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Kevin Smith Wins the 2020 Midrex Iditarod Award!
February 9, 2021
Every year, a Midrex teammate is selected for our company’s most prestigious award – the Iditarod Award. Midrex is proud to announce that our 2020 Iditarod Award Winner is Kevin Smith!
Kevin joined the Midrex team 7 years ago and his current role is Administrative Coordinator. In his role, Kevin supports all teams across Midrex by completing the “behind the scenes” work that keeps the team moving forward. His dependability, organization, and initiative are vital to the success of the company and his kind, friendly demeanor make him a joy to work with.
2020 was a year that no one could have expected; we were thrown every curveball imaginable and faced unforeseen challenges due to the global pandemic. But through every challenge, Kevin remained a constant system of support to his teammates. While we all adjusted to our new normal, Kevin worked hard to be sure that every teammate was safe and able to do their job.
Here are a few things that Kevin’s teammates had to say about him and why he deserved to win the Iditarod Award:
- “Kevin truly is a one-of-a-kind individual. Having only known and worked with him for a few short years, he is friendly, upbeat and always willing to lend a hand, despite his workload supporting and serving every department within Midrex.”
- “What he does is often behind the scenes, but in so many ways he is the oil that helps the engine run. Midrex would not be able to do what we do, without Kevin.”
- “Kevin has been essential to my personal development during my time here at Midrex. On tough days, he encourages our team to keep moving forward and living our purpose- to love and serve others.”
- “Kevin goes above and beyond the responsibilities of the position. He is not only task-oriented but, is always thinking how this can be done more efficiently and economically.”
On behalf of all Midrex teammates around the world, we are incredibly proud of our Iditarod Winner. Congratulations, Kevin!
Figure 1.
About the Iditarod Award
Our Iditarod Award was formed from the same principles as the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race. The Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race is an annual long-distance test of endurance, perseverance, and courage. Sled dog teams race through blizzards, sub-zero temperatures, and gale-force winds across a harsh landscape to complete a miles-long race across Alaska. Dan Sanford, a former Midrex Vice President, embodied the spirit of an Iditarod champion throughout his career. He consistently displayed the vision and determination to succeed and provided the leadership and example to create a culture of excellence. The Iditarod Award is presented annually to recognize one special employee who most closely exhibits these principles and standards.
To be awarded the Iditarod Award, a Midrex teammate must exemplify eight specific traits that are reflective of the principles of Dan Sanford and the spirit of an Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race champion. These traits form an acrostic, which is shown in Figure 1.