One of our favorite things to do here at Simplx is to spotlight our hard-working, dedicated employees. This month we’re featuring our Accounts Receivable/Office Support gal Marti Hershberger. Explore our interview with her as she shares her story and experience of her years working behind the scenes from Certified to Simplx Security.
Marti’s story: From Certified Alarm to Simplx Security.
Simplx: Marti! AKA Martella, Martha, Marti McFly, and of course we can’t forget the File Whisperer/File Queen, and the File-brarian, thanks so much for being our next employee highlight! By now everyone knows how this works. Can you give us the rundown on your history from Certified to Simplx, as well as what your current role is now? Maybe also throw in some background about why your blood is red, white, and blue!
Marti: Haha, thanks for having me! I’ve got lots of names and I answer to them all.
I began working for Certified Alarm in 1998. A friend told me they were looking for an office gal to handle back-end paperwork and accounting, so I applied. The manager loved me and was ready to sign me on, but the owner (who’d gone through the Great Depression) was worried I’d be unpredictable because I had a young child at the time. She took a chance and hired me, though. I worked there faithfully through her death in 2010, not missing work or causing disruption, despite having a young child.
After the last owner passed in 2016, Certified Alarm was held in Trust until the right buyer could be found.
In 2017, Nate & Tara Routsong found us and decided to welcome Certified as a branch under Simplx Security. Most of the office staff stayed on through the transition, but a lot of the techs we’d had were nearing retirement age, so it worked out for Simplx to link arms and give Certified the extra tech support we needed.
Marti’s many Simplx Security hats
Marti: I am the head of the Simplx Medical Division. My job is to handle all inquiries for personal or Medicaid referrals. I also do the ordering, programming, scheduling, in-home installation, testing and troubleshooting, as well as customer education and coordination with case managers and caregivers.
I attend recurring conferences bi-monthly at the Fort Wayne Center of Aging and Senior Services to represent Simplx and make sure we’re on target with the best we can provide for our customers.
Whether someone is needing a device for a mother, grandmother, grandfather, or special needs individual, I work directly with the client and their families/caregivers to set up 24 hour monitoring and make sure they understand and feel comfortable with their new technology.
Medical devices can be extremely helpful and many situations prove they have been.
I also run extra parts to technicians throughout the day and help out with the Fire Team on occasion.
I’m a self-described Jill-of-all-trades, haha.
Hurray for the Red, White, and Blue 🇺🇸🗽
Marti: Yes, my blood runs in red, white, and blue! My husband has family history in the service. Both of his brothers served and so did some relatives farther back in generations. He himself joined the Army in 1998. I’d considered enlisting as well, but with too many health concerns and our daughter Kayla being so young, it made more sense for me to just be a military wife and years later a military mom when Kayla joined the Marines.
We live and breathe our country’s colors. We’re proud to be Americans. My husband and I love to camp. During the warmer months we stay at our campsite every weekend and our camper is decked in red, white, and blue decor!
My office area is mostly decorated in patriotic trinkets. It reminds me of our family’s service, but also how grateful I am to live in the land of the free and home of the brave. I actually have red, white, and blue themed shirts for every day during the summer that people expect to see or they think something is wrong, haha!
Many hands make light work, many hearts make life work 🙂
The best part of a family-based company
Simplx: That’s a great story! Certified has such a rich history in Fort Wayne, so partnering with Simplx makes perfect sense.
We absolutely look forward to your festive attire during the summer! Finding joy in the little things is important in this industry. Building trust and understanding with coworkers is a huge part that contributes to the family atmosphere around here. What’s your favorite part about the Simplx family, and what have you found is the most challenging part of your job over the years?
Marti: Well, my absolute favorite thing about Simplx is that it really does have a family atmosphere. And I’m not just saying that, it really does. Certified has been a small family-owned business since it opened in 1925 (almost 100 years now!), and one of our biggest worries after the passing of the owners was being bought out by a big-wig corporation and losing that personal feel.
Nate & Tara gave us the chance to join a new family. It was a change, don’t get me wrong, but we’ve been able to maintain our relationships with our long-time customers and build new friendships with a good crew who has your back.
The human part of Simplx Security
Plus, Nate & Tara spoil us with summer and Christmas parties, and we’re always having carry-ins and little celebrations as folks have babies, get married, or graduate from this or that. Lots of previous employees come back to visit, too. Many times it’s with their little ones in tow. The human connection at Simplx is strong considering the tech industry is usually not known for that. We get the best of both worlds here. It just goes to show how you really couldn’t ask for a better place to work.
