Eleven Years, Countless Connections
Quality Connection's Growth Through Esther's Eyes
When Esther first took her position as Quality Connections’ head of HR, she never could have imagined the 11 years of friendship, community, and passion she would experience in the role. She never could have imagined that this would be the last job she ever held—or that 11 years later, she would be celebrated at a retirement party honoring her years of service as a friend, a mother hen, and a leader.
It was 2015, and QC was significantly smaller, with around 60 employees compared to the 236 employees it has today. In fact, when Esther joined the organization, there really was no HR department at all. She became its very first Human Resources professional.
“I’m not here to baby you. I’m here to help you grow and become the person you need to be,” Esther said, describing the role she played within the company.
That philosophy reflected Esther’s leadership style: direct, personable, and deeply supportive. Her approach became an important part of helping Quality Connections grow and thrive over the years.
During Esther’s 11 years with the nonprofit, QC added group homes, expanded into new communities, opened its preschool, added transit services, and made countless other improvements. With every new program and expansion came more responsibilities for HR—and Esther took each challenge head-on.
“Every time we did something different—taking on more group homes or making these transitions—it added more to HR,” Esther said. “I just took it on as it came.”
For Esther, the growth of Quality Connections was more than a list of accomplishments. It was 11 years of building relationships, supporting employees, navigating change, and helping shape the organization into what it is today.
What She'll Miss- The Culture, Clients, and Coworkers
Out of all the things she’ll miss about Quality Connections, Esther said the thing she’s going to miss the most is the people. Throughout her time there, Esther built many friendships and made countless memories with both clients and coworkers.
One thing she especially loved taking part in was the celebrations, trips, and events QC had to offer. Whether it was a Christmas party, a trip to the lake, or a ride on the Polar Express, it was always an unforgettable experience.
“To me, that’s the culture of the company. We’re a little crazy,” Esther said. “We need to do silly things—just have fun—because that gets people energized again.”
Quality Connections took its members on the Polar Express, and Esther joined the trip, making sure everything went as smoothly as possible. The group was split between two separate cars, and she recalls running back and forth between them, making sure everyone was having a good time. Although the experience was a bit chaotic, it’s a memory she looks back on fondly.
Halloween and Christmas events were a favorite of hers too. She loved to dress up and celebrate the holiday spirit with the QC community, and see everyone be lively. At these events her priority wasn’t just enjoying herself, but making sure everyone around her was having a good time too.
Even at her own retirement party, making sure people were happy remained one of her top priorities.
“I’m still the same crazy person I’ve always been—running around, making sure people are doing okay and taken care of. That’s just who I am.”
Her husband Brian often helped with events, taking on the job of grilling and pitching in wherever he could. Through Esther’s years at QC, he became a part of the community, too.
“QC has an awesome mission, and they’re very good at what they do,” Brian said.
The retirement party thrown in her honor was a representation of just how many people Esther touched during her time at QC. She maintained an open-door policy for employees, encouraging them to come to her whenever they needed support. She would work with them, help them, and support them in any way she could. Though she was supportive, she never let anyone walk all over her. She was known for having a very direct approach and saying it like it is.
“The thing about her style is that she talks to people. She doesn’t talk down to them—she talks to them,” her husband said.
Many of the connections she built through the company will last long after retirement, too. Esther plans to keep in contact with many of the people who made her time at QC so special, even after her move to Idaho.
Although she’ll miss QC, Esther felt it was time to move on to the next stage of her life. Still, the memories she made and the people she met along the way will always hold a special place in her heart.
Her Guardian Bear and The Next Steps
‘One day, Esther was digging through a closet in her office that was filled to the brim with files, trying to get everything organized. She was brand new to QC and had just moved into her new office. As she sorted through the files, a flash of white caught her eye. She reached in and pulled out a little white stuffed bear with angel wings.
“I found it in there, and I thought—I’ll put it in my desk—I might need this, you know. I’m not religious, but I might just need somebody to kind of help me through this as I started working on files.”
Throughout her time at QC, that little guardian bear stayed on her desk, no matter how many different offices she moved to. It always came with her. When she began packing up her office for retirement, she came across it once again.
“I had packed it away. I was ready to bring it with me, because I’ve had it since I started,” Esther said. QC’s incoming HR Director Stacey Smith asked if there was anything Esther would like to leave behind for the team to remember her by. Appreciative of the gesture, Esther replied, “I’ll leave the little guardian bear with you because you may need some help too, you know.”
Today, Esther’s photo hangs on the Wall of Fame in the conference room at QC HQ. Stacey has fully taken on the role of Human Resources at QC, with the guardian bear there to encourage and watch over her and the team.
And while Quality Connections will certainly miss Esther, the little bear serves as a reminder of the mark she left behind—and the people she helped along the way. Now, as Esther begins this new chapter, there’s no doubt she’ll carry those memories and connections with her wherever she goes.
