Making History
This year Alabama Industries for the Blind, (AIB) made history by hiring its first individual who is visually impaired in the Plant Manager position. On July 1, 2022, AIB welcomed Shane Jones to a role that he is uniquely qualified to hold.
“Shane is an exceptional leader, and I am honored to welcome him as AIB’s new Plant Manager,” said Kyle Gregg, Executive Director, AIB. “Shane’s strong background in manufacturing and team building makes him an asset to our team, and I am excited to work with him to grow and strengthen AIB’s commitment to providing employment opportunities for adults who are legally blind or multidisabled.”
Jones began his career in Raleigh, North Carolina, as an assistant operations manager at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland before relocating to New York City to become a merchandise supervisor and store manager in Training at Bed Bath & Beyond. Most recently, Shane served as a project manager for Beyond Vision, a not-for-profit manufacturing company with a mission of enriching the lives of people who are blind through the dignity of work valued by customers and the community.
“I have worked with organizations from around the country, and I strongly feel Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind is a first-class organization,” said Shane. “As we work together, and strive to provide meaningful employment to persons with all types of abilities, there is no limit to our success.”
Shane earned the Certified Associate in Project Management certification from the Project Management Institute as well as the Certificate of Achievement, Effective Supervision: Leading the Way, from the National Industries for the Blind. He has also served as a guest speaker for the Governor Morehead School Outreach Program and Summer Program.
“I am pleased to welcome Shane Jones to the AIDB team,” said John Mascia, Au.D., President, AIDB. “With Shane’s extensive background and leadership experience, he will play a vital role in growing the limitless opportunities, training, and independence created by Alabama Industries for the Blind’s manufacturing facilities and supply stores on military bases across Alabama and Georgia.”
Banking on Consumers at Alabama Industries for the Blind
Consumers at Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind’s (AIDB) Alabama Industries for the Blind (AIB) no longer have to leave work in order to access their banking needs. Thanks to the generosity of First Bank of Alabama, a new ATM has been installed in the AIB breakroom in order to better meet the needs of our consumers.
“By focusing on our customer base, we recognized that many of our AIB customers utilize various forms of transportation to come use the ATM at our main office,” said Chad Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer, First Bank of Alabama. “We are always looking for our customers to have access to their banking needs to do banking when they want, where they want, and how they want. The ATM installed at AIB was a special project for us, and we knew it would make a difference in how our AIB customers would go about their banking lives.”
Once installed, Terry McKee, Acting Adaptive Technology Technician at AIB, provided training for AIB employees who were interested in using the ATM. In addition to braille, the ATM features an audio jack that allows consumers to plug in their headphones for an audio description of what is on the screen. Once the headphones are unplugged, the audio immediately stops so that no one nearby overhears sensitive information.
“Usually, people who are blind have to depend on others to withdraw money for them,” said Estefania Colmenero, Production Worker, AIB. “I don’t know if I can express what it’s like to be able to walk to and access the ATM on my own. It is very exciting and another step forward for people who are blind or have low vision. It’s another way for people like us to have independence.”
Celebrating the 2022 Blind Workers of the Year
On September 16, Jaleesia Strayham and Gary Worrell were both honored by AIB at the annual Blind Worker of the Year Luncheon. Strayham was named the 2022 recipient of the Milton J. Samuelson Award, which is presented annually by AIB to honor a person who is legally blind and employed in an indirect labor position. Gary Worrell is the 2022 recipient of the Peter J. Salmon Direct Labor Award which was created by National Industries for the Blind in 1968 to recognize outstanding performance and leadership by employees who are legally blind.
Strayham was just 20 years old when she had emergency eye surgery to save a small portion of her sight. From that point forward, she was legally blind but determined not to let any obstacle change her life. In 2016, Strayham began working with AIB’s production team. And within four years, she began shadowing the AIB store staff, customer service team, and the accounting department to gain additional experience before moving to a position in the AIB warehouse in 2021. Strayham has completed the National Industries for the Blind’s Upward Mobility Program as well as the FDIC’s Money Management program. “Most would describe Jaleesia as quiet,” said Strayham’s supervisor, Randy Liner, Store Manager, AIB. “But she is hard-working and motivated to learn and grow. Jaleesia’s ‘can do’ attitude paired with her flexibility and willingness to learn new things has made her an asset to AIB.”
Worrell was born congenitally deaf and began losing his eyesight due to retinitis pigmentosa around the age of 10. After graduating from Kentucky School for the Deaf, he returned home to help his father on the family farm. As Worrell’s sight continued to deteriorate, Worrell and his family began planning for what he would need in the future. Worrell visited E. H. Gentry Facility to learn about its customized programs for deaf, blind, deafblind, and general services students that empowers them to explore their personal and professional goals. Worrell enrolled at E. H. Gentry Facility in 1985, and in the following year, completed his program and joined the AIB team. “Gary is the type of employee who is going to consistently show up and bring his best,” said Donovan Beitel, AIB Director of Special Operations. “He is super dependable and is ready to go above and beyond what is asked of him.”
