Administration Appreciation
To celebrate Administration Professionals Day, we want to say thank you to the hard-working administrative assistants, receptionists, support staff, and other administrative professionals for the countless tasks they handle day in and day out. We celebrate the Administrative Professionals at FK and their journeys. Get to know them here:
Karen Durrance
How long have you been with FK, and what do you do here?
Three and a half years. I am the Business Manager which entails all responsibilities relating to the firm’s finances and accounting, along with supporting the Manager Members in their responsibilities for managing the firm’s business. This includes finances, project accounting, taxes, building management, insurance, human resources, and payroll.
How has your career grown since starting at the company?
The best part about being at my stage of life is that I do not desire career growth. I’ve been there, done that. Then I raised two sons, ran a home, cared for elderly parents, volunteered in public education, and then returned to the workforce happy to be a part of a business and provide my skills and knowledge to help it succeed and to help others succeed. Life is good.
What is your favorite thing about working at FK?
Seeing the awesome creations we build.
If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Your Song by Elton John & Bernie Taupin
What’s your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
“God must be a Gator too, because the sun is orange and the sky is blue!” Unknown and “My day begins and ends with gratitude and joy.” Louise Hay
Who would you most like to switch places with for a day?
My dog! If it has to be a person, then it would be Mindi Abair because she seems to have a lot of fun playing her saxophone, singing, and making music. I am in awe of musicians. How do they create songs and music? Just amazing.
What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?
“Do your best because your creditability is easy to lose and hard to regain.” (From the Controller of Barnett Bank of Tampa after I had overdrawn a client by $250,000 with an accounting transaction!)
Joe Lynch
How long have you been with FK, and what do you do here?
I'm currently in my 18th year as an official FK employee but have been here full time walking through the FK front doors providing IT professional services for 21 years. There are only ten people that have been here longer than I have. I handle all aspects of our information systems infrastructure: servers, workstations, printers, software, phone system.
How has your career grown since starting at the company?
I've seen the company go through so many changes over those 21 years. We've grown, shrank, and grown again. We've gone from having one server, one email address per studio, and shared phone extensions at the desks to where we are now with four servers, IP phones, technology in the conference rooms, the new Design Lounge, and printer changes. Not to mention all of the desktop computer and software changes. All of that has helped me grow as they have been things I've been responsible for. It exposes me to new things quite often, which keeps me extremely busy and engaged with new adventures.
What is your favorite thing about working at FK?
The people and the general vibe of the office are my favorite things about working at FK. I've seen and worked with many faces in my time here and made a lot of friends. They have made it enjoyable to work. I mention the office's vibe because I have always appreciated how comfortable it has always made me feel. Not a stuffy suited-up place but more laid back and friendly.
If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Not sure. I guess I'll go with Girl from Ipanema? Elevator music version!
What's your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. – Ferris Bueller
Who would you most like to switch places with for a day?
An astronaut on the Space Station, or anywhere up in space with a nice view of this blue speck we call home.
What's the best piece of professional advice you've ever received?
"Work to live. Don't live to work." This may sound like personal advice, but because life and work tend to blend together, it's helped me to stay professionally grounded too. A good life/work balance is crucial to your personal and professional wellbeing.
Kids grow up so fast, and before you know it, they're adults and out of the house living their own lives. So it's always been important to me to be there for my three boys while they're growing up and still around. I've been highly appreciative over the years that the FK family allows people the flexibility to get the time that they need with their families. You have to be sure that you make it happen because it's easy to get lost in work-life. My advice to someone would be, "Make the time to take the time."
Shelbee Bullock
How long have you been with FK, and what do you do here?
I have been with the company for about two and a half years. I started in September 2018, shortly after I graduated from the University of Central Florida. I am currently working in the marketing department, where I do most of our digital media work.
How has your career grown since starting at the company?
What initially started as a simple social media role has turned into a lot more responsibility which has been an incredible journey. Since the start, I've helped create and bring to life two brand new websites and participate in the company's rebrand.
What is your favorite thing about working at FK?
My favorite thing about working at FK is the people. It truly feels like a home away from home, and it's an organization that I am proud to be part of.
If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Better Together by Luke Combs. I danced to this at my wedding and would love to have one song that I could at least slow dance to for the rest of my life.
What's your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
"Gather up your scattered dreams and build the life you love…"
Who would you most like to switch places with for a day?
I would love to switch places with a travel blogger, COVID has put a halt to travel, and I am itching to get back out there and see the world. Anyone with a ticket to Greece, or the Maldives, or London, I'll gladly offer the switch.
What's the best piece of professional advice you've ever received?
For every failure, there's an alternative course of action. You have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.
Katelin Campbell
How long have you been with FK, and what do you do here?
I’ve been here since October 2019. I’m the Executive Assistant, so I do whatever is needed from me!
What is your favorite thing about working at FK?
I love the environment here. Everyone is friendly and willing to teach me more about architecture. I have learned a lot during my time at FK.
What's your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
The quote isn’t famous or inspirational, but it’s from one of my favorite authors: “If the sky could dream, it would dream of dragons” – Ilona Andrews
Who would you most like to switch places with for a day?
Instead of switching places, I’d like to make a clone of myself. The clone would do the annoying things like housework and chores while I would relax and read or knit.
Evie Sabo
How long have you been with FK, and what do you do here?
I have been with FK since mid-March of 2020, and I am the Receptionist/Admin Assistant.
How has your career grown since starting at the company?
My career here at FK has grown in just the number of employees from when I started. Right when the Pandemic began, most of the people that worked here were working from home remotely. So we went from 10-12 people in the office to 45 or 50. I have been getting to know people throughout the year as we slowly opened back up and then hired more employees.
What is your favorite thing about working at FK?
My favorite thing about working at FK is the people that work here. I have never worked for a company that has managers that care about their employees. We have fun as much as we work hard and are there for each other for help.
If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
"Be still my soul" by David Archuleta
What's your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
I have 2: "Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles; it takes away today's peace!". "Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it's stupid."
Who would you most like to switch places with for a day?
I'm not sure. I would probably want to switch places with someone who had a lot of money to see that it doesn't solve "having security" issues. I would use it as an opportunity to realize that I am truly happy right where I'm am.
What's the best piece of professional advice you've ever received?
My mom always told me to "Put all of the worries in your head, and all the "problems" you think you have, OUTSIDE of work. You need to be present at your job and forget about the 'other things going on for the duration of your shift.
* Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out!
* Work is a commitment you make - so commit to doing your best!
Stephanie Steen
How long have you been with FK, and what do you do here?
I’ve worked at FK for a year and a half now, and I do feel blessed to work here. I currently work as an accounting assistant.
What is your favorite thing about working at FK?
I love our comfortable environment, the culture, and that we feel like a family. Also, I love the diversity in our workplace and interacting with everyone. We have a team of very unique, talented, and interesting people!
If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Gosh! I love many songs, but my choice would have to be a song that touches my heart to listen to for the rest of my life! So, I’ll have to go with “Abide With Me” by Audrey Assad. What a beautiful & uplifting song!
Who would you most like to switch places with for a day?
If I could switch places with anyone at work (for a short while), it would be an architect! I’m very curious about the intricacies of your world. I imagine there are many facets within each project, and it would be so interesting to have a peek and understand all that’s considered from start to finish!
What's the best piece of professional advice you've ever received?
The best professional advice I’ve ever received was from my sister; ‘respect co-workers/people at every level and never burn bridges!'