Release from Kansas Department of Transportation
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Melissa Poe recalls that she was a 20-year-old “just fresh out of college” when she interviewed for a human-resources-assistant job at KDOT’s District Five Office in Hutchinson.
The interview lasted about 15 minutes. It was so short, it seemed, that Melissa’s mother was surprised when she returned to the car where her mother waited outside the office building. Then that afternoon, Melissa received a call asking if she would accept the job offer. “And, of course, I said, ‘Yes,’” Melissa recalled. That was October 1996. And now Melissa – District Five Accountant -- is celebrating 25 years of service to the state.
“So I’ve been at KDOT over half my life,” she said.
As District Five Accountant, she handles every kind of financial transaction. It’s a long list, including expense reports, vouchers, inventory, auction sales, purchase orders and requisitions.
Over the years, Melissa has seen quite an evolution in the computers she has used. “I had one of those big, box computers when I first started working there,” she said. “It seemed like it was bigger than me.”
Her favorite aspect of her job? “The people that I work with,” she said. “They’re amazing. And we all work together. It’s all about teamwork in my position. It makes the job fun.”
Melissa and her spouse, Kara, live in Hutchinson. The family includes their children, Katelyn, DeShaun and Keaton -- and three cats, three dogs and a bearded dragon.