"Jazzy" Joyce Talbert

Production Employee

It is with great joy that we at Bosma Enterprises congratulate Joyce Talbert for being named the 2009 Bosma Employee of the Year. Joyce is not only characterized by an exemplary work ethic, but as a person she exudes a generosity of spirit, joy and compassion that impacts people in our Bosma family as well as those in the local community.

“Jazzy” Joyce has been warming the hearts and halls of Bosma since before she became an employee, when at age 59 she came to Bosma for rehabilitation services in the mid-nineties. A courageous person, Joyce left the only town she’d known and moved to Indiana’s capital city to begin a new life. She had never been away from home alone, but she struck out on her own in order to learn a new way of living. At first the journey was frightening, but in time, and with much persistence, her can-do spirit overcame obstacles and fear, and her sunny disposition drew people close to her.

Having dropped out of school at 16 due to vision loss from Retinitis Pigmentosa, Joyce had some goals she was determined to achieve. Joyce learned to type; learned to read Braille; learned to travel alone; learned public transportation in a large city; learned how to use a computer; and she earned her GED. At an age when most people are contemplating retirement, she decided she wanted to work and has been faithfully serving Bosma since her early sixties.

Director of industries at Bosma, Bill Amrine says, “Joyce is an employee that has an amazing work ethic; it is second to none.”

Some notes about Joyce’s work performance from Mr. Amrine: Joyce is in the top 10% of all production employees when it comes to “cases/hour” rates.

Joyce is trained on more than 10 jobs at Bosma. Joyce was the Bosma spokesperson for a number of years, and her voice was heard on the phone “hold cycle.” Joyce is featured on the Bosma trade show banner. Joyce is an internal volunteer. Joyce has represented Bosma at multiple community outreach events.

“Not only is she very versatile in her day-to-day abilities,” says Mr. Amrine, “but she takes any job assignment and runs with the opportunity. She puts in a solid eight hours of work each day. Joyce is a leader both on the production line as well as in the community.”

On a personal level, she is friend to many, enemy to none, and her eaasy laugh and sunny smile do shine a warm glow within Bosma. What makes Joyce special is not only her positive outlook that helped her reinvent her life after age 60, but also her warmth that touches the lives of each person with whom she comes into contact.

Congratulations, Joyce!