Joanna Mueller named Morris Hospital's October Fire Starter of the Month

Administrative Assistant Joanna Mueller has been named Morris Hospital’s Fire Starter of the Month for October.

Mueller, a Verona resident, enjoys problem-solving and her coworkers say she’s an excellent resource who is always working to solve problems with compassion and empathy, according to a Thursday news release. Mueller has gained a reputation through her 13 years at Morris Hospital for being an effective communicator, the glue that keeps the departments she works with interconnected.

Morris Hospital Director of Facilities & Engineering Jeff Brodbeck says Mueller is a selfless employee who lives the mission of Morris Hospital every day.

“Jo is an incredibly caring person who always takes care of everyone around her,” Brodbeck said. “She is dependable, hard-working and always willing to lend a helping hand. She has established herself as the ‘go to’ person when there are questions at Shabbona. We are so fortunate to have an employee like Jo working at Morris Hospital.”

Mueller started her career as a purchasing agent in the prosthetics department at Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital, which is when she learned about facility management from her father. He was the Chief of Maintenance at Hines and though she didn’t know at the time, the many conversations she had with him about his work in maintenance would prepare her for a future role at Morris Hospital.

She also worked in the neurosurgical department at another hospital before looking for a job closer to home in Morris in 2011, when she joined Morris Hospital.

“While my role and department has changed since I first started working at Morris Hospital, I really enjoy working with the different departments I support,” Mueller said. “I really enjoy sitting on committees and trying to find ways to creatively solve problems.”

Mueller’s goal for each day is to work hard and do things the right way.

“One thing I have always believed is that you don’t necessarily have to see patients to contribute to the excellent care they receive,” Mueller said. “There are so many things that have to happen behind the scenes to ensure every patient receives excellent care, and that is why having a great team is so important. I am proud to do my part to make sure Morris Hospital is the best place to receive care.”

In early civilizations, fire starters were people who had the important job of keeping the flame alive.