Get to Know an Ambassador: Tom Claymon
In a few short weeks, people visiting, residing in, or working in downtown Rochester will start seeing our Clean Team Ambassadors (they'll be hard to miss in their bright orange shirts). Let's meet some of the friendly faces who are part of the Clean and Safe Ambassador Program being implemented starting July 1. Tom Claymon, the Clean and Safe Ambassador Program's operations manager, answers our five Get to Know an Ambassador questions.
For those who might not have heard of this type of service, describe the Clean and Safe Ambassador Program in 20 words or less.
A program that will provide a safe, clean, and positive experience for those visiting, living, or working in our downtown.
Tell us about yourself or how your background compliments your role as operations manager in the Clean and Safe Ambassador Program.
Most of my adult life has been dedicated to serving our community and providing them with a safe environment in which to live, work, and entertain themselves. This service was done as a law enforcement officer for almost a quarter of a century and has given me the opportunity to develop and refine strong communication skills. These skills will be helpful as we develop a culture of communication within our Clean and Safe Ambassador Program.
During my service in the army, I quickly learned the value of using all the resources possible to clean and maintain our barracks. Teamwork and collaboration were skills I took away from those experiences and I now plan to instill those same values into our Clean Team Ambassadors as they complete their daily cleaning services.
What qualities do you look for in a Clean and Safe Ambassador?
Friendly and a good communicator! We can teach and coach people through the tools and equipment we will be using to accomplish our duties, but we really need to start out with positive, friendly people that like to engage with other people who are in need of our services.
What type of positive impact do you feel the Clean and Safe Ambassador program will have on our downtown?
I’ve been doing training with the Ambassador program up in Minneapolis for the past 10 years and have always felt this program would be a great asset for downtown Rochester. Our downtown core has always been a very clean urban area, but the Ambassador program is going to expand on this cleanliness. Details like the gum stains on the sidewalks, graffiti, and the occasional misplaced trash are all items our Clean Team Ambassadors will be removing daily.
When it is safe to launch the safety component of our Ambassador program, those Safety Ambassadors will be there to serve as an extra set of eyes and ears in our downtown area. They will take steps to correct those concerns themselves by involving the appropriate resources or partners in our program. These Safety Ambassadors will also be there to give our guests directions or suggestions when they are trying to find their hotels, where they parked their cars, or even when they are just looking for some sort of specialty food.
Our Clean and Safe Ambassador Program will be somewhat unique in the sense that our Ambassadors will be a hybrid version of both the cleaning and safety ambassadors. Although they will have distinctive titles and responsibilities, we will all be expected to crossover and be able to assist each other to provide the best service possible for our customers and clients.
What are you most looking forward to about working in downtown Rochester?
The daily interaction and communication with so many varying groups of people daily is high on my list of activities. We are fortunate to have a very diverse population that is comprised of both our residents and our guests who are visiting here from throughout the world. I’m hoping to parlay these interactions into both positive encounters as well as being beneficial to the differing needs of those we will interact with.
Look forward to the Clean Team Ambassadors providing daily, essential cleaning services in their bright orange shirts July 1. And stay tuned here for more information about this growing program.