Bob Luedtke’s mission in life is to help others. For the past 30 years, he has been able to do this in his work through Beacon Group.  Throughout his career, Bob has washed cars at Jim Click Automotive, assembled meters at Southwest Gas, loaded parcels at Arizona Mail Order, performed landscaping duties, and  worked in the manufacturing department.  Today he enjoys his job with Beacon Secure, handling and transporting confidential document bins for destruction.  Throughout his tenure in various departments, Bob has become much appreciated for his work ethic.

Bob’s sister, Deanna Dikinis, explains the recognition, “Throughout his many years of employment at Beacon, Bob has shown a strong desire to work, to get the job done right, and with such stamina that he is admired by his coworkers at Beacon, and those in the community that meet him.”

People who work at Beacon are loyal and enjoy long careers as part of the Beacon team. Some for more than 40 years!   Joyce Mathews and Cindy Rosell have worked for Beacon for over 40 years, Joyce doing manufacturing and Cindy as part of the Raytheon landscape crew; Randy Barlow is catching up at 37 years.  Tammy Basset, Scott Belton and Wayne Shields, all of whom work in Beacon’s manufacturing facility, have been with Beacon for 33 years.

Wayne spent his first 30 years working as a car washer at Jim Click Automotive. Wayne’s sister, Marilee Meyer, feels that “Working at Beacon Group gives Wayne a sense of purpose. He feels proud about getting a paycheck, just like his brothers and sisters. He has always loved his job.”

As part of a person-centered approach, individuals who work in supported-employment positions at Beacon, and their families, choose jobs that meet their specific needs and interests.  The result is a high degree of job satisfaction and retention.

Chet Pawloski, brother of Greg Pawloski, who passed away last winter, says that his brother “could have retired years ago, but enjoyed going to work at Beacon so much that he didn’t want to stop.”  The Pawloski family chose to honor their brother’s memory by making a significant donation to Beacon Group in his and their parents’ name. Greg’s sister, Ronnie Johnson, relayed how important it was for the family to know that Greg was working in a safe place that gave him such personal satisfaction.

In the case of these longstanding workers, it is not unusual for family members of the people Beacon serves to become more personally involved as well.   Bob actually referred his sister Deanna for a position at Beacon in 1992, and she eventually spent many years as a case manager for the organization. Greg’s mother, Veronica Pawloski, had served on the Board of Directors of The Beacon Foundation and volunteered for many years at Value Village Thrift Store.  Like the Luedtke family and the Pawloskis, Scott Belton’s family has been involved throughout the different phases of his life, from school to work.  His sister and parents have greatly valued the support they’ve received from Beacon during Scott’s work progression.  Scott’s father, Michael Belton, who recently died, had also served a long tenure on The Beacon Foundation Board.  The Belton family made it a point to invite the Beacon staff who are “like family” to the celebration of Michael’s life.

The people who have worked for Beacon for decades share some common traits.  They know they have a purpose and they make a difference in the lives of others.  Lisé Belton describes her brother Scott as a very social person who is motivated to “get out and be a productive member of society.”  She says “It is important for Scott to have a reason to rise in the morning, go to a place where he can see friends and colleagues, and work on projects that help others.”

Beacon Group would like to recognize and honor the following individuals who have worked for the organization for over 25 years:

Randy Barlow
Tammy Bassett
Scott Belton
Wayne Shields
Elizabeth Dwan
Shelly Lafreniere
Alfred Tapia
Archie Mezydlo
Jeff Everett
Michelle Wagner
Richard Gracie
Bob Luedtke

Francis  Grace
Dennis Nicholas
Craig Trebon
Tamara Nord
Bruce Grimm
Shawn Willis
Roxanne Nunez
Susan Beam
Philip Barvinchak
Fred Appel
Lynne Ursiny

If you are interested in helping expand capacity for programs that provide jobs for people with disability, consider making a donation to Beacon Group. Find out how on our Donations Page.