ruby Mendez-Ander-
son, 24, each won two prizes worth
$3,000 and coveted parking spots
at the 2013 Supervisor and Em-
ployee of the Year banquet held on
Feb. 12.
DeVore lives in Amity and Men-
dez-Anderson in Dallas.
The recognition program started
in 2010 to honor excellence in two
areas, said Candy Scranton, Human
Resources Information Systems
manager and Training manager.
“One is spirit, referring to the
external guest experience, and the
second is about pride, referring
to staff, who are called internal
guests” Scranton said, emphasizing
the importance of treating staff as
if they are casino guests.
“It was something that Spirit
Mountain Casino was looking to
do,” Scranton said about recogniz-
ing employees for guest service.
Winning the awards comes from
success in meeting casino guide-
lines and standards, which are
described to all new employees in
the Spirit of Excellence program
from the casino’s Human Resources
Department.
This is DeVore’s fi rst award in his
four years at the casino. He started
as Security Systems technician.
“I am still deeply honored,
amazed,” he said. “My department
affects every other department at
some level. The bottom line is ac-
cess control. We need a secure en-
vironment and we must maintain
that, but at the same time it is im-
portant to make the system easier
to use for other departments, make
it easier for them to do their jobs.
“It’s not always possible,” he said,
because of casino security require-
ments.
“I’m here to work with them. The
number one job is communication.
If we make key changes in key
boxes, for example, I want them to
know what keys they have access
to and what time they can check
keys out and how long they can
have those keys out. It is important
to relay that information ahead of
time to all departments, and then
to follow up.
“I visit all areas of the casino. I’ll
walk about and get feedback. Give
them all the information I can.
They might not have time to let me
know about things that would make
their jobs eas-
ier, and I’ll let
them know if
we can’t pro-
vide the ser-
vice. I’ll let
them know
why. It just
comes down
to customer
service.”
As super-
visor of the
year, DeVore
won a $2,000
travel vouch-
er, $1,000 in
cash and the
coveted Supervisor of the Year
parking space right up front.
Everybody’s been asking, he said,
but he still doesn’t know what he
will do with the travel voucher.
“My wife and I are not long-range
travelers,” he said. “It might just be
a place on the coast.”
More than the gifts, DeVore said,
“I appreciate the fact that the Tribe
offered this job to me. I’m happy
Family Movie Night is starting off Spring with a
Family Movie Night is starting off Spring with a
Family healthy
Movie Night
is and
starting
off snacks
Spring with a
dinner
healthy
healthy dinner and healthy snacks
healthy Sponsored
dinner by and
healthy
Youth
Prevention snacks
Sponsored by Youth Prevention
Sponsored by Youth Prevention
DATE: March 21st
TIME: 5:15
PLACE: Tribal
GYM
We will be serving
Subway and snacks
at 5:15. Movie will
start 5:35
If you have questions you may
contact Youth Prevention staff,
Shannon Stanton 503-879-1489,
Tina Lara 503-879-2040, Amber
Mercier 503-879-2162.
NON SMOKING
EVENT
Thank you for respecting Grand Ronde Community & Culture by not displaying gang
Thank affiliation
you for respecting
Grand
Ronde
Community
Culture
by not
displaying
and by not
bringing
drugs,
alcohol, & or
weapons
to this
event. gang
Thank you for respecting Grand Ronde Community & Culture by not displaying gang
affiliation and by not bringing drugs, alcohol, or weapons to this event.
affiliation and by not bringing drugs, alcohol, or weapons to this event.
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
rodger DeVore, Security
Systems administrator at
Spirit Mountain Casino,
was named supervisor of
the year for 2013. His job
includes programing and
maintaining electronic
key control systems used
in the casino. At left, ruby
Mendez-Anderson, an
executive casino host at
Spirit Mountain Casino,
was named employee of
the Year for 2013.
that they’ve put this facility here
to help a lot of people, and it really
does.”
For Mendez-Anderson, this fi rst
award comes after two years with
the casino. She started as a slot at-
tendant on the casino fl oor and was
promoted to host in July 2013.
“My recognition,” she said, “is
nothing less than having great
co-workers. Companywide, I have
had the opportunity to meet some
incredible people who I am lucky to
call my friends. There are so many
incredible people who work here,
I was very lucky to be among the
candidates of 2013.
“The best part about my job is
getting to know our guests on a per-
sonal level. As a slot attendant, one
of my best accomplishments would
be helping guests fi nd lost tickets.
Our casino has great abilities that
aid us in helping our guests in this
way. Unfortunately, lost tickets
happen on a daily basis, but usually
the team is able to recover them.
“As a host, I enjoy helping our
guests work out any reservation
needs they have. Sometimes it can
be diffi cult with our weekend occu-
pancy, but if I am able to help one
guest, I feel like I’ve accomplished
something.
“It’s really the little things in a
guest service industry. Everything
we do right creates a more pleasur-
able visit for our guests. That is
our goal here; not sometimes, but
all the time. That is what I keep in
mind in the day-to-day activities I
complete at work.”
Mendez-Anderson won the same
prizes as DeVore, and said of the
front row parking space, “It may
seem like a little detail, but if you’ve
ever parked at the casino on a dif-
fi cult night, it’s awesome.”
She also has not decided on her
vacation. Mendez-Anderson, a
Tribal member, is attending school
full-time, fi nishing her transfer de-
gree and ultimately aiming to earn
a bachelor’s degree in business. n
Mothers of Tradition
training set for May
The White Bison Mothers of Tradition training is returning to the Con-
federated Tribes of Grand Ronde on May 20-22 at the Tribal Community
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road.
The training’s purpose is to increase awareness of how intergenerational
trauma interrupted the culture, language, family ties and parenting prac-
tices among Native peoples.
Participants will learn how to apply cultural teachings to bring healing
to children and relationships.
The training is free, but people must register to attend. Attendees must
make a three-day commitment and be there from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information or to register, contact Tribal Alcohol and Drug
Counselor Karan Scharf at 503-879-2029.
The training is sponsored by the Tribe’s Behavioral Health Program and
funded by a Meth and Suicide Prevention Initiative grant. n