Going the extra Mile: Thomas Lee III puts his best foot forward each and every day at work

Manager and leader are often two coinciding terms that often do not correlate. There are many great managers who are not great leaders, and vice versa, but when being a great manager and a great leader gets intertwined, that’s when you know someone’s management skills are top notch.

This is exactly the case for Thomas Lee III, who is the Director of Facilities at Simpson Meadows.

“Tom can be trusted and makes all staff and residents at Simpson Meadows feel safe and secure.

“Tom’s character and work ethic can be examples to us all on how to serve our residents better.

“Tom is always here when we have an emergency.

“Tom takes the time to speak to you when spoken to.”

His Simpson Meadows colleagues speak highly of Lee, and deservedly so. He is the kind of director who does not belittle people, interacts well with his residents, and is always willing to step in when needed. He does not hang his staff out to dry, making him the kind of manager who leads by example.

The facts that Lee is a man of the people and is an excellent leader are just a few of the many reasons why Lee has been named the LeadingAge Pennsylvania 2024 Manager of the Year. The award honors someone who is a role model, has a strong influence, cares about their team and residents, is involved in the community, among many other things.

That is where Lee comes in. The Simpson Meadows Director of Facilities is super involved and super hands-on, and he is the type of manager who goes way beyond the call of duty.

“Once Tom said, ‘I have put blood, sweat and tears into this community,’” Simpson Meadows Executive Director Timothy J. McCracken said. “Our staff and residents never need to convince him to care about something being in disrepair or out of place because he probably already cares more than anyone else. Tom encourages everyone on campus to take pride in our community and cares deeply about maintaining a safe and attractive place for people to live and work.”

Lee is super involved, and he does not shy away from telling you that. And he does not do that to show off or to make himself sound better than anyone else, but because he cares so much and wants others to as well. He wants people to get out and volunteer and get involved in the community.

He also believes that his colleagues should truly care about their work and their profession. Working in senior care is a privilege and honor… at least Lee sees it that way.

“He has the highest level of commitment to his team and their professional career development,” Simpson Meadows VP of Human Resources Pat Lamoreux said. “He takes an interest in his team and is always available to provide them with the tools and training needed for them to be successful in their roles. He will work side-by-side with them, sharing his many years of experience.”

Apparently, Lee also has a lot of compassion in his heart too. He gets to know his team and his residents on a more personal level, and he just makes them feel as though he is part of their lives.

He also likes getting to know people’s knacks and more about them. It helps him anticipate what might happen in the future, and it also helps him know who is best for certain roles and tasks.

“Tom serves as a role model for his team by conducting his business in a manner that is beyond reproach,” Simpson Meadows said. “Serving in a resident directed manner, welcoming new staff, taking time to teach and share information, and being unquestionably reliable are some of the ways he models what a manager should be.”

Lee gets to know every colleague’s name, whether or not they serve under him. His “I’m here to help everyone” attitude shows just how much he is willing to go the extra mile to serve his staff, along with his residents.

“Every day, regardless of time off day, time off or workload, Tom acts the same,” McCracken said. “He sets the bar as high as it can be set by always treating people with dignity and respect. He is also unfailingly reliable. Every resident and co-worker in our community knows that Tom will be there regardless of the situation. Tom has proven that he can be counted on repeatedly during overnight alarms, power outages, weather events and mechanical failures. His predictable response to all situations truly exemplifies how all co-workers should esteem our resident’s care and safety.”

Life and situations are unpredictable, but Lee is predictable. He is always going to step in when needed and he is going to always put his residents and his colleagues first.

“Tom shares from his 24 years of experience in the community and offers the most comprehensive facility tour and fire safety demonstration to all our new hires,” Simpson Meadows said. “He takes the time to share with each orientation class that he is here to help all staff at all times. He also takes a significant amount of time during the first week of work with any new hire in housekeeping or maintenance to work side-by-side with them to make sure they receive comprehensive training.”

From the moment someone is hired, Lee makes them feel comfortable and like family. He makes sure they know everything there is to know about their community, and he makes sure they know they have someone by their side.

He is also a chair member and helps in other departments, helping ensure Simpson Meadows is all smooth sailing. There is never a moment he is unavailable either, as he is always putting in the extra work, whether he is at work or at home.

Of course, probably most importantly, Lee treats the residents all like family.

“Perhaps, most importantly, Tom is a teacher and storyteller in the community,” McCracken said.

With Lee, there is never a dull moment at Simpson Meadows. He makes things fun and enjoyable.

To his colleagues, he makes it feel like anything but work. To his residents, he makes it feel like anything but a typical retirement home.

Lee is a manager, a leader, a volunteer and so much more, and he is actively involved. That is why he is the LeadingAge PA 2024 Manager of the Year Award winner.