Page 25 - BusinessWest Women of Impact 2020

Treating people with dignity and respect has been
a touchstone of Toni Hendrix’s career, including in her current role at Loomis
Lakeside.
always been a proponent of treating people right, so we are focused on helping people feel more safe.” That involves reassuring employees that their workplace is a safe place and that support systems are in place should they have a problem.
Hendrix and her husband Joe, owner of Smokey Joe’s Cigar Lounge, have lived their lives in a way in which they are always building community.
She credits her mother with setting the example
a long time ago by always having room at the dinner table, treating visitors with dignity and respect.
“I start every board meeting at Art for the Soul Gallery by going around the table to ask, ‘what’s
“I’ve always been a proponent of treating people right, so we are focused on helping people feel more safe.”
good in your world?’” she noted. “That way, we know what’s happening in each other’s lives.”
Whether it’s inviting people to her own house for dinner or offering Smokey Joe’s to a family that can’t afford a post-funeral gathering, Hendrix and her husband are dedicated to building community by treating others the way they’d like to be treated. “If that’s the only impact I leave in this world, that’s perfectly fine with me.” u
Building Community
As a human-resources professional, Hendrix has been a member of the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast for some time, and in January, EANE invited her to join its board of directors. She admitted she was initially hesitant because the group lacked minority staff and board members. “Then I reminded myself, it’s not good enough
to just be critical — I also have to serve when asked.”
Once the pandemic is behind us, she said, the
human-resources profession will have to operate under a whole new set of rules and policies. “And I think the Employers Association will be right at the forefront of what this new world will look like, so I’m glad to be on their board.”
Meanwhile, years of experience anchored by those strong principles have enabled Hendrix to manage her own staff during these unprecedented times of COVID-19.
“In my entire career, I’ve never seen the kind of fear employees have now,” she said. “I’ve
We celebrate the dedication and vision of
Christina Royal,
our Trustee and 2020 Women of Impact Awardee.
From all of us at
Women of IMPAC
Congratulations
to all the 2020 Women of Impact
omen of MPACT
Especially Christina Royal!
Thank you for your hard work, it has not gone unnoticed.
PROGRAM OF BUSINESSWEST
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