Employee Focus – Martha Waroway
By Sarah Cormier, Macomb County Executive Office
Most people can’t wait to retire. They spend all their working hours thinking about what they’ll do once they don’t have to clock in every day.
But not Martha Waroway, an accountant for the Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board.
“I love working,” she said. “I love being around people. If I wasn’t working, I’d be volunteering. I think the way to stay as young as possible is to be involved.”
Waroway has been with the Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board since she retired in 2004 from doing public relations/marketing for Bi-County Community Hospital, which is now known as Henry Ford Macomb Hospital - Warren.
“I retired, but I didn’t want to retire,” she said.
She was hired as an accountant for the Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board, which oversees the Michigan Works! program. The mission of the board is to integrate youth and adults facing barriers to employment into the labor force by providing customer-driven job training and other employability support services. Waroway cuts the checks given to those who are in the program looking for a job.
“Our purpose is to get people back to work and get better paying jobs,” said Waroway, adding she loves that she works for a program whose goal is to help those in the community.
She said teamwork between colleagues is a key to success.
“I’m a strong believer of teamwork,” she said. “As long as the end job gets done, well, that’s all that matters.”
When she’s not working, Waroway enjoys time with her three grandchildren by attending their soccer games, track meets and horse competitions. She also enjoys planting flowers and is very involved with her church. She lives in Chesterfield and enjoys being a resident of Macomb County.
“I think Macomb County offers so many things. It seems like every weekend there’s something to do,” she said.
Waroway’s supervisor Terri Davis said Waroway is deserving of the recognition.
“Although Martha's work is not seen directly by the participants in the Michigan Works programs, she is dedicated to the delivery of quality services - often working with tight deadlines. Her job requires close attention to detail, which she has a good eye,” said Davis. “She is first to volunteer for new projects and enjoys the challenges they may give her, often resulting in her saying, ‘I learned something new today!’ Thank you Martha for keeping up the winning spirit in the day-to-day challenges that face each of us whether with new equipment, new software, new regulations or new personnel. Keep up the good work.”
“I just feel there’s always something you can do to help people,” added Waroway.