The IFB Beat 7-7 Edition

A Message from the Editor

Greetings, IFB team! This week’s IFB Beat highlights leadership, learning, and celebration! Meet two of our executive team members, welcome new staff, and join us in congratulating scholarship recipients. Don’t miss updates on our ISO audit, S.E.E. Camp adventures, and the Christmas-in-July Bonus. Thank you for making IFB Solutions stronger every day!

Quote of the week:

“To move the world, we must first move ourselves.” — Socrates

Thank you for strolling The IFB Beat. See you next week!

Anastasia Powell

IFB Solutions Communications Manager
apowell@ifbsolutions.org | 336-245-5698

Quick Links:

New this Week

– Meet the Executive Team Behind IFB’s Mission
– Christmas-in-July Bonuses!
– Surveillance Audit Coming Soon
– Welcome, New Team Members!
– Tina Bess Scholarship Recipients
– Employee Spotlight Featuring Joe Sprouse, Asheville Facility
– Programs Update: S.E.E Campers Visit Asheboro Zoo
– Community Low Vision Center Updates

From Our Community

– Let’s Celebrate: ADA 35th Anniversary

HR and Opportunities

– Benefit Elections: 2025–2026 Plan Year
– New Job Announcements

IFB Beat Phone Lines
Support Group Zoom Meeting Links
Archived Editions of The IFB Beat

Meet the Executive Team Behind IFB’s Mission

Over several editions of The IFB Beat, we’ve had the pleasure of introducing many of the incredible departments that help make IFB Solutions thrive. Now, we’re turning the spotlight to the team guiding it all from the top.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing you to the members of IFB’s Executive Leadership Team—the people who help shape our mission, drive strategic decisions, and ensure that our organization continues to grow, innovate, and empower. From overseeing operations to building community partnerships, this group plays a vital role in ensuring that our vision—“Our Vision is Working”—remains a reality every single day.

This week we highlight Jason Moser, Chief Financial Officer, and Ken Edwards, Chief Supply Chain Officer. We share their stories, leadership philosophies, and what drives their commitment to IFB and the people we serve. You might even learn a fun fact or two along the way!

 

Jason Moser

Chief Financial Officer

Jason Moser has been with IFB Solutions for seven years, currently serving as Chief Financial Officer. He first learned about the organization through a recruiter, and the role immediately stood out for its deep connection to mission-driven work. In his position, Jason oversees the organization’s financial and administrative functions, including finance, accounting, budgeting, and strategic planning. He also leads Human Resources, guiding talent management, ensuring compliance, and developing policies that support IFB’s long-term goals.

Jason’s team includes Natalya McCandless, Senior Director of Finance, and Luyann Ledesma, Senior Director of Human Resources. Together, they work to ensure IFB operates with integrity, efficiency, and vision.

“As CFO, I’ve been proud to align financial strategy with our mission, ensuring every dollar is spent with purpose and impact,” Jason shares. “My role has been about more than managing numbers — it’s about empowering our team, supporting sustainable growth, and advancing the values that define who we are.”

Outside of work, Jason enjoys spending quality time with his family — whether they’re cooking together, watching sports, or simply relaxing. It’s those moments, he says, that are the highlight of his week.

 

Ken Edwards

Chief Supply Chain Officer

Ken Edwards is approaching 11 years with IFB Solutions, where he serves as Chief Supply Chain Officer. In this role, Ken oversees all vendor relations and material procurement for both the manufacturing and Base Supply Center divisions. He also leads new government contract negotiations, supports contract administration, and manages corporate pricing strategy. His leadership extends to a team that includes Ken Mullins, Director of Merchandising; Kim Freeman, Manager of Contracts Administration & Customer Service; and David Newsome, Director of Base Supply Center Operations.

Ken first learned about IFB through an industry friend who owned a talent placement service. After spending a decade in an AbilityOne program at a different agency — often away from home — Ken says: “Coming to IFB truly changed my life. I worked in the AbilityOne program at a different agency for 10 years prior to coming to IFB. In that role, I was away from my family a lot, and coming here gave me back significant time with my wife and children while allowing me to remain involved in creating opportunities for the blind and visually impaired community that I had grown to love.”

A graduate of UNC Greensboro, Ken is a devoted family man who has been married to his wife for 25 years. Together, they have four children and four grandchildren who are the light of their lives. In his free time, Ken enjoys family gatherings, reading by the beach, golfing, fishing, and spending time in his yard or garden — a calming outlet after a busy day at work.

