Peru Hy-Vee employee selected out of thousands for special honor

A Peru Hy-Vee employee was selected on Thursday as a 2022 Legendary Customer Service Award recipient, one of 15 chosen out of more than 80,000 Hy-Vee employees.

Pharmacy Manager Laura Urbanski is the first-ever recipient selected from Peru’s location. The award is the highest honor Hy-Vee gives its employees, and 150 total people have been given the honor since the award was created in 2006.

Local Hy-Vee employees in addition to district and regional supervisors gathered at the Peru Hy-Vee at 11:30 a.m Thursday to arrange a surprise celebration for Urbanski and announce her as the recipient, complete with cake, balloons and banners.

Urbanski was given a new name tag with the award engraved on it and a letter from the CEO of Hy-Vee. She also was given an invitation for a luncheon with the other award recipients at corporate headquarters and a certificate for a vacation to any destination of her choosing.

Store Director Andrew Cochran was involved in nominating Urbanski for the award and said it was a no-brainer to choose her.

“I’ve been nominating people for 12 years and there’s no one more deserving than her,” Cochran said. “I’m so happy she gets to be recognized for what she does everyday.”

Urbanski, who’s been at her job since 2006, does more than fill prescriptions. She oversees administration of different vaccines, helps work through insurance issues and helps customers with issues and questions.

Pharmacy Supervisor Angie Danielson said Urbanski is “fantastic” to work with and goes above and beyond for customers by listening, taking care of their needs and getting to know them on a first-name basis.

“It’s amazing the amount of people in the community that specifically ask for her and want to see her.”

Urbanski’s gotten to know some customers so well she’s attended wakes and funerals for those she’s built friendships with over the years, and she said losing them breaks her heart.

“You take care of elderly people, you get to know them and they’re your friends,” she said.

Urbanski said the award and ceremony was a complete surprise.

“It’s pretty cool to have other people recognize something I’m doing that I just do and don’t even think about it.”

In addition to working at the pharmacy full-time, Laura is married and has four daughters. She’s also involved in the community and is the assistant varsity volleyball coach at La Salle-Peru High School.

“If you take care of the customer, the rest will fall into place,” Urbanski said. “That’s what I’ve always went by, and since I’ve started here we’ve quadrupled the number of prescriptions we’re filling without doing anything but taking care of customers and being there for them.”