The IFB Beat 3-30 Edition

A Message from the Editor

Welcome to this week’s edition of the IFB Beat! We’re excited to welcome Roberto Valdez to our Asheville team and celebrate the impact he is already making. Please join us in congratulating Shawn Blanks, our 2026 Manager of the Year, whose leadership and commitment continue to set the standard across IFB. We also applaud our Asheville team members who recently completed professional development workshops—your growth strengthens us all. Don’t miss the YMCA Camp Hanes opportunity for employee families, with applications due March 31, and the Lead 4 Success program deadline on April 3. Be sure to check out this week’s Employee Spotlight featuring Hector Greo. Thank you for all you do to move our mission forward each day.

Quote of the week:

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” — Ryunosuke Satoro

Thank you for strolling the Beat. See you next week!

Anastasia Powell

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

 

Quick Links:

New this Week

– Welcome New Team Member
– Congratulations 2026 Manager of the Year: Shawn Blanks
– Asheville Team Completes Professional Development Workshops
– Winston-Salem Facility YMCA Camp Hanes Opportunity
– Employee Spotlight Featuring Hector Greo, Winston-Salem Facility
– Winston-Salem Facility Support Groups

From Our Community

– Forsyth Chapter of National Federation of the Blind: Second Chance Prom

HR & Opportunities

– Lead 4 Success, Winston-Salem Facility
– IFB Retirement 401(k) Account
– Job Opportunities

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

 

Welcome New Team Member

Please join us in welcoming Roberto Valdez to the Asheville team. In his role as a utility worker in the military markets department, Roberto supports daily operations by assisting with a variety of tasks that help keep production running smoothly and efficiently. His contributions play an important part in ensuring our team continues to deliver quality products to those we serve. We’re excited to have Roberto on board and look forward to the impact he will make. Welcome to IFB Solutions, Roberto!

 

Congratulations 2026 Manager of the Year: Shawn Blanks

Each year, IFB Solutions recognizes an outstanding leader whose performance, dedication and results set the standard for excellence across our Base Supply Centers. The Manager of the Year award is based on key operational metrics, including store revenue and gross margin performance, RTWC results, NIB Best Practices scorecard achievements and “Need It Get It” special order success. This year, we are proud to honor a leader who consistently excels in every category.

Meet the man behind the award: Shawn Blanks. Shawn has been a valued member of IFB for 15 years, bringing decades of retail and leadership experience to his role as BSC Store Manager and Business Development Manager. He leads operations across four federal Base Supply Center locations in Washington, D.C., overseeing a team of six employees and ensuring excellence in daily operations—from receiving and store maintenance to training and scheduling.

Beyond operations, Shawn is known for building strong, lasting relationships with federal and contracted customers, always striving to exceed expectations. His strategic approach to business development has helped expand the customer base while driving consistent revenue growth—key factors in his recognition this year.

Throughout his time at IFB, Shawn has developed a deep appreciation for the mission, gaining insight into the impact meaningful employment has on individuals who are blind or visually impaired. His leadership reflects a strong commitment not only to results, but to people.

Before joining IFB, Shawn spent 33 years with JCPenney in the Washington, D.C. metro area before retiring early. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, he returned to the workforce within a year, drawn to IFB’s mission and the opportunity to make a difference.

Outside of work, Shawn is deeply committed to service. He has volunteered as a tour guide at The Motown Museum, supported the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and contributed his time to the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. He currently serves as a volunteer advisor for the Weslyn A. Bennett Children’s Foundation in Inkster, Michigan. Shawn’s leadership and dedication are best captured in his own words: “I’m always mission ready.”

Congratulations, Shawn, on this well-deserved recognition and thank you for your continued commitment to excellence and impact at IFB Solutions.

 

Asheville Team Completes Professional Development Workshops

Congratulations to the Asheville team members who recently completed the “Influence” and “Step Up to Conflict” workshops. These sessions were led by Michael Dutch of Guilford College and were made possible through the generosity of the Googe Family Scholarship Endowment. We proudly recognize the following graduates: Jaime Clark, Shelley Hannah, Liz Blair, Crystal Burnette, Jeff Ellis, Mariah Ellis, Elizabeth Parker and Grant Weathers.

The Googe Family Scholarship was established by John Googe, former IFB Solutions Board Chair and long time friend of the organization, in partnership with his alma mater, Guilford College. His commitment ensures that IFB employees who are blind have access to educational opportunities that strengthen their skills and support their career growth and advancement.

 

Winston-Salem Facility YMCA Camp Hanes Opportunity

A generous donor to IFB Solutions is again fully sponsoring kids of our employees to attend one week of the camp at the YMCA Camp Hanes (camphanes.org) this summer! The camp is located on 400 acres at the base of the Sauratown Mountain in King just 30 minutes north of Winston-Salem. Camp offerings include archery, hiking, an alpine wall, zip-lining, swimming and kayaking. Your kids are sure to learn new skills and make lifelong friends in a safe environment.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Campers must be 6 years of age or be attending the 1st grade in the fall of 2026, all the way up to age 15 AND
• Children or grandchildren of full or part-time IFB employees who are past their first 90 days of service OR
• Children or grandchildren of IFB Solutions contract employees who have been working for IFB through one of our contract labor partners for at least 12 months.

