Whatever it Takes!

Page Navigation

Whatever it Takes! Award
Employee of the Year
Unsung Heroes
Milestones
Horizons Award
Success Stories

About Us / Whatever it Takes!

Celebrating our Employees!

Going above and beyond the call of duty, our employees are dedicated to the concept of doing "Whatever it Takes!" to make our customers successful and satisfied.

Our values are extremely important to us, and we operate and live by them every day. Honesty and integrity, along with hard work and appreciation, form the foundation of our long-lasting relationships. Service Management Systems is proud of our people, our diversity and our culture. Take a few minutes to scroll through some of the successes and accolades our employees, management and teams have received this recently.

The 'Whatever it Takes!' Award

Each quarter, our employees and management nominate the coworkers or employees that impressed them most! By going above and beyond their daily job duties or by showing their dedication to our company’s core values, these employees were nominated for the Whatever it Takes! (WIT) Employee of the Quarter Award. From these nominations, each employee is then considered for the prestigious WIT Employee of the Year Award.

Quarter 1, 2025 Awardees:

Valerie Fisher

Susquehanna Valley Mall – Kevin Gleason's Division

Selinsgrove, PA

Valerie Fisher received a call about a sprinkler line break in a vacant space. She came in on her day off to take care of the situation. ..She went above and beyond to prevent more damage for our on-site customer. This shows Valerie's exceptional dedication to customer service, our company's core values, and her role. But this is not a one-time thing for Valerie, since she daily shows her commitment to doing “Whatever it Takes!” This is why I am nominating her for this award.

Nominated by: Edgar Grundy, Maintenance Manager

Storm Bozeman

Destin Commons – David Shultis' Division

Destin, FL

I am pleased to nominate Storm Bozeman for Employee of the Quarter…Storm has consistently gone above and beyond in maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness, reliability, and professionalism…Storm always maintains a positive attitude, even in challenging situations. He is very friendly to all coworkers, as well as always offering a hand – even when he has his own tasks to complete. Storm is incredibly reliable…He is also very proactive in identifying areas that require attention...He also has maintained our equipment by changing our equipment tires, oil, spark plugs, filters, etc…Storm has also had very positive feedback from all his coworkers, as well as the client. He exemplifies the qualities that we strive for in every team member: dedication, integrity, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence.

Nominated by: Patricia Hansen, Facility Manager

Darren Stokes

NorthPark Mall (Davenport, IA) – David Shultis' Division

VALUES IN PRACTICE: Achievement | Appreciation | Fairness | Fun | Growth | Hard Work | Faith-Based | Honesty | Humility | Integrity | Loyalty

Darren is the Second Shift Supervisor at NorthPark Mall and was nominated for this award twice in 2024 by his boss, Lisa Mrasak, SMS Facility Manager, for entirely different reasons. Both reflect on the type of person and employee he is.

March 2024 Nomination by: Lisa Mrasak, Facility Manager

He has shown dedication, teamwork, loyalty, and hard work. He takes pride in every assignment he does and it has not gone unnoticed as he has gotten some high praise from several of the stores in the food court on how great it looks when he is on and how clean it is. Our clients even recommended him for employee of the month when they got a corporate compliment. He is a great worker and is very much appreciated. Thank you, Darren, for all you do for us and the SMS Team.

October 2024 Nomination by: Lisa Mrasak, Facility Manager

On Monday, July 22nd, 2024, shots rang out in the mall and the alarms went off. As instructed in our training, our staff quickly went to our safe zones and went on lockdown. Darren, our Second Shift Supervisor, took mall patrons into our safe area with him. He also made sure all of our staff was safe and accounted for. He called me – his Facility Manager – and assured me all were safe! He took charge of the situation, keeping everyone, including shoppers, calm by reassuring them they were safe. For over an hour, he was the calm, levelheaded hero for these people until the all-clear rang out on the radio from security. Darren did “Whatever it Takes!” for all at NorthPark Mall during the July incident.

(L to R): David Shultis, Division Vice President, Darren Stokes, WIT 2024 Winner and Second Shift Supervisor at NorthPark Mall (Davenport, IA), Lisa Mrasak, Facility Manager at NorthPark Mall, Charles "Phil" White, Division Manager

Unsung Heroes 2024 Team Awardees:

During our annual Employee Appreciation Week, SMS recognizes one team from each of our two divisions nationwide that have continuously and positively influenced their customer's location from behind the scenes. Whether someone is looking or not, these teams display a positive attitude, a willingness to do "Whatever it Takes!" every day, and a commitment to providing consistent, quality services.

Jacksonville Mall | Housekeeping and Maintenance Teams

Jacksonville, NC

How has this team shown consistently strong performance?

“The team at Jacksonville Mall strives to exceed expectations daily. They combine our 12 Core Values to be successful for both our customer and patrons at the property. They are organized with assignments, follow through on completion of tasks, and communicate effectively both internally and with our customer. They are on time with their submissions of reports and safety information required. Overall, they excel in their performance administratively and operationally.”

In what way has the team worked beyond the normal requirements of their jobs to provide excellent customer service?

“The team goes above and beyond each day. Our customer continues to express their continued trust in our team to ensure that expectations are met or exceeded. Our customer is an advocate for SMS and makes sure to tell others of the positive impact SMS has on the Jacksonville Mall.”

Is there an issue, problem, or situation that the site / team successfully addressed? Describe a specific instance, project, or challenge where the team exemplified their special contribution or innovative solution.

“Our team at one point struggled to ensure customer satisfaction. The team worked together and made necessary changes internally to turn things around. Since adapting to structural changes and some operational changes, the team has truly pulled together to become more proactive in their daily operations.”

