CIMS Green Building with Honors Certification – 10 Years & Counting

We are extremely proud to have achieved the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) Green Building (GB) with Honors certification from ISSA – the worldwide cleaning industry association. This significant milestone will mark 10 consecutive years that Challenge Unlimited has held this certification and it is a testament to our dedication to cleaning your facility according to industry standards and best practices, while also assuring you receive top quality service. 

As a CIMS GB with Honors certified company, we provide unique and valuable benefits to our customers, including: 

• Trustworthy, dedicated, and professional team members capable of getting the job done.
• Management systems and processes accredited by an independent, third-party assessor. 
• Effective protocols and practices to clean and disinfect for infectious diseases. 
• A sustainable business model to provide valuable, long-term service. 
• Reduced costs through improved efficiency and services 

With CIMS GB with Honors, we take the guesswork out of identifying a quality, customer-focused, and professional organization. This certification is our promise to you that we uphold our standards of cleanliness and customer service. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we implement CIMS practices into our custodial and facility management services or click here.

You can also visit issa.com/standard for more information.

Captain James T. Kirk is widely regarded as one of the most iconic and effective leaders in science fiction history. Our staff participated in our own version of Elf on the Shelf with a leadership twist and the the help of quintessential leader, Captain Kirk , who led his crew into the unknown and continued to succeed time and time again. Employees were encouraged to look for Captain Kirk around the office and take a selfie with him. Prizes were awarded to our staff who participated in the form of Gift Certificates to local businesses, Bakers & Hale, Post Commons, Germania Brew House, the Ferguson Burger Bar and Decaro’s. Check out the video we put together from the submissions!

Kirk’s success was no fluke. His style of command demonstrates a keen understanding of leadership and how to maintain a team that succeeds regardless of the obstacles.  Over the course of a week our Training Team shared key leadership lessons that can be taken away from Captain Kirk: Daily lessons included never stop learning, play poker, not chess, and embrace change, among others.

Some of the leadership qualities that were shared are listed below:

• Never Stop Learning: “You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves, an irrational fear of the unknown. But there’s no such thing as the unknown– only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood.”Kirk’s reputation at the Academy was that of a “walking stack of books” and a passion for learning helped him through several missions. It helps to never stop learning. The more knowledge you have, the more creative you can be. The more you’re able to do, the more solutions you have for problems at your disposal. Sure, you might never have to face down a reptilian alien on a desert planet like Captain Kirk, but you never know what the future holds. Knowledge is your best key to overcoming whatever obstacles are in your way.

• Play Poker, Not Chess: “Not chess, Mr. Spock. Poker. Do you know the game?”No hate to the game of chess, but chess is often taken too seriously as a metaphor for leadership strategy. For all of its intricacies, chess is a game of defined rules that can be mathematically determined. It’s ultimately a game of boxes and limitations. A far better analogy to strategy is poker, not chess. Life is a game of probabilities, not defined rules. And often understanding your opponents is a much greater advantage than the cards you have in your hand. Playing that strategy with an eye to the psychology of our competitors, not just the rules and circumstances of the game can often lead to better outcomes than following the rigid lines of chess.

• Embrace the Change: We are often, in our roles as leaders, driven by a passion. It might be a product or service, it might be a way of doing things. But no matter how much that passion burns within us, the reality is that times change. Different products are created. Different ways of doing things are developed. And there will come times in your life when that passion alone isn’t viable anymore. A time when it no longer makes sense to pursue your passion in the same way that you had before. When that happens, no matter how painful it is, you need to embrace the change. That is, change what isn’t working and embark on a new path, even if that means having to live in a Klingon ship for awhile

Final Takeaway – Respect: Kirk has a deep respect for his crew and the people he interacts with. He treats everyone with dignity and respect, and he’s always willing to listen to different perspectives.

Overall, Captain Kirk is an excellent example of a leader who embodies the qualities of courage, vision, adaptability, and respect. His leadership style has inspired countless people over the years and continues to be a model for leaders in all fields.