Please note: IFB Solutions is only facilitating the sponsorships; if you have specific questions about the camp, call them directly at 336-983-3131. IFB Solutions cannot provide transportation to and from the camp.

To Apply:

1. Fill out the Camp Hanes IFB registration form (linked here) to be considered for the IFB scholarship.
2. Apply online and save your completed application as a PDF. Online applications can be completed at this link: https://camphanes.campbrainregistration.com/. Simply select the week your child or grandchild wishes to attend.
3. Write a one-page essay by you as a parent or grandparent about why you would like your child or grandchild to join the camp this summer.
4. Provide a statement or short essay by your child or grandchild about why they would like to attend.
5. Submit the IFB registration form and all essays to Morgan Dugan, Employee Relations Specialist, by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31 via email at mdugan@ifbsolutions.org.

Selection and Notice:

• Selection will be made on a first-come-first-served basis from applicants who provide complete information and documents.
• All selected campers are asked to be ready to write a donor thank you card (to be provided by IFB) about the camp experience at the end of summer.

If you have any questions, please contact Morgan Dugan at 336-245-5612 or mdugan@ifbsolutions.org.

 

Employee Spotlight Featuring Hector Greo, Winston-Salem Facility

Welcome to the Employee Spotlight. Each week, we celebrate the incredible individuals who make IFB thrive. This week, we’re excited to feature Hector Greo, a sewing machine operator in the FHS department.

Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I was born and raised in Manhattan, New York.

Q: How long have you been at IFB, and what brought you to the organization?
A: I’ve been with IFB for four years and three months. I was introduced to the opportunity through a friend.

Q: What hobbies or activities do you enjoy outside of work?
A: I enjoy listening to music, cooking and spending time with my two daughters.

Q: What’s your all-time favorite food or meal?
A: Rice and beans with fried chicken—my favorite!

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at IFB?
A: I take pride in giving my best on every machine I work on, making sure the final product is high quality.

Q: What’s a quote or word of advice you’d give to a friend?
A: “A friend can tell you things you don’t want to tell yourself.”

Special thanks to Employee Relations Specialist, Morgan Dugan, for supporting these highlights. Who knows? You might be next in the spotlight! Stay tuned, and thanks for reading.

 

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

 

From Our Community

Forsyth Chapter of National Federation of the Blind: Second Chance Prom

“A Night of Royalty”

Ready to relive the magic? Pull out your best purple outfit and get ready to dance the night away! Enjoy music from DJ Mix Match of Oaks 95.3 and a delicious spread of Southern cuisine. Plus—you might just go home with a door prize!

Details

• Saturday, June 13, 7 p.m.
• Location: The Hawthorne Inn & Conference Center, 420 High St., Winston-Salem, NC
• Tickets: $50
• All proceeds support NFB educational and outreach services.
• Cash bar available

Get your tickets by contacting NFB President Angela Hanes: angiehaynes03@gmail.com or 336-341-9582

Winston-Salem employees may purchase tickets from: Angela Hanes (ACS Department), Winter Robison (Markers Department) or Tracy Gould (FHS Department)

 

 

HR & Opportunities

Lead 4 Success, Winston-Salem Facility

IFB Solutions is pleased to be partnering once again in 2026 with Guildford College to offer Lead 4 Success, a course that helps develop foundational leadership skills. The target audience for this training opportunity is open to hourly IFB associates in Winston-Salem who meet all criteria set forth on the Lead 4 Success application. Please note this class will be held in person at the Winston-Salem facility on May 6 and 7, 2026.

Some topics that will be covered in this participant focused training include:

• Self-awareness: Understanding the impact of one’s behavior on organizational outcomes
• Communication: Effectively communicating goals and inspiring trust
• Influence: Being comfortable persuading, promoting and delegating
• Learning agility: Knowing when to change course, and helping others to do so

To be eligible to participate in this course, associates must meet the following criteria:

• An application must be completed in full at the link below.
• An updated copy of the applicant’s resume must be submitted to Morgan Dugan via email at mdugan@ifbsolutions.org.
• All associates must be employed with IFB for at least six months.
• All participants must have satisfactory attendance and job performance.
• All associates must have their computer skills assessed by the Workforce Development team (HR will schedule and coordinate this assessment).
• All participants must be recommended to participate in this class by their supervisor (HR will obtain recommendation).

Applications are available at: Lead 4 Success

The deadline to have the application and all supporting materials submitted for consideration is Friday, April 3. For more information or questions please contact Morgan Dugan at 336.245.5612 or mdugan@ifbsolutions.org

 

IFB Retirement 401(k) Account

There are three ways to connect with your retirement account in a way that works best for you.

1. Contact the Ascensus call center: 855-593-7279, Monday–Friday | 8 a.m.–8 p.m.

2. Access your account online. Visit firstcitizens.com/retirement.

First-time login instructions:

• User ID: Your Social Security number (format: 999009999 — no dashes)
• Password: Your date of birth (MonthDDYYYY), Example: June 4, 1982 = June041982

3. Manage your 401(k) on the go. Download the READYSAVE mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere.

 

Job Opportunities

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 Group 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