“Chris Branoff might just be the hardest working guy I know,” says Dennis Stathakis. And while many of us might consider ourselves hard workers for staying a few hours extra here and there, or coming in on a weekend to finish something up, most of us aren’t clocking eighty hours a week carrying two full-time jobs.
Chris begins his day at Henry Ford Wyandotte hospital where he puts in a full day. Then it’s over to the Stathakis warehouse where he changes uniforms, loads the truck and heads out to that day’s job site. There, he completes his work for Stathakis Special Projects, finally getting home somewhere between 11:30pm and 1:30am depending upon that day’s work.
Chris tells us, “I like working and Special Projects is a great place to be at Stathakis because the work varies a lot and I get the chance to work with different divisions within the company. One day might be at a steel mill and the next day a doctor’s office, it’s different every day.” Dennis Stathakis tells us that Chris has done excellent work from day one. “Chris Branoff is an honest, trustworthy guy and when I put him on a job, it runs itself. He’s detail oriented and he knows how to get it done right the first time, that’s no small thing.”
Hired by Dennis himself in 2007, the two met at church where Chris worked as a custodian. Chris asked Dennis about possible part-time work. Of course, Chris quickly became indispensable and was soon working full-time at both of his jobs. “Sure, I don’t get a lot of free time,” Chris laughs “but I’m a pretty simple guy. I love to read, I like my rock ‘n roll and of course, keeping up with my local Michigan sports teams.”
For his part, Chris has seen big changes for Stathakis in his years here. “We weathered the recession and that was probably the single toughest thing because everyone was worried and all around us people were losing their jobs. But we got through it and I think that says a lot about Stathakis as a company. I see how we have grown and are in a place where we are getting these big accounts, but I also know it has a lot to do with offering the best of a big business with the connection you’d get from a smaller company.”
It isn’t always easy keeping customer service level as a facility maintenance company experiences a surge in growth, thanks to team members like Chris Branoff, Stathakis has stayed the course. “Chris is an exceptional member of our Special Projects team,” says VP of Operations Dale Saylor, “he has an excellent work ethic, rarely misses work, and is always willing to help out in whenever and wherever we need him. If the situation calls for a detailed exceptional job, Chris is the guy to count on.”
When asked about the toughest part of his job in Special Projects for the building maintenance company, Chris said it would have to be the driving, especially with a particularly rough winter this year in Michigan. As for the best part of his job, Chris tells us,” I subbed at Lincoln Park Preschool the other day and I hadn’t been back for probably a year. When I walked into the office, all the ladies remembered me and were glad to see me. That felt really good. It’s nice to know that I made a positive impression.” Dennis tells us that Chris is very well liked by customers and coworkers alike. “I don’t think in all the years Chris has worked here and all the different individual projects he’s done that I have ever had a complaint.”
What does Chris think sets Stathakis apart from other companies who provide commercial building maintenance services? “I’ve had the chance to work in the different divisions and I have met and worked alongside lots of our team members and we have a lot of really great people. You know we’re all people so no one’s perfect, but I think we do our best and we all fill the gaps when one of us is having an off day so the work always gets done. That’s what makes us different and that’s what really sets us apart.
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