Welcome to the Employee Spotlight Series! This week we are featuring Jonathan Walters. Jonathan is a 340B Analyst and has been a part of the SpendMend team for about two years. When asked what three words he would describe SpendMend, he said, “Powerful, analytics, and savings.” During work, Jonathan enjoys listening to The Dividing Line by James White! He likes listening to this broadcast because it breaks down issues point by point, and dives deep into the arguments. Jonathan states, ”I appreciate his very consistent and truth-centered approach.” If you’re looking for a new broadcast to listen to, check out Jonathan’s go-to! A fun fact about Jonathan is that he homeschools his two kids: Joshua and Alayna, 14 and 12 respectively. He loves homeschooling and being able to focus their education on hands-on learning. Check out the full interview below to learn more about Jonathan’s homeschooling experience! A hobby that Jonathan enjoys is playing chess. He learned to play chess at the age of five from his dad! When he was 12 years old, he read a book on chess and started to beat his dad. Jonathan’s favorite person to play against was his granddad. He loved those games because the games lasted over an hour! They both fought hard, and even though he would usually win – his granddad never quit! Some advice that Jonathan recommends to chess beginners is to focus on how the pieces move and basic strategies!
Jonathan does a wonderful job in his role and his work is greatly valued. Matt Parker, Vice President of Pharmacy, Optimization & Growth, said “Jonathan is a valuable member of the SpendMend Pharmacy team. His analytical skills and ability to manipulate large sums of data have directly contributed to our success.” We appreciate your hard work, Jonathan! Thank you!
Interview with Jonathan:
What is your role at SpendMend?
340B Analyst
How long have you been with SpendMend?
~2 years
How did you first learn about SpendMend?
I came with the Turnkey Acquisition
What 3 words would you use to describe SpendMend?
Powerful, analytics, and savings
Why do you look forward to coming to work?
I enjoy finding new ways to use reporting and data to make our lives and as a result our clients’ lives) easier.
Where are you located/from?
I’m located in Omaha NE.
Where did you go for higher education? What did you study and why?
My BA is in Secondary Education with a Physics emphasis, but I decided I didn’t want to teach as a career and got my MBA later.
Before working at SpendMend, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
Most unusual? Driving a truck full of video games to parties. Most interesting was probably where I got to simulate banking software that was under development totally in Excel to give them something to cross-check against.
What is one fun fact about you?
I enjoy playing chess
When did you start playing chess?
I started playing chess with my dad when I was 5, and I enjoyed it ok.
What piqued your interest to learn how to play?
When I was 12, I read a book on chess strategy and started beating my dad, so he wouldn’t play anymore.
Who do you enjoy playing with the most?
My favorite person ever to play with was my granddad on my mom’s side. We used to play one game for over an hour, and while I usually won, it was hard fought and he never quit. I loved those games.
Any fun tips for a beginner wanting to learn?
Once you learn how the pieces move, learn basic strategy, like why the center of the board is most important, how to perform forks, pins, and skewer attacks, etc. Knowing to look out for that kind of stuff will keep you out of a lot of trouble and let you win most games against basic-level players. Growing after that involves some more study, and finding some resources online, there is a lot out there. Chess can be the study of a lifetime, but you don’t have to go that deep to have fun with it!
What type of music or podcasts do you listen to during the workday?
My favorite webcast is The Dividing Line by James White
When did you start listening to The Dividing Line by James White?
Regarding the Dividing line, it’s a Christian apologetics broadcast I started listening to about 7 years ago.
What is your favorite part about the webcast? Any specific episode that you would recommend to others?
It’s been around for decades, so there are thousands of episodes. I can’t pick one. James White is a very logical and analytical guy. He lays out issues point by point and breaks down his arguments carefully. I appreciate his very consistent and truth-centered approach.
Do you have any hobbies or participate in any activities outside of work?
I am a dad and I homeschool my kids, I enjoy spending time with them, gaming, and doing other kinds of activities they enjoy.
If you are comfortable with it, would you like to tell us more about your kids (names, grades, etc.)?
I have 2 kids, Joshua and Alayna, 14 and 12 respectively.
Do you enjoy homeschooling?
I LOVE homeschooling.
What is your favorite subject to teach?
I handle all their math, mom hates math, but I love it.
What is the best part about homeschooling your kids?
The best part is I get to divert their education into a lot of hands-on things. For example, we gave them the day off of work to go work at a local farm so they got to earn money and have a field trip at the same time!
Can you describe an interaction when you helped a client or a supplier that stands out in your mind?
I am in the background supporting our team with data that they provide to clients. Recently one of our team members mentioned she wanted to present something to a client and I offered to build some data tables to tell that story. She didn’t even know that was an option but I was able to get her what she needed using some new software I’ve been learning.
What was the best compliment you’ve ever been paid by a client or supplier?
My best compliment from a supplier was being told they had never seen anything as sophisticated as one of my spreadsheets… but that was at my last job. That supplier was one of our SpendMend RX team working with our client where I was employed at the time. That compliment was doubled down on when she recommended me for a job here and it all worked out.
What is the best part of serving the healthcare market?
Hospitals are complex places, and a lot of the people trained to run them are not trained in how to best use complex data as much as they could. They are busy with other things. There is a lot of opportunity to help them be better, and I enjoy making a difference.
Do you want to shout out a co-worker who has helped or inspired you at SpendMend?
The entire optimization team is great to work with, they are all cooperative and easy to work with. I don’t think I could name one better than another, they are all great.
What advice do you have for prospective candidates who want to join the SpendMend team?
It’s a great environment, highly recommend it!
What has been your proudest accomplishment at SpendMend?
The overall improvements to the invoicing process from where we started. I’ve re-designed aspects of it a lot of times, and I think it is really coming together very nicely. Thanks, Mike for your help with the latest updates!
What is something you’re looking forward to for your future at SpendMend?
I am excited about the new integration of Trulla into our Optimization processes. I think there is a lot of potentials there and I am excited to be a part of that.