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Billy’s recognizes staff, their years of service

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PHOTO PROVIDED Billy's Rentals and Billy's Bike Shop owners Billy and Salli Kirkland, first row, fifth and sixth from left, recently held an employee appreciation dinner to recognize their staffers and their years of service.
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PHOTO PROVIDED Employee Valdy Gedvilas was recognized for 19 years of service to the company.

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