 

 

Christmas-in-July Bonuses!

We are excited to share that all eligible employees will receive a Christmas-in-July Bonus this year!

Employees who were hired before July 1, 2025, and who are currently active, will receive a $100 bonus. This bonus will be directly deposited into your bank account along with your regular paycheck during the week of July 14.

Please note: For employees working through a temporary agency, timing and distribution methods may vary slightly.

Thank you for your continued hard work and dedication to IFB Solutions. We appreciate everything you do!

 

Surveillance Audit Coming Soon

It’s time for our annual ISO audit, which evaluates IFB Solutions’ adherence to military manufacturing standards. Maintaining ISO certification is a mandatory contractual requirement for all our military textile products.

Bill Tarazewski will be joining us again as our auditor. You may see him along with Melinda Noah, IFB Solutions Director of Quality and Engineering, around the manufacturing floors in Asheville (July 21–22) and Winston-Salem (July 23–24). As part of the audit process, auditors may stop to ask employees how their job contributes to or supports the Quality Policy and supports customer satisfaction.

As a reminder, our quality policy is as follows:

IFB Solutions’ team serves the mission of the organization through delivering on our promises to our stakeholders. We are committed to executing on our strategic plan, satisfying all applicable requirements, and driving continual improvement at all levels.

Your answer should be in your own words, but to put it simply:

• We work hard to be sure what we do is correct every time.
• We work as a team to make Great Quality On Time and within budget.
• We work to be sure what we are making is per the customer requirements.
• We want to always try to find ways to be better!

If you have one of our Quality Policy Cards, you can pull it out and show it to us.

Because of the hard work from manufacturing employees, supervisors, supply chain, and so many others, we are well prepared for this audit. Thank you for all the work you are doing to support IFB Solutions and our military!

 

 

Welcome, New Team Members!

We’re excited to announce that several talented individuals started at IFB on Monday, June 23. Please join us in welcoming them to the team!

Winston Salem:

• Brandon Tarbert – Pricing Analyst under the supervision of Ken Mullins

Asheville:

• Sharon Littrell — Quilter under the supervision of Becky Branch

We are thrilled to have these new team members on board and are confident they will contribute greatly to our continued success. Please be sure to give them a warm welcome!

 

 

Tina Bess Scholarship Recipients

Kudos to our 2025 Tina Bess Scholarship recipients: Naomi Venable of Winston-Salem and Jaime Clark of Asheville!

Each year, IFB Solutions offers the Tina Bess Scholarship to its employees who are blind, visually impaired, or sighted to further their post-secondary education. Naomi will be entering her second year at Western Carolina University pursuing a degree in business administration and law, and Jaime is an incoming junior at Montreat College pursuing a master’s degree in mental health counseling.

This scholarship is dedicated to Tina Bess, a former IFB employee of 30 years. Tina did not let her vision impairment hold her back from being independent; instead, she used her circumstances to maintain a steadfast level of determination, perseverance, and courage. Congratulations Naomi and Jaime, and keep up the amazing work!

 

 

Employee Spotlight Featuring Joe Sprouse, Asheville Facility

Welcome to the Employee Spotlight! Each week, we celebrate the incredible individuals who make IFB thrive. This week, we’re excited to feature Joe Sprouse from our Asheville Facility.

Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in North Buncombe County near Weaverville in an area known as Sprouse Town.

Q: How long have you been at IFB, and what brought you to the organization?
A: I’ve worked at IFB for 16 years. My older sister worked for IFB, and she encouraged me to apply.

Q: Do you have any fun facts or hidden talents you’d like to share?
A: I play the guitar and harmonica by ear.

Q: What hobbies or activities do you enjoy outside of work?
A: I enjoy going out to my garage, restoring old cars, and woodworking.

Q: What’s your all-time favorite food or meal?
A: Cornbread, soup beans, fried potatoes, and coleslaw.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at IFB?
A: The people.

Q: What’s a quote or word of advice you’d give to a friend?
A: “Help can’t help tomorrow if you give up today.”

Special thanks to Denice Drake, Admin Assistant, for supporting these highlights. Who knows? You might be next in the spotlight! Stay tuned, and thanks for reading.

