Azalee Simandle

retires from ESC

after 25 years
By Frank Ruggiