...for City of Southlake news, business, and community happenings.
-
- Home-grown Staff
Friday, April 19, 2024
There’s nothing we love more than sharing our success stories. Today, we highlight more exciting leadership changes that the Community Services Department has undergone lately.
The beginning of Fiscal Year 24 saw the internal promotion of three incredible home-grown talents to three key positions within the Department.
Amy Bennett Promotes to Champions Club Operations Manager
In mid-October, Amy Bennett was promoted to Champions Club Operations Manager. Amy’s journey with Community Services spans over thirteen years, during which she has demonstrated unwavering dedication and a passion for excellence. Beginning from the ground up, Amy has steadily ascended through the ranks in the Community Services Department, showcasing her versatility in overseeing athletics, programs, camps, Club Metro, events, and more.
Amy’s leadership as the Assistant Recreation manager was pivotal in Champions Club’s successful launch and ongoing success. Venturing outside her comfort zone, she took charge of key revenue growth areas, steering the membership and fitness programs to unprecedented heights. Amy’s commitment to delivering world-class customer service is instrumental in fostering a thriving community within Champions Club.
Jennifer Blackstock Becomes New Recreation Programs Manager
Following a rigorous selection process that attracted numerous highly qualified candidates, Jennifer Blackstock was promoted to Recreation Programs Manager at the end of last year. Jennifer’s journey with the city began in 2018, and her strong leadership qualities have been evident since day one. Her tenacity and unwavering dedication to strong planning, staff training, and unparalleled pool safety and quality made her an outstanding Aquatics Supervisor. She will bring those qualities into her new role overseeing Southlake’s world-class recreation programs.
This promotion is a testament to her dedication, skills, and the positive impact she has made within the Community Services Department. We can’t wait to see what amazing things her team will accomplish under her leadership.
Zack Miller Steps Up as New Aquatics Supervisor
Zack Miller recently took over the Aquatics Supervisor position. Starting in a part-time role at the Marq, Zack’s journey exemplifies the City of Southlake’s commitment to fostering talent from within. Zack’s willingness to get involved, help solve departmental-wide problems, and commitment to world-class customer service helped him transition from a part-time Champions Club front desk employee to the full-time Aquatics Center Coordinator.
His technical knowledge and outstanding skills in aquatics have been a valuable asset, setting him up for success as he steps into the Aquatics Supervisor role.
Congratulations Amy Bennett, Jennifer Blackstock, and Zack Miller on your well-deserved promotions. These advancements signify the city’s dedication to promoting learning and growth!
The City of Southlake and the Community Services Department emphasize internal movement and staff development. When opportunities become available, we love filling them with our world-class staff.
Tammie Garcia began working for the City in early April as the Senior Recreation Specialist at the Senior Activity Center. In her short time with the Department, she quickly made a great impression by providing world-class service to our senior members. When the Hospitality and Sales Assistant position became available in Legends Hall, we knew Tammie would be the perfect fit.
Let’s get to know her a little bit better.
What drew you to a career in local government?
My daughter, DeLaney, drew me into local government. She has worked for the City of Southlake for four years, and during that time, she suggested job opportunities to me. I decided to apply and was very excited about being offered the position at Legends Hall.
What are you most excited about in your new position?
I am excited about the people I work with and the opportunities for a new challenge. Most of all, I am excited about helping families create memories and milestones every day.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love to read and try new restaurants. I enjoy being with my husband and children, and we love to travel!
What’s something every Legends Hall visitor should know?
Anyone walking into Legends Hall should know that our entire team is here to answer any questions regarding the Senior Center, book an event, or give directions!
If you find yourself near Legends Hall, say hello to Tammie! Congratulations on your new position! We’re so happy to keep you on the team.
Promoting learning and growth is a fundamental part of our City and Community Services departmental strategy. The best way to achieve that corporate objective is when our employees move up our ranks!
Luis Marquez is a prime example of a home-grown employee in the Community Services Department. Luis is currently the Athletics Coordinator for the Recreation division, but he’s no stranger to our recreational programs. Throughout his time with the City, Luis has held multiple part-time positions that have created world-class experiences for our customers.
Luis began his journey with the Community Services Department as a Recreation Attendant for Athletics in December 2019. In 2020, he worked as Camp Counselor during Spring Break and Summer Camp Mania. Luis became a Recreation Specialist in December of 2021, wearing multiple hats by working with the Cross Timbers Forest Preschool, Athletics, and Programming teams. His last part-time role was Nature Camp Counselor at Bob Jones Nature Center before being promoted to his first full-time position later during the summer.
Let’s see what he has to say about his new role.
What is your favorite part about your current position?
“It’s hard to pick one favorite part about being the Athletics Coordinator, so I’ll pick two! I love when I see old faces from Camp. They love coming up to me to say hi and say they miss me being a counselor. Also, I like that I can use all the feedback I received over the last three years and implement them in our leagues. From what I’ve seen and heard, most participants have enjoyed participating in our Fall Leagues. This year’s Fall Leagues are my first to coordinate as a full-time employee.”
What do you hope to accomplish in this role?
“Ultimately, my main goal is to ensure all participants have fun while maintaining the level of competition they seek. It’s super important to enjoy the sport in all aspects. My current goal is to help improve registration numbers for girls across all leagues. I love seeing girls play in our flag football league and would love that trend to continue!”
What is something Athletics participants should know?
“I plan to be active throughout our leagues, so you’ll see me often on game days! Come say hi to all the Athletics staff!”
What do you like to do in your free time?
“In my free time, I like to play video games, hang out with friends on the weekend, or go to the gym!”
Congratulations on settling into your new role this Fall season, Luis! We can’t wait to see what else you’ll accomplish!
The Community Services Department aims to create world-class experiences for our residents and staff. There’s nothing we love more than watching our employees develop professionally and reach new career goals.
Today we celebrate our new Senior Recreation Specialist for Fitness, Matt Crutch! Matt is one of our most recent home-grown success stories and no stranger to Recreation and Champions Club. He’s currently studying Aerospace Engineering and previously worked as a Warehouse Supervisor, managing warehouse staff, completing, receiving, and shipping out orders. Let’s get to know him a little bit better.
Matt started his Community Services journey with the City of Southlake in May of 2021 as a part-time Programs-Athletics Recreation Attendant. In December of that year, he became a part-time Recreation Specialist and continued his work in Programs and Athletics. Those who participated in Summer Camp Mania this year recognize Matt as the Assistant Camp Director. It was in this role that Matt started working full-time with the City. When talking about his favorite Camp Mania memory, Matt stated that “going to Hawaiian Falls, riding the rides with the kids, but being the one yelling the loudest is a moment I’ll always remember.”
Now, you can catch Matt on the fitness floor of Champions Club in his new position as the Senior Recreation Specialist for Fitness!
“I’m looking forward to not just building my knowledge of the fitness space but also trying to push fitness to a new level. I hope to build a strong community between Champions Club staff and members. I want our members to love coming to Champions Club every day and for it to feel like more than just a workout,” exclaimed Matt as he explained his vision for the new position.
Matt is ready to jump into this new role and already has some great fitness advice for our members.
“Everyone has a different relationship with fitness. The best advice I can give is to try and push yourself to do ‘one more.’ Be that one more push-up, one more lap on the track, or one more rep on the fitness machine. If we continue striving for one more, then we will constantly improve!”
When Matt isn’t at work, he loves spending time with his wife and playing video games on the computer when “given permission.”
Congratulations on your new role, Matt! We love following your career journey with us and can’t wait to see the positive impact you’ll have on our members. Make sure to say hi to Matt next time you’re on the Champions Club fitness floor!
It’s no secret that the Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve is one of the best places in Southlake. Those who have experienced the world-class programs offered at BJNCP know that Hannah Nyquist is the secret ingredient to the Nature Center’s programming success!
Hannah is the latest example of our incredible home-grown staff. She joined the Community Services Division as the Outdoor Experience Coordinator in June of 2019. In that role, Hannah spent most of her time at the Bob Jones Nature Center leading hikes, training staff, teaching preschool, being a camp counselor and director, and coordinating all the outdoor programs. Community-favorite events such as Forest Preschool, Nature Camp, the annual Monarch Butterfly Festival, Family Campouts, Community Hikes, and Adult Outdoor Education Classes were all coordinated by Hannah!
Hannah has accomplished major accolades since she arrived in Southlake. Her tenure as Outdoor Experience Coordinator exponentially increased enrollment numbers for Forest Preschool. They often canceled programs due to low enrollment when she first started. Now, registrations are so high they frequently have a waitlist! Hannah’s enthusiasm for the environment has cultivated a staff equally as passionate about the Nature Center and its offerings. Her hard work culminated in November when she received the Excellence in Programming Award from TRAPS North Region!
Earlier this month, Hannah stepped into her new role as the Nature Center Supervisor. As such, she will be responsible for managing a growing staff and extending outdoor programing opportunities to our community.
“Hannah has done a fantastic job over the past few years building relationships and outstanding programming opportunities for Southlake in her current role as the Nature Center Coordinator. Her hard work and dedication have helped position the nature center for further growth with this new facility. She will now continue her great work as the new Nature Center Supervisor!” exclaimed Director Chris Tribble.
Nothing makes us happier than watching our world-class staff grow and develop their career. As the new Nature Center Supervisor, Hannah has big plans! Her goals include improving trail system markers and maps, adding more community-based programs, and increasing community awareness of the Nature Center!
Congratulations on your promotion, Hannah! We can’t wait to see what you’ll do next!