CEO Corner
This is the spot where our CEO will share the latest about our company.
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August 2021
Dear Valued OMO employees:
It is with great sadness to inform you that our beloved Co-Founder/Co-owner Randy Pierce passed away last week.
Randy and Linda Pierce started On My Own (OMO) in 2001. Randy has been a pillar of support to our team for the last two decades. We want to assure you that OMO is stable and thriving and many plans have been put in place to ensure the continued success of the company. On My Own is a family-owned business and will remain this way. There will be no changes to leadership, programs or processes. We thank you for your support and cooperation during this trying time.
Randy was a humble leader who did not like the spotlight. One thing I know for sure, Randy would want all of you to know how much he appreciated each and every one of you for the work you do, and for helping On My Own grow to be the company it is today.
Please know the Executive Team and Owners are all committed to making Randy proud, and plan to take OMO to the next level.
In closing, the surviving and successor owners have developed a message that I hope brings you comfort. Please see below.
Thank you,
Michelle Ramirez
CEO
Dear Michelle, Leadership Team, and the entire On My Own family,
We are deeply saddened by Randy’s passing and we know that you share in our sorrow. This past week has been very difficult, but we so appreciate the support and condolences from those that have reached out. The communication with Michelle and knowing the business is strong, in addition to how well-organized Randy was has been incredibly helpful during this time.
Randy was a very special person. He valued respecting others above all else. This was one of the core values he helped put into place when we started On My Own in both how we would work with consumers and how employees and management would be hired, trained, and communicated with. We know that many of you grieve with us as he impacted so many lives and deeply valued what On My Own and YOU do.
We know we have big shoes to fill but are confident in our ability to do so. Especially knowing that the leadership team is very strong at On My Own and will continue to embody the values and quality of work that were built into this amazing company that Randy was so instrumental in developing.
Our deepest gratitude for you all and all that you do.
With great sorrow,
Linda Pierce, Danielle Reynolds, & Darcy Hannibal
Successor Owners
Past Updates
September 2018
Dear Clients, Families and Community Partners:
I just wanted to take this time to thank all of you for your support to On My Own. The word of mouth referrals and collaboration have enabled us to add new team members. Each person brings a fresh energy and new ideas. We are also pleased with the changes we have made within our departments and programs this year. I walk into the office every day and feel so blessed to have such a hardworking, fun and dedicated group of people who truly want the best for our clients and our employees. The culture here is like nothing I ever experienced before, and I owe that to all of you. We have been in business since 2001 and have employees now who have been with us 16-17 years! Our 15, 10 and 5 year Anniversary dinner is around the corner and we look forward to honoring all of you who have stuck with us this long. Great job!
As for company news, we decided to switch to a newer, more robust payroll system called ADP. It has been many months of team planning and strategizing but we should be up and running by the end of the year. This will be so nice for our employees to have access to their payroll information. In other news, On My Own Community Services is expanding into a new Vocational Day Program and our North Bay region is also adding vocational services which will include Job Development, Job Coaching, and Vocational Assessments. These programs should start by next year.
Lastly, we have several committees that meet regularly to address issues that impact our clients, employees, or the company. The committees are:
- Housing
- Training
- Recruitment and Retention
- IHSS
- Technology
- Safety
I welcome ideas or suggestions you have for the committees.
Till next time! Have a great rest of the year!
Sincerely,
Michelle Ramirez
CEO
June 2019
Dear Clients, Parents, Employees, and Community Partners:
Direct support professionals’ wages is this year’s hot topic. In April On My Own participated in a Direct Support Professionals (DSP) Summit sponsored by the National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP). The summit included Executives from around the state and direct service professionals from each participating agency. The purpose of the summit was to garner political movement and strategies for California’s direct support professional work force.
We have one gaping discrepancy; the disability industry is literally unrecognized in the National Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Because our direct support professionals are not identifiable in the BLS reporting, it is difficult for our industry to fight for professional wages because there are no comparable positions. On My Own is committed to a yearlong planning group. It will be represented by myself, one of our managers, and two of our DSP’s. Our goal is to help develop a strategic framework on how to professionalize our workforce in California.
I believe the Developmental/Intellectual Disability (DD/ID) system needs to become an attractive option for employees to establish a career path, similar to Nursing, Psychiatry, Education, and Social Work. These professions have entry level starting points, with an outlined educational path, career ladder, and continuing education requirements. We only want the same for our profession. To learn more about our movement, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Michelle Ramirez
CEO
March 2020
Dear Community Partners, Employees, and Clients:
COVID-19 (Corona Virus) is a very clear and present danger for our industry. Day programs have closed, key employees have lost their childcare, schools have closed and transportation has been cancelled. Amidst the crisis, please know that On My Own is taking every precaution to ensure client and employee safety. Our team is preparing drills and already implementing safety measures, which include but are not limited to the following:
- Teaching health and safety precautions as suggested by CDC
- Implementing social distancing requirements
- Decreasing the number of people in gatherings while cancelling larger gatherings
- Ensuring we have emergency contact information for all clients and staff
- Implementing back up staffing options for clients in our SLS program
- Providing personal protective equipment and seeking more assistance from the Regional Centers
- Organizing remote work options for key positions
- Organizing geographic mapping for staff coverage
In closing, please know we are doing everything within our power to protect our clients and employees. We are also implementing measures to have the least impact on our clients and employees. We are staying abreast of State/National bulletins, and will continue to post this information through our company intranet for employees.
Here are some key links for the latest news regarding COVID-19.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Be safe everyone.
Sincerely,
Michelle Ramirez
CEO
January 2021
Dear OMO employees:
Thank you for taking such care of our clients during this trying time. We appreciate you! Please know your clients appreciate you too!
As you all know, COVID-19 cases are spiking in our region. But, we have great news to report.... we have vaccinations on the way!!
In partnership with Safeway Pharmacy and Alta Regional Center, OMO will have an on site Covid-19 vaccination clinic!!
We are still working out the details, and I will have more information in coming days. Please be flexible as we will likely have the clinic days scheduled before the end of January. We will be contacting you to schedule your appointment.
If you already have a vaccination appointment scheduled through IHSS, your county Heath Dept., or your Physician, please keep those appointments as this may allow more open appointment spots for our other team members. Thank you!
Together we prevail.
Sincerely,
Michelle Ramirez
CEO