Hello and Happy Friday everyone! For this installment of the Employee Spotlight Series, we got the opportunity to learn more about Kimberly Ruiz. Kimberly is a Shared Services Intern and has been a part of the SpendMend team for seven months! When asked what her proudest accomplishment at SpendMend is, Kimberly stated, “I am happy I get to help lessen the workload for others.” Some fun facts about Kimberly are that she loves horseback riding and that she owns two horses! She first started horseback riding when she was eleven years old after Kimberly’s mom let her get on her horse. Kimberly’s favorite place to go horseback riding is a river near her grandparents’ house because she loves going into the water with them! Kimberly owns two horses, and the biggest challenge of owning horses is that they love to cause trouble and constantly try to escape! Make sure to check out the full interview below to learn about Kimberly’s horses, Kitty and JJ. During the workday, Kimberly enjoys listening to true crime podcasts and K-pop music! She likes to listen to various K-pop artists and groups, however, her favorites at the moment are BTS and Seventeen. Her favorite song is Rock with You by Seventeen. Kimberly was able to see BTS in concert in Chicago a few years ago with her best friend! They loved it so much that they plan to see a few K-pop groups this summer. If you need K-pop song recommendations, Kimberly is the one to ask! Outside of work, Kimberly enjoys spending her free time with her friends. Her favorite way to spend time with her friends is going to haunted attractions or corn mazes! She and her friends have been going together since they were in 7th grade. One of her most memorable stories with her friends is when they all went through a haunted maze and got lost in the dark. They ended up finding their way to the right path, but scared another group going through the maze in the process!
Kimberly does a fantastic job for us as a Shared Services Intern and is appreciated greatly by her co-workers. Tracy Reddinger, Auditor, said, “I have the pleasure of working with Kimberly in WNC/Shared Services. Her eagerness to learn something new combined with her ability to catch on to things quickly has made us a great team. She is funny, quick-witted, and gets my humor (I always appreciate that). I am grateful to work with her.” It was great getting to know a little more about Kimberly. We are grateful for your dedication and work ethic, Kimberly! Thank you!
Interview with Kimberly:
What is your role at SpendMend?
Shared Services Intern
How long have you been with SpendMend?
7 months
How did you first learn about SpendMend?
Family friend
What 3 words would you use to describe SpendMend?
Engaging, Supportive, Welcoming
Why do you look forward to coming to work?
Being able to learn new things and challenge myself.
Before working at SpendMend, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
I never had an official job before SpendMend but I did babysit my younger sister who has epilepsy.
What is one fun fact about you?
I love horseback riding and own two horses.
When did you start horseback riding?
I first started horseback riding when I was about 11.
What piqued your interest to start?
One day my mom let me get on her horse after I said I was not scared of horses anymore, and since then I knew that it was something I wanted to do.
Where is your favorite place to go horseback riding?
My favorite place to go horseback riding is a river near my grandparents’ house, we can go in the water with our horses!
Tell me more about your two horses! Names and age? Any fun facts about them.
My first horse’s name is Kitty, who recently turned 28. One fun fact about her is before I got her, she used to compete professionally in shows and won nationally. My other horse’s name is JJ, he is around 21 years old. One interesting thing about him is he was rescued along with other horses from a bad situation and is now thriving!
Biggest challenge of owning horses? Biggest challenge of owning horses? The best part about owning horses?
I would say the biggest challenge about owning horses is they love to cause trouble and are constantly escaping. However, that also makes it the best part of owning horses because you are always guaranteed a funny story.
What type of music or podcasts do you listen to during the workday?
I love listening to true crime podcasts, my favorite creator is Rotten Mango. For music, I enjoy listening to Kpop.
Who are your favorite Kpop artists or groups?
I like a lot of different K-pop artists, but I would say my favorite at the moment are BTS and Seventeen.
Favorite Kpop songs at the moment?
My favorite K-pop song at the moment is called Rock with You by Seventeen.
Have you ever been to a Kpop concert?
I did go to a BTS concert in Chicago back in 2019 with my best friend and it was a lot of fun! We are hoping to go to a few this summer.
Do you have any hobbies or participate in any activities outside of work?
Outside of work I enjoy spending time with friends or you’ll always find me around animals.
What are your favorite activities to do with friends?
Every year my friends and I love to go to haunted attractions or corn mazes. We have been going together since 7th grade.
Any fun or interesting story you could share about a time with your friends?
The first memory that pops into my head is when we were in a dark maze and somehow got lost. After we found our way back to the correct path, we scared a group of others through the corn and they screamed so loud.
Do you interact with
Clients
Can you describe an interaction when you helped a client or a supplier that stands out in your mind?
I have not worked with clients/suppliers much, so I do not have an interaction that stands out to me.
What is the best part of serving the healthcare market?
Knowing that I am making a change for someone, even if it is small.
What is your favorite Recovery Room Activity?
I have not used it yet!
What has been your experience with SpendMend community service events?
I have not participated in community service events yet, but looking forward to it!
What is your favorite in house event? (specific potluck, chili cook-off, bring your kid to work day, etc.)
I have not participated in in-house events either.
Do you want to shout out to a co-worker who has helped or inspired you at SpendMend?
Tracy Reddinger, she has helped me a lot and taught me how to do different aspects of my job now.
What advice do you have for prospective candidates who want to join the SpendMend team?
Always be willing to learn, there is always something new to learn with SpendMend.
What has been your proudest accomplishment at SpendMend?
I am happy I get to help lessen the workload for others.
What is something you’re looking forward to for your future at SpendMend?
I look forward to continuing learning new things and growing as an employee.