My biggest challenge would have to honestly be the technology when it doesn’t cooperate, haha! Sometimes stuff is just a puzzle that you have to work out. But the answer is somewhere. We have good people who know their craft, so pulling in a team member with more experience in a certain area will usually solve the issue and allow everyone to learn at the same time.
A numbers game
Simplx: Very true! Work environments, like the one Nate & Tara have created here at Simplx, are rare and valuable. What has been your experience over the years working behind the scenes in accounting? How do you keep things interesting and how has technology improved over the years?
Marti: Well, I’ve always been a numbers gal. I’m good at it and it interests me. My background is in accounting (specifically accounts receivable). I got my associates degree in 1991 and have worked with numbers for almost my entire career.
I remember walking to the bank and post office everyday (during my days at the Certified building downtown). Boy, how times have changed!
I used to have to print or copy everything on paper. That was the way we kept records. Fast-forward a couple decades and advancements in tech have literally changed the face of my work, not just the security devices!
I still print and copy, but software programs and websites have made it way quicker to get work done or go back and edit. They keep track of things more accurately and in more detail and I don’t have to remember where I stashed a file of info for reference, haha.
The auto pay function, especially, has saved me hours of work!
Where Simplx Security is headed
Simplx: Yes! Times have changed drastically from when Certified began. Pam Groves talked quite a bit about that in her employee highlight. What is the number one area you feel Simplx can grow and what hopes do you have for the future of the office side of Simplx Security?
Marti: Well, the tech world will always shift and move forward. The demand for home and business security continues, so naturally the industry will grow and expand to fill that need.
Nate & Tara are excellent at keeping on top of the latest and greatest options. They really invest a lot of time (and money) into making sure our customers have the best options to suit their needs.
And who knows? Maybe one day we’ll have those flying cars or robot dogs, haha. But one thing is for sure, human connection can never be replaced. Simplx has that in the bag!
Hope for the future of Simplx Security
I really would like to see the medical branch of security grow! There are a lot of folks who don’t even know it exists, but it could be a huge help to them.
Although the fall pendant is the most well-known, there is a long list of devices that make up the big picture. Whether it’s a bed movement sensor, wellness camera, or even just a simple GPS tracking bracelet, there’s a whole range of ways to keep safe the folks who need that extra level of care.
One of my biggest hopes is to get a new office! When someone comes to me asking for a file, it’s always a process because I have everything arranged just so. If anything gets misplaced I can usually find it, but I have to dig, haha. That’s why they call me the File Whisperer.
My file cabinets are reaching closer and closer to the ceiling (a good problem, I guess) and I could really use more space! I’m 5’1. Someday I may get lost in them and they’ll have to send out Search and Rescue, haha!
Marti’s advice for the numbers gals.
Simplx: Well, you surely have a great story to tell and lots of experience in the industry, Marti. You really do wear many hats and it wouldn’t be the same Simplx without you. Any final advice or suggestions for young gals (or guys) looking to get into the accounting side of life?
Marti: “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Work hard and don’t let excuses stop you from being responsible and showing up every day to do your best. Don’t be the victim!
Life has all kinds of things coming your way both good and bad, but it’s all in how you handle it. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow and know it’ll be ok. I’d say my story has turned out pretty well considering. Plus, I’ve been at this too long to switch careers now 😉
I know it’s been said before, but really the people here are great. The camaraderie and willingness of others to help out when needed is such a big help. Everyone really puts in a team effort and that goes back to the family atmosphere we love so much.
So find yourself a good workplace that will treat you with respect and celebrate you. Many hands make light work, many hearts make life work 🙂
What our owners have to say about Marti:
Marti is a detailed, organized and reliable asset to the Simplx team! Her positivity is contagious and her loyalty is second to none. She brings such a wealth of knowledge, dedication & strength to Simplx since she has worked in the industry for 26 years.
When our paths crossed during the acquisition of Certified Alarm seven years ago, we enjoyed getting to know Marti and her family.
It’s been such a treat to see Marti take ownership of any project she is given and put her all into it. Whether it’s invoicing and banking, organizing files, taking on a sales and installer role for Simplx Medical customers in their homes, or prepping and planning for company gatherings. Marti puts her heart into everything she does. We are grateful for the part she plays within the Simplx family.
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