-Nominated by Bruce Hoffmaster Jr., Division Manager

NorthPark Mall | Housekeeping Team

Davenport, IA

How has this team shown consistently strong performance?

“Lisa and her team have consistently passed the Smart Inspections for Macerich properties and have been on the trend of improving their passing score each month. Lisa has never been late with any training or OPS360 inspections, which shows dedication not only to her operations but to our company standards as a whole.” – Phil White

“The NorthPark Mall team has proven constant strong performance day in and day out. Lisa, the Site Manager, oversees both NorthPark Mall and SouthPark Mall for one of our Key Customers. These properties are a few of the smaller ones that we service, but she and her teams manage to maintain the daily operations without flaw. She also puts her staff first and is always there to support them. Because of Lisa’s recent efforts and partnership with Goodwill, NorthPark was nominated for Employer of the Year.” – David Shultis

In what way has the team worked beyond the normal requirements of their jobs to provide excellent customer service?

“Lisa Mrasak and her team at NorthPark Mall have consistently raised the bar for dedication, customer service, and kindness. They consistently passed the Smart Inspections for Macerich properties and have been on the trend of improving their passing score each month. With the hard work and dedication of the employees at NorthPark Mall, they have received several awards and hand-written compliments throughout the year. Lisa's work with Goodwill earned her and SMS an Employer of the Year nomination with The Edgars Achievement Award. This nomination would not have been possible without the loyalty and dedication Lisa has for her employees and NorthPark Mall. Darren Stokes was one of the winners for the Whatever It Takes award for Q1 2024, due to his hard work and customer service. Carole Sammon also received a hand-written note from the customer thanking her for her hard work and kindness to everyone. The SVP of Operations for NorthPark Mall has said the mall has not looked this clean in years. In July 2024, there was a fight and shooting at the mall and Darren Stokes quickly alerted all employees to seek shelter. Darren also gathered several mall customers with some of the employees and took them to shelter in a safe location until an all-clear was given. It is obvious that the employees at NorthPark Mall take pride in their work and treat everyone like family. I would like to thank everyone at NorthPark Mall for everything they do. They are beyond deserving of this award.” – Phil White

“The team at NorthPark works together seamlessly to provide a great customer experience. Their ability to recognize and address customers by their names is a strong trait by the team and is evident in letters by customers thanking them. Attention to these smaller details is what sets NorthPark apart from others in terms of high-quality service delivery.” – David Shultis

“Lisa and the team at NorthPark tackle every issue they have. For example, if Lisa encounters a problem with any of her machines, she will research the owner’s manual or the internet to resolve almost every problem she has come across. She refuses to give up and continues to learn more things every day. You can also see this same pride, integrity, and commitment mirrored in the team members at NorthPark Mall.” – Phil White

“Smaller accounts have unique challenges every day. Some of these challenges are amplified by smaller staffing levels, which means a heavier workload at times. Nonetheless, this team manages to divide and conquer. They help each other and mesh together well to achieve any task that comes their way. They are a true example of our Whatever it Takes! motto and 12 Core Values.” – David Shultis

-Nominated by Phil White, Division Manager, and David Shultis, Division Vice President

Milestones

Two of the greatest Core Values we feel our employees exhibit are Hard Work and Loyalty, and are some of the driving forces behind our company's success. This is evident in the Milestones reached each month.

Congratulations to the following employees who have reached a significant SMS Milestone Anniversary in June 2025!

5 Year Milestones

Pedro Barrera
Joshua Collazo
Merci Gomez Franco
Byron Hurst
Anthony Francisco
Emerson Miranda Reyes
Hector Esquilin Calderon

10 Year Milestones

Fatmata Bah

The Horizons Award

The Horizons Award is our most prestigious award, given to Service Management Systems leads and directors for achieving quality, safety and productivity goals. Winners are honored at our annual leadership meeting and receive an etched crystal trophy and a $1,000 prize.

2024 Service Management Systems Winner – Stephen Valentine
Operations Manager, Greater Clark County Schools – Jeffersonville, IN

Stephen Valentine joined the SMS Team at Greater Clark County School District two years ago, and his impact on all the schools and our Perfection Group partners has been nothing short of remarkable. Day in and day out, he demonstrates an unwavering commitment to excellence, navigating high-pressure demands with grace, grit, and a steadfastly positive attitude. From managing complex projects, responding to urgent work tickets, fulfilling customer requests, and leading his on-site team, Stephen approaches every responsibility with diligence and purpose.

But what truly sets Stephen apart is not just what he does—it’s how he does it. He leads with heart. Each morning, he sends prayers and words of encouragement to his peers, creating a ripple effect of positivity and unity that carries through the day. This daily ritual reflects his deeply held values and his genuine care for others, reminding everyone around him that leadership starts with intention and compassion.

Stephen embodies the SMS Holdings Core Values in everything he does. His integrity, work ethic, faith-based motivation, and humility are evident in every interaction, and his ability to stay centered and focused—even when juggling numerous tasks—makes him a pillar of strength for his team.

In recognizing Stephen with the Horizon Award, we celebrate his professional achievements and the character, spirit, and humanity he brings to the workplace. He is a shining example of what true leadership looks like in action, making him a perfect recipient of the Horizons Award.

Stephen was honored at the Horizons Award Winner Dinner. (L to R): Kevin Gleason (Division Vice President). Bruce Hoffmaster, Jr. (Division Manager), Latoya Valentine,Stephen Valentine, Scott Born (President)

Just a few more examples of how our managers, employees and teams go above and beyond every day. Scroll through the Success Stories below to read more about how our teams are doing "Whatever it Takes!" to deliver excellent customer service.