Reliable, dependable, hardworking, generous, and humble – these are just a few of the many admirable qualities of Rachel Levi. “She consistently puts others before herself and has an incredibly positive attitude, that is infectious to everyone around her,” said Sissy Rogers, VP of Human Resources at SELEE Corporation.
Levi works as a Process Operator and team member of the SELEE Corporation in Hendersonville, NC. SELEE is known as “the world’s leading manufacturer of ceramic foam” used in superalloy applications including jet engines and other aerospace applications.
As a team member of SELEE, Levi works to meticulously inspect and package products before distribution, a very hands-on position.
“She [Rachel] is responsive and knows what needs to be done,” said Kris Jackson, Production Manager at SELEE. “You don’t have to constantly tell her what to do, she knows what needs to be done and she does it.”
It is that work ethic, combined with her overall joyful personality, that has earned Levi the 2019 Friday Services’ Staffing Employee of the Year Award.
Levi’s story started out like any other, a young woman new to the workforce, looking for a place to get her foot in the door. The Brevard native found her first job at a local sewing factory. She later moved on to work a variety of positions including working for a local pharmacy, a manager of a Wellington Puritan Mills Outlet Store for a number of years, working a stint with GE, before finally landing her at SELEE in 1997, at the age of 48. Levi dedicated her time to being the best employee that she could be, working diligently day in and day out.
But her story doesn’t come without hardships and challenges. In the late-2000s, following the economic downturn, Levi found herself laid off without a job and without prospects. That is when she decided to turn to an employment agency, Friday Services to be specific.
At her more experienced age, Levi didn’t know if she would be able to find a position to afford her the flexibility that she was searching for. But, within a matter of months, Levi was able to return to SELEE and back to her team – more excited than ever.
“They are like a second family to me,” said Levi about her team members.
The feeling is mutual for Jackson. “As far as Rachel’s character, her personality, and what she brings to our family,” said Jackson, “she is one of a kind.”
Now, Levi could not be happier. She has worked for over 22 years with SELEE, both as a full-time employee and as a contracted (temp) employee. When asked what it has meant to work for a company like SELEE for so long, “it has been a blessing, a real blessing,” said Levi. And by working through Friday Services as a temp since 2009, this has allowed Levi the chance to earn money, work a flexible schedule, gain her social security, and help care for her husband.
Congratulations Rachel!
By: Brianna Ek