If you need something fixed at Porter Regional Hospital, just ask for “Big Daddy,” or Jerry Scott as he is more formally known. Scott, a maintenance technician at the hospital, is ready to lend a helping hand, almost always with a side of jokes.
“Everybody knows that I’ll do stuff for them but they also know that I’ll kid with them all,” Scott said.
His fun-loving nature and dedication to excellence at work have earned him the 2020 Colleague of the Year.
A self-professed “class clown,” Scott has threaded humor throughout his life. He started life in Hobart, meeting his wife, Michelle, while they were both still students at Hobart High School. They married in July 1980 and moved to Portage while Scott worked for a local steel mill. His position eventually ended and he was in between jobs when his wife, an employee in the medical records department at Porter Regional Hospital, told him about a groundskeeping position. His dedication, personality, and a good word from a former boss helped Scott get the position, where he’s remained for 31 years.
“A boss from the company I had worked for before went to the CEO and told him that he should hire me because I was a good worker,” Scott said.
Eight years ago, Scott’s position transitioned from groundskeeping to inside maintenance. While he enjoyed working outdoors, this new position has given him the opportunity to interact more with people.
“I like working inside now because I’m around patients and visitors,” Scott said. “Not only am I doing them a service by fixing their TV or sink, or whatever - I’m making them happy. My top priority is making sure the patients, visitors, and staff are taken care of. It makes everything worthwhile.”
Scott earned his Colleague of the Year award by peer votes and was chosen out of 15 nominees.
“Receiving the award meant a lot to me. It means that a lot of people thought enough about me to vote for me,” Scott said.
“When the CEO called my name, I looked over at the other nominees and thought, ‘Are you kidding me?’ My wife had known about it for a few weeks and had brought my daughter, son, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and my sister and her husband,” Scott recalled.
From helping to fix patient beds, hang pictures, fixing plumbing, and so much more, Scott enjoys the variety of work he does and appreciates the great maintenance team at Porter Regional Hospital.
“I like that it’s not the same thing every day,” Scott said. “The people I work with are good people, they help you out, we help each other out. You need that.”
Outside of work, Scott and his wife enjoy taking their camper down to their favorite campsite, spending time shooting the breeze with family and friends, and teasing his two grandsons.
“There’s a lot of people we do stuff with around the campground. We all get together in different places and cook and have a fun time,” Scott said. “I have a riot with my grandsons. I love joking around with them.”
Scott hopes to continue his commitment to staff, patients, and visitors at Porter Regional Hospital for years to come.
“I have a lot of friends here. I enjoy working for the hospital, it’s a good place to work,” he said. “I hope to continue doing what I’ve been doing. I’ll be 60 this year so I’m looking forward to retiring in about seven years and getting out to enjoy the camper more.”
For more information on Porter Regional Hospital, visit their website https://www.porterhealth.com/.
