Billy’s recognizes staff, their years of service
Billy’s Rentals and Billy’s Bike Shop on Sanibel recently held an employee appreciation dinner.
“The most amazing part of our business is the staff,” Salli Kirkland, owner with her husband Billy, said. “We are lucky to have almost half of our workforce with four-plus years of service.”
“We have some interesting connections to staff, which feel like family – and some of them really are. But the most incredible are Valdy with 19 years and citizenship – and Clare Harris who returned to her country to be with her mum and family, and came back to us after 10 years,” she added. “It’s a unique immigration plan – find good people, wherever you can, and help them be their best.”
The Kirklands recognized the following staffers:
NINETEEN YEARS
– Valdy Gedvilas
From Lithuania, he was trained to be a bike mechanic and they helped him get green card and finally his citizenship. Gedvilas is the mechanic-in-charge at Billy’s warehouse operation.
TWELVE YEARS
– Preston Schuetz
Cousin of Salli Kirkland and Schuetz, he came from Arkansas. He worked as a bike rental agent and now is the head mechanic at the bike shop.
– Ryan Schuetz
Cousin of Salli Kirkland, he came to Florida from Minnesota to help out and stayed. He is the information technology boss at Billy’s.
NINE YEARS
– John Costanzo
Segway tour guide with island boy insight.
SEVEN YEARS
– Robin Ramming
Previous co-owner of beach rentals business, he rejoined Billy as the operations manager.
– Tim and Debbie Stone
Tim and Debbie are husband and wife. Debbie Stone is originally from Salli Kirkland’s hometown.
SIX YEARS
– Vanessa Flynt
The Kirkland’s daughter, she is the human resources manager.
FIVE YEARS
– Ryan Markosky
He is the manager of the Bailey’s location of Billy’s Rentals.
FOUR YEARS
– Clare Harris
Born in England, Clare Harris joined Billy’s in 1998 and returned to England in 2004 to be with family. After a 10-year leave of absence, she came back to the United States to manage Billy’s Bike Shop.
THREE YEARS
– Mike Faria
TWO YEARS
– Dave Hawkins
– Maureen McEleney
– Jon Ruedisueli
– Patty Slayton
– Roberto Torres
ONE YEAR
– Mike Osmulski
UNDER ONE YEAR
– Freddy Aranibar
– Joey Garofano
– Carson Liebetrau
– Spencer Rakoff
– James Tawney