Lisa Alonzo and her daughters are very close-knit, so when they decided to move to Oklahoma City, Lisa followed.

“My oldest daughter went to school here, and the girls wanted to relocate to the area,” Lisa recalled. “After a few months, I realized I wanted to be here, too. It was a great move.”

It wasn’t the first time Lisa moved from her home state of Kansas. After earning an associate degree in applied science with a major in criminal justice at Seward County Community College, she enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Alabama, Texas, then Georgia.

She spent four years on active duty as a 71G patient administration specialist. Following her service, she continued to work as a civil service employee at Martin Army Community Hospital in Fort Benning, Ga. 

“I spent a total of 27 years in that line of work,” Lisa said. “When I moved to Oklahoma City, I worked for a local hospital, but I knew that I wanted out of the medical field, so I took another job. I passed by Kirby-Smith a lot. I looked online to see if it had any job openings. Fortunately, I was able to get hired as the corporate receptionist. It’s a great position for a people person. I get to chat with and assist the staff and customers who come into the store. Five and a half years later, I still love it.”

Lisa emphasized that Kirby-Smith Machinery Inc.’s (KSM) family atmosphere is one of the reasons the position is so enjoyable.

“Everyone is so friendly and genuinely cares about each other,” Lisa said. “I have developed some great friendships. One by one, co-workers came up and introduced themselves the day I started. I knew immediately this was going to be a great place to work.”

Volunteer work

Lisa and her co-workers have done volunteer work together, and Lisa has been helping with the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon since 2015.

“It is very rewarding to see people of all age groups come past the finish line,” Lisa said. “As we thank and congratulate them for running, they are thanking us for volunteering. There is great satisfaction in giving back to the community, which is something that Kirby-Smith is excellent about.”

Additionally, Lisa has helped with breast cancer awareness walks and volunteers at her local church’s Sunday school, where she helps with the activities for the five-year-old children. She also enjoys crafting, especially making themed wreaths.

“I have made some for the store, as well as other crafts such as a vase with red, white and blue pebbles in honor of the 13 soldiers who recently lost their lives in Afghanistan,” Lisa noted. “I hope to continue to do this for a long time to come. I expect that for the next several years I will still be the first face you see at the reception desk.”