On Tuesday, May 20, more than five dozen executives and leaders from ProVia swarmed all over the Behalt campus in Berlin to not only do a good work, but also to honor one of their own.
The cleanup and repair effort came courtesy of ProVia’s leadership team, not just from this area, but also from Mississippi and Colorado, with 61 of ProVia’s 62 leaders from around the nation in attendance.
According to Brian Miller, CEO at ProVia, the executive team chose to do their volunteer work at Behalt because Larry Troyer, ProVia’s CFO and vice president of finance, was completing his final day of work as he steps into retirement.
Miller said they wanted to honor Troyer by doing a service project of his choice, and the longtime board member at Behalt didn’t hesitate in earmarking Behalt as the place, knowing there was plenty of work to be done.
“It’s a ministry near and dear to Larry’s heart, and we were excited to honor Larry by coming here as our service project,” Miller said.
Troyer began his career at ProVia in 1994 and also became a board member at Behalt a couple years later.
He said this day will forever be a special moment in his life.
“I’ve enjoyed working with the people at ProVia for all of these years,” Troyer said. “To join them here on my last day is special. I’ve enjoyed being part of the ProVia team, and ProVia is the keyword there. We work together so well, and that makes us so much stronger than any one person. We may not always agree, but we talk through things, and the best solutions come out of authentic discussions.”
He also said the servant leadership mindset that was created by founding father Bill Mullet is something he will cherish forever.
“Jesus himself was the greatest example of servant leadership, and Bill took that and wanted to make sure we served for the right reason,” Troyer said. “When we do these types of projects, it really builds relationships within our company that helps us operate smoothly.”
Troyer said he will miss this group of people very much, but he already has big retirement plans, beginning with a trip to the Northwest to the Canadian Rockies with his wife Esther, with whom he also was celebrating their 40th anniversary.
He said he will continue to serve on the Behalt board, get involved with his son’s family business and enjoy their five granddaughters. He said there will be plenty to keep him busy.
“I’ve been so blessed with these opportunities in my life,” Troyer said. “It will be exciting to move into this new phase of life.”
John Fox, who will take on Troyer’s role, said he has learned a great deal from his mentor and is looking forward to putting all that knowledge to good use.
“I appreciate all of Larry’s mentorship and his commitment to ProVia and the community,” Fox said. “He’s been a terrific role model for a lot of people including myself. His faith and the way he lives it every day is inspiring.”
While the day celebrated Troyer’s career and honored his passion to serve as a member of the ProVia team and the Behalt board, it also meant the world to Behalt Executive Director Marcus Yoder.
The volunteer teams helped mulch, plant flower beds, trim trees, paint the entire outside of the Behalt facility, power wash the schoolhouse, clean out the barn and more.
“We calculated it, and with one person working, it is almost six weeks of work that will have taken this group about three hours to do,” Yoder said. “I am so grateful.”
Yoder said having this type of support from area volunteer groups is powerful, not just in getting the work done, but also in showing support and commitment from people who care.
“It makes us feel like we’re not alone in what we do here, but it’s also important for people who drive by and see this taking place,” Yoder said. “It’s very inspiring because it’s our historic faith, our family values and our community values that come together.”
He said so much of what people see in today’s business world is what companies can get out of the world, but in this community, there are so many businesses that want to find ways to give back.
Following the work, the entire group came together, blessed the noon meal, and enjoyed dining and fellowshipping together.
As an added bonus, they also served lunch to the individuals and staff at Sacred Heart.
