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Connecting people and pets

Jerry Estevez holding a puppy

Jerry Estevez had a successful job in the aviation field. But it didn’t fuel his passion for making a difference and giving back. He seized the opportunity to change direction when he joined the Animal Services Department (ASD) in 2015. Today, he is a customer service supervisor who makes a difference on many fronts.

Camilo Rendon, now with Regulatory and Economic Resources, shared that Estevez is one of the best leaders and supervisors he's ever worked with. “Working with him was a pleasure. He is a true example to us all. He finds a way to balance the needs of both customers and employees to ensure great service and needed support.”

“Estevez has been instrumental in assisting me to become a better employee to serve the customers of Miami-Dade.”

When Estevez learned about his I THRIVE commendation, he said he was flattered but humbly said he just does his job. As far as he is concerned, he only strives to treat his internal customers and the community he serves in the same way he would like to be treated.

“It’s not hard,” Estevez says. “I find it personally fulfilling to go the extra mile.”

“I enjoy the opportunity to assist my staff in further development and help them succeed in any way I can,” he added. “I believe it’s important to never stop growing and learning and adapting to the times.”

Estevez enjoys knowing that every day will bring new challenges. Those often bring unexpected rewards and great satisfaction.

On several occasions, he has been able to play a small role with placing a dog into the perfect home. These two stand out because the individuals took a chance on a shelter dog with great results.

The first was a veteran looking for a dog that could be trained to help him with PTSD. The veteran decided on a dog that actually looked a little worn down. They immediately connected and you could see how they had a shared experience.

The second was a young girl who was diabetic. She was looking for a calm dog that could be trained as an alert dog for her condition. Estevez is not sure if she picked the perfect pup, or the pup picked her, but he sensed another great match when they left together.

“When you impact someone’s life positively, it feels good and makes everything better,” Estevez says. “Whether it is helping others find the companionship of a pet, giving our animals a chance at a better life, or supporting the team here at ASD, my work has purpose. The satisfaction in a silent win for me is an internal driver that keeps me going and doing all I can to serve my community.”

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We work with departments to identify and assist with workforce issues including a renewed emphasis on performance management and standardized discipline policies, employee development and knowledge transfer, ongoing evaluation of workplace rules, and implementation of workforce metrics to measure and analyze overtime utilization, absenteeism, appeals, payroll issues, and employee development needs.

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