Edwardsville, IL – Local attorney and beloved husband and father John P. Gibbons, 85, of Edwardsville, Illinois, received the Last Rites and passed away suddenly on January 19, 2023 from complications of recently diagnosed pancreatic cancer. He was surrounded by his wife and their seven living children.

He served as counsel since 1984 and on the Board of Directors of Challenge Unlimited for many years. He devoted much of his life to increasing opportunities and options for individuals living with disabilities.  John Gibbons was a champion advocate for choice who increased employment and residential options at Challenge Unlimited. His legacy will live on through the individuals he has helped and the opportunities he has created for them. Our condolences go out to his family. His absence will certainly be felt at Challenge Unlimited, Inc., An AbilityOne Provider Unlimited and he will be deeply missed.

You can read about John’s life, accomplishments and his contributions to the community here in his obituary.

In 1999, Brandy’s Have You Ever was at the top of the Billboard Charts, Fight Club was the top grossing film followed closely by The Matrix, a blizzard snowstorm smashed into the Midwestern United States, causing 14 inches of snow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and 19 inches in Chicago, Illinois and Asia Slack joined the team at #ResidentialOptions.

Her journey has been a 24-year labor of love and we wanted to share a story with you about how much of a difference has made in the lives of those individuals that she cares for. Asia is the Team Leader at one of our #ResidentialOptions group homes and she cares for our residents like they are family.

For most, a routine dental visit is just that: routine. But for some adults with physical, mental or developmental disabilities, routine visits can be more of a challenge. Often times individuals with disabilities can become fearful and struggle with receiving this much needed dental care. Asia Slack cares for one such individual who does not tolerate most medical exams and can sometimes become aggressive out of fear, making it difficult for providers and staff to provide treatment. This client was long overdue for a dental exam as previous providers had refused to see her due to her behavior at previous visits.

Asia cares for this individual so much that she and went above and beyond to ensure that the patient received the necessary care. She personally contacted Aspen Dental and explained the circumstances surrounding this client. She got the dentist to agree to see her. Asia has cared for this client, demonstrating her patience and commitment to her work. Asia has built a relationship of trust. The day of the exam Asia stated that she and the client would go by themselves to this appointment.

Asia’s supervisor “was extremely doubtful that the appointment would be completed but Asia took the client for treatment even though she knew the individual might refuse the exam.” With Asia’s calming presence and her strong relationship of trust, not only did the client let the dentist look in their mouth, but also stood still for the x-ray machine. This often only comes from years on interacting and caring for the same individual.

This is only one example of how much trust and love Asia has built with those that she cares for. She is a compassionate caregiver and a blessing to our organization. We are so proud to have her on our team. From all of us at Challenge Unlimited, Residential Options and our affiliates and partners Thank You for 24 years of service Asia!

Asia Slack 24 Year Anniversary Video by Challenge Unlimited

There is a great quote about revisiting the past. I am not sure who said it first, but it is often repeated – and for good reason. 

In 2022, we continued to return to a sense of normalcy in many areas of our operations following COVID yet still encountered setbacks with the State, individuals with disabilities and even staff due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, there are several notable successes to celebrate. Through the addition of new talent and strategies, we have seen improved results in our census contributing positively toward our strategic plan. We still have a steep climb, but we are optimistic we will see growth in FY23 as well as improved performance in key areas. 

As the year draws to a close, the Board of Directors and the Senior Management Team would like to extend best wishes for the holiday season and the new year. We recognize the selflessness that our team and partners put in day after day to support this incredible mission. This year was sprinkled with prestigious awards, expansion of new jobs in new areas/new states/with new customers along with restructuring to better serve our clients. We look forward to 2023 to create more incredible impacts. On the left is a snapshot of our achievements over the last fiscal year.

Happy Holidays on behalf of Senior Leaders and the Board Directors. To our staff and supporters, we thank you for your commitment to our mission and wish you and your families a wonderful Holiday Season and Happy New Year.  

Written By: Charlotte Hammond, President & CEO of Challenge Unlimited, Inc.

Click here to view the Complete 2022 Annual Report.