Meet Dale Carlson

November Champion of the Month, Dale Carlson, is a Transportation Trainer who has been with Rise since August 2010. Before joining Rise, Dale worked as a programmer in the insurance industry for 10 years and spent 20 years in banking before that.

His connection to Rise started through family. “My first interest in Rise began when my father-in-law worked for Rise as a driver. He would bring me and my wife to Rise activities such as holiday dinners, picnics, and ice cream socials. Getting to know the people served by Rise made it an easy choice when I left my programming career and was seeking something new.”

Dale’s Impact

Dale is known for his consistency and professionalism. His supervisor, Jeff Jones, shares, “Dale exemplifies the qualities we value most in our team – consistency, respectfulness, responsibility, and adaptability. Dale is a highly experienced driver and trainer for Rise, known for his unwavering reliability and professionalism. His routes are executed with precision and care, and the positive feedback from his riders speaks volumes about the trust and comfort he provides.”

As a trainer, Dale plays a key role in onboarding new drivers. “I’m most proud of the fact that I’m a training driver, which means I get to meet and train most of the drivers that start with Rise, helping them understand how to work with the people served and manage routes,” Dale says.

One of Dale’s colleagues adds, “He demonstrates consistency, speaks directly, owns his task of respectfully transporting the people we serve, cooperates with others, and adapts to changes in our department.” Jeff sums it up, “He doesn’t just complete tasks; he owns them, always striving to improve the experience for both the people he serves and team members. Dale’s adaptability is another standout trait. He works seamlessly with others and embraces changes within the department, offering thoughtful feedback and innovative ideas to enhance our operations.”

Dale Outside of Rise

Outside of work, Dale is passionate about music, especially playing guitar. He has spent over 30 years on worship teams, playing for prison and nursing home ministries. Dale says that music is more than just a hobby, and he makes time to play guitar every day.