 

IFB Programs Update: S.E.E. Campers Visit the Asheboro Zoo

S.E.E. Campers and teachers wore their green camp shirts to visit the N.C. Zoo in Asheboro. The zoo staff provided a wonderful experience of touchable biofacts, details of animal care, and a brand-new app for exploring the zoo with detailed audio descriptions. The animals’ features were brought to life when campers touched an alligator skull with deadly teeth, an elephant foot replica for an up-close experience of the five toes they walk on constantly, furry pelts of cougars and polar bears, a snapping turtle shell, and a rhinoceros horn — just to name a few. Even in the sweltering heat, the campers enjoyed this personalized stationery tour.

 

 

Winston-Salem Facility Support Groups:

If you’re interested in attending a support group, please review the update here: https://ifbsolutions.org/the-ifb-beat-12-16-edition/#two-d

 

Community Low Vision Center Updates

Independence Day (Month) Sale!

Exciting news: For the month of July, everything in stock at our Community Low Vision Centers is marked down by an extra 10%. Come on in while supplies last!

CLVC Item of the Week:

Indoor Electric Copper Grill for $44.95

Get summer cookout flavor with ease! Does your apartment complex ban you from grilling outdoors? We’ve got you covered: Grill with this smokeless indoor grill instead!

If you have questions or are interested in any of the weekly items, please contact your local CLVC for assistance.

 

From Our Community

Event Reminder: ADA 35th Anniversary

Submitted by the Winston-Salem Mayor’s Council for Persons with Disabilities and the City of Winston-Salem Human Relations Department

The Winston-Salem Mayor’s Council for Persons with Disabilities and the City of Winston-Salem Human Relations Department are hosting an ADA35 Celebration to recognize the Americans with Disabilities Act’s 35^th Anniversary on Friday, July 25, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Ramkat in Winston-Salem. We invite you, your family, friends, and colleagues to be a part of the celebration.

The objective of the ADA35 Celebration is to recognize a law that has made a significant impact in the lives of people with disabilities and our country over the past 35 years. The ADA was the world’s first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities.

As we recognize this landmark event and the great accomplishments from the signing of the ADA, we will seek to identify solutions to the prevalent barriers that individuals with disabilities continue to face in our community.

The ADA35 Celebration is free to attend. Light refreshments will be available.

Event Activities include:

• Expert Speakers
• Roundtable Discussions
• Vendors
• Live Entertainment:  The Enrichment Center Rock Band
• Springwell Student’s Personality Players

Please follow the link to register for the ADA35 Celebration: RSVP for the event

 

HR & Opportunities

Benefit Elections: 2025–2026 Plan Year

Your benefit elections from the recent 2025–2026 Open Enrollment went into effect on July 1, 2025.

Payroll Deductions

Your benefit deductions will begin and be reflected on your first paycheck in July.

ID Cards

You will receive new ID cards only if you made changes to your benefits during Open Enrollment or newly enrolled in a benefit.

• Medical ID cards will be sent by Healthgram.
• Dental and Vision ID cards will be sent by Guardian.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

• If you enrolled in a Medical Flexible Spending Account, your funds will be available starting July 1, 2025.
• Use your FSA debit card to access the funds.
• Newly enrolled? You should receive your debit card within 7–10 business days.
• Important: Failure to submit requested receipts to CBIZ may result in your account being suspended.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Tammy Powers at twhitmire-powers@ifbsolutions.org.

 

New Job Announcements

Quilting Machine Operator – Asheville

• On the job training will be provided.

External candidates may apply at: https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=144809&clientkey=8B43E6E34C5D5C9AA3D07BB04DBEB909

Internal candidates may apply at: https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=144810&clientkey=8B43E6E34C5D5C9AA3D07BB04DBEB909&jpt=ce8685cef740a6280b5fcb492b556fa5

–

For all current openings, visit https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs?clientkey=8B43E6E34C5D5C9AA3D07BB04DBEB909

For more information, please contact a member of the recruitment team at careers@ifbsolutions.org.

IFB Beat Phone Lines

English line: 336-245-5691

Spanish line: 336-245-5663

 

Zoom Meeting Links

Support Groups Zoom

https://ifbsolutions.zoom.us/j/86167111929?pwd=G9vSBWcnTFrMHixqb19TpU7q8sQW1N.1

Meeting ID: 861 6711 1929

Passcode: 992614

One tap mobile

+13126266799,86167111929# US (Chicago)

+16465588656,86167111929# US (New York)

888 475 4499 US Toll-free

877 853 5257 US Toll-free