It had been several years since the entire company came together for a whole day to talk about recent goals met and future goals to come for RDA as a business, as well as partake in a team-building activity to strengthen the relationships between the employees. The RDA Caring Team decided to “go big” and book an event that not many RDA employees have ever done before. The Garland Mountain Clay Shooting experience seemed like the perfect opportunity to invite everyone to step out of their comfort zone, learn a new skill, and have some fun in the process.
As people arrived at the Garland Mountain Clubhouse, they were met with beautiful views atop the rolling Waleska mountains. Starbucks coffee, donuts from a local Canton bakery, and t-shirts made by Donnica were provided as everyone took their seats. During the first presentation, a few representatives from RDA’s financial advisor, Ameriprise, discussed current market conditions and assured everyone that their retirement funds are in good hands. Then Dave, Riley, and Kyle gave presentations about new business down the pipeline and compared several last year’s numbers to this year. These figures gave everyone confidence that RDA is a healthy business.
After the presentations and a lunch break, we gathered to watch the safety video for shooting 20-gauge and 12-gauge shotguns. Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for: the shooting course!
We split up into several golf carts and then proceeded to the first shooting stand. The shooting instructor demonstrated how to use the clay target throwers and the shotguns. Then he directed the golf carts to split up across the 12 shooting stations to begin shooting.
Amongst the camaraderie and good-natured laughter, it was clear that everyone’s personality shone brightly during the event. This inspired some members of the team to give their own statements on what they enjoyed the most about the event and key takeaways:
“Great team bonding and un-plugging from RDA.”
– Josh Salinas, System Administrator
“Nobody got hurt! Two takeaways: It’s important to step out of your comfort zone from time to time, and it’s important to see coworkers face-to-face from time to time.
– Sean Moroz, Product Manager
“I enjoyed spending time with co-workers and cheering them on while we destroyed clays.”
– Mimi English, Client Success Manager
“It was out of my comfort zone! I loved it and we had a great time when we get together!”
– Donnica Carter, Senior Payroll Team Lead
“I got to fire a shotgun! It was good to see everyone and a lot of fun.”
– Jack Putnam, Product Team
“I enjoyed the fellowship with the RDA team and hitting some clays. It is good to invest in the team.”
– Dave Davis, CEO
“I enjoyed hearing companywide updates and being able to meet coworkers in person. Nice to hear the accomplishments from other departments and to hear what is in store for the future of RDA. Great job Sean!”
– Alice Maloney-Bell, Client Care Specialist
“I enjoyed the fellowship time, lunch, and getting [KCaSI2] to see everyone face to face and the team building that took place! I thought from the morning sessions to the lunch, to the shooting, it all went great!”
– Kyle Sansing, Head of Customer Care
“I enjoyed everyone being together and having fun! The people at RDA are very kind and welcoming!”
– Dawn Brown, Client Care Specialist
“I enjoyed shooting — skeet, that is. I also learned that we’re doing better at hitting our targets – financial and otherwise. It was a nice mix of meeting, meal, and activity.”
– David Crowe, Programmer
When teams play together, they often excel as a team in their work roles. This is definitely the case at RDA Systems. The team at RDA trusts each other, jumps in to help wherever needed, and always puts the client first to ensure a best-in-class service throughout the relationship.
