The United States Army
03/04/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 03/04/2024 08:41
Wiesbaden Lodge peer-to-peer program honors Terry Towns as its Employee of the Year
[Link] 1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption -Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and the Environment Rachel Jacobson (right) recognized the Wiesbaden Lodge's Terry Towns (second from right) as the Lodge's Employee of the Year. Also pictured are (from left) Gregory Holzing, Command Sgt. Maj. Yves Pamphil and Col. David Mayfield. (Photo Credit: Karl Weisel)VIEW ORIGINAL[Link] 2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption -Terry Towns (second from left), a housekeeper at the Wiesbaden Lodge, was honored by his peers as the Lodge's Employee of the Year. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Wiesbaden Lodge)VIEW ORIGINAL
WIESBADEN, Germany - Terry Towns, a housekeeper at the Wiesbaden Lodge since the facility's opening in 2011, was named the facility's Employee of the Year for 2023.
"His coworkers nominated him," said Wiesbaden Lodge Manager James Weber, explaining that after being recognized by his peers as Employee of the Month, a board of Army Lodge managers selected Wiesbaden's top employee from the Wiesbaden Lodge's Employees of the Month (without knowing the names - only reading the nominating letters).
"It's cool," said Towns about the recognition in the Lodge peer-to-peer program. "I come in each day and try to do the best I can."
"It feels good that they are giving me such an honor," he said, explaining that his goal is to ensure guests are happy when they stay at the Lodge. "Of course, it's hard to please everyone, but if you give them a clean room, they are usually happy."
Towns, who hails from Memphis, TN, (but was raised in Kansas City, Mo.), said he first came to Germany in 1985 and began working at the American Arms Hotel (former Wiesbaden Army Lodge) in 2007.
"I was raised with good work habits, I guess," said the father of four, adding that he likes the lifestyle in Germany. "I live in Giessen - it's a nice quiet town."
Weber said the Lodge's peer-to-peer employee recognition program is "a super program that's been adopted by other Army Lodges. … The main thing is that it's for the staff; it's not management driven."
Towns, along with Wiesbaden MWR Business Operations Division Chief Mark Smith, were recognized for their outstanding efforts during a ceremony last week at the Wiesbaden Lodge by Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army for Installations, Energy and the Environment Rachel Jacobson, and U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden leaders.
Jacobson was in Europe touring military facilities to learn more about installation programs and priorities.
"Thank you for all you do," she said. "Providing these kinds of amenities makes an enormous difference."