Tammy Collins Honored with LeadingAge North Carolina’s Service Excellence Award
Yesterday at Brookridge, an ordinary day became an unforgettable one when receptionist Tammy Collins was surprised with the LeadingAge North Carolina Service Excellence Award, one of the organization’s highest honors. The award was presented in person by Tom Akins, President and CEO of LeadingAge North Carolina, in front of colleagues who know Tammy’s impact well.
Tammy had no idea the recognition was coming.
For those who work and live at Brookridge, the surprise was not that Tammy won — it was that a role she carries out so quietly and humbly was finally receiving the spotlight.
"You truly are the heart and soul of this community," Executive Director Tatum Myers told Tammy at the award presentation. "And so thank you, for what you do and how you do it, because it matters."
When he presented the award, Tom said that it was clear that Tammy is an artist in a true sense of the word. Artist Pablo Picasso said that artists help wipe away the dust of everything from our souls. And that's excactly what she brings each day with her presence, especially as people enter the building.
"You help wash away, from our souls, that dust that we see, so that we're energized, we're excited to be here, our souls are cleansed as we serve ThriveMore and Brookridge," he said.
Tammy's family attended for the surprise award presentation, as well as Brookridge and ThriveMore leadership. Following the presentation, Brookridge hosted a celebratory brunch, where residents streamed in to congratulate Tammy.
Tammy joined Brookridge in 2013, beginning her career in the Dining Department where she quickly became known for her reliability, attentiveness and genuine care for residents. From making sure meals were delivered with dignity to noticing small details that made residents feel seen, Tammy demonstrated a resident-first mindset from day one. That same commitment and professionalism led her into the Business Office, where she now serves at the reception desk — one of the most visible and emotionally complex roles in the community.
If you've ever entered the front doors of Brookridge, you know that Tammy's smile brings a warm welcome to visitors. As the primary point of contact for Brookridge, Tammy helps shape the daily experience of residents, families, visitors and team members alike. The reception desk is a constant balance of activity, questions and competing priorities. It also requires emotional intelligence, adaptability and calm under pressure. Tammy meets each moment with grace. Whether welcoming a new family, supporting someone through uncertainty or offering a steady presence during times of loss, she leads with empathy, respect and quiet confidence.
In her nomination for the award, her colleagues described her with words like passionate, thoughtful, kind, humble, sincere, honest, caring and a true team player. Those qualities show up not just in what she does, but in how she does it. Tammy supports her teammates, models accountability and contributes daily to a positive and mission-driven culture.
The LeadingAge North Carolina Service Excellence Award recognizes individuals who consistently demonstrate person-centered service, compassion and integrity. Tammy exemplifies all of this not through a single extraordinary moment, but through more than a decade of steady, exceptional care. She does not seek recognition. Her influence is felt instead in the trust she builds, the reassurance she offers, and the dignity she extends to every person who walks through Brookridge’s doors.
In presenting the award, Tom Akins celebrated Tammy as a true embodiment of service excellence in action — someone whose impact is felt every day, often quietly, and always meaningfully.
Brookridge and the entire ThriveMore community are proud to celebrate Tammy Collins and grateful for the example she sets. Her work reminds us that excellence is often found in consistency, compassion and showing up fully for others, day after day.