February 24, 2020
Colleague Focus – Melissa Ketcherside
If you’re unfamiliar with Mar-Bal’s Colleague Focus, it’s a series that allows us to introduce our colleagues and collectively learn more about them. This edition focuses on Melissa Ketcherside, HR and Safety Manager at our Cuba, Missouri plant who has been with us for 3 ½ years.
It’s evident Melissa holds her coworkers in high regard, listing them as her favorite part about working at Mar-Bal. In addition, she takes great pride in assisting with employee engagement and morale at the plant. One such notable initiative she’s involved with is the GEM program (Going the Extra Mile) where individuals are nominated by their supervisors for excelling in safety, quality, being a team player, or exceeding expectations. Each month two winners are chosen and recognized for their efforts.
Melissa’s affinity for her teammates and dedication to her role can certainly be traced to her mother and father, “My parents taught me that sacrifice and hard work is something that must be done for those you love and to succeed in life”.
Continuing her giving nature outside of work, Melissa treasures the opportunities in which she can feed those she loves. “I love to grill and cook for my family and friends. My lasagna and chicken and dumplings are a couple of my dishes I am asked to bring to gatherings”. When they get together, Melissa is happy to host and make sure everyone is well fed, “I love to spend time with family and friends. In the summer we gather at our binzebo (a gazebo constructed from a recycled grain bin or corn crib) for dinner and a game of cards”.
When she’s not working, Melissa enjoys gardening, canning, raising chickens and spending time in
nature. As we move closer to spring, we’re sure Melissa is looking forward to spending time with friends and family while taking advantage of the nice weather. We want to thank her for all that she does for Mar-Bal and her coworkers each day. Thank you Melissa!