2020 Innovators: Gary’s East Coast Streams Safety Tips

Gary’s East Coast Service Vice President Angela Petitti created videos for the first time to communicate safely and regularly with the service company’s nearly 20 employees as the pandemic unfolded. “I found my team needed communication. They needed someone to take all the information that was out there and condense it,” Petitti says. Every day she would gather details from different sources and make a video for the team that shared policies for work, and suggestions for day-to-day life on how to keep everyone safe.

Petitti chose video instead of email or text message because the amount of information about personal protective equipment, lockdowns, supply shortages and how to stay healthy was overwhelming. She figured no one would want to read about it in an email. The team couldn’t get together in person either at the time. “I thought, if I do a video, everyone is more likely to listen and understand. Plus, I could make it more personal because they could see my emotions,” Petitti says. At press time, Petitti was making videos again to communicate with the team, based in Oxford, Conn., as COVID-19 cases spiked in New England.

Watch for other 2020 Innovators announcements online in the coming weeks, along with full coverage in the December issue of the magazine.

About the 2020 Innovators
Foodservice Equipment Reports 2020 Innovators program, sponsored by Parts Town, recognizes the best ideas in foodservice with a special focus on a clever or creative process, layout or system. It’s open to many segments of the foodservice equipment and supplies industry, including commercial and noncommercial operators, consultants, dealers, manufacturers’ reps and service agents. For more details, visit fermag.com/innovators.