2023’s first Employee of the Month is one of the kindest IT Technicians you’ll ever meet. Like many of the employees here, Derick Schroller began his career with Riley County in the Treasurer’s Office. He started eight years ago, first working in customer service, and then moved upstairs for billing. Earlier this year he applied for an open position in tech support. He says the best thing about his job is the people.
“This is the longest time I’ve stayed at any job, and it’s because this feels like a little family here. In the morning, you want to come to work when you like the people around you. We all get along really well, and this place has a nice, hometown feel,” says Derick.
Derick is originally from the town of Oketo, KS which is home to only about 32 people. His previous work experience includes tech support for Verizon and selling insurance for AAA. Those jobs didn’t involve much face-to-face contact, and there wasn’t much opportunity to work with the same person more than once.
Those companies weren’t a good fit for someone who prefers a family vibe.
We’re grateful Derick brings a friendly and helpful attitude to Riley County. It can be unpleasant and even embarrassing to ask someone for help – especially for help with technology, but Derick approaches his work with kindness, good humor, and humility. He’s just the kind of person you want to answer the phone when you’ve locked yourself out of your computer.
“I’ve always been interested in computers and my family all calls me at home for tech support,” said Derick. “Everyone in the IT Department has customer service experience, so we all know how it goes. We like to help.”
At work, Derick takes answering questions very seriously. Anytime he assists someone, he follows up to make sure they get all the answers they need. Derick asks questions to make sure people don’t have to call again or take more time out of their day – he tries to help solve problems before they arise.
Derick also says there’s never a dull moment in IT. Technology is always changing, and he enjoys learning something new every day.
I do a lot of research to learn what we actually CAN do, because it’s ever-changing,” said Derick.
The Manhattan Public Library offers LinkedIn Learning courses free to cardholders, and Derick has found courses to learn about the recent Microsoft 365 installation, and other software and hardware just by using his library card. He says YouTube is also a big help, especially for people who are experiential learners and prefer video to textbook learning.
The Treasurer’s Office nominated Derick for Employee of the Month. They highlighted how helpful he’s been, making room for new employees, moving workstations, and always answering questions with a smile. They wanted him to know how much he is truly appreciated.
“This is an honor, and it’s really nice to be recognized for the things you do. The employee of the month parking spot is great, too, especially in the winter. I’ll be able to remote start my car from the office, now!” said Derick.
Derick has been a wonderful addition to the family atmosphere at Riley County. We are proud of his work and grateful to have him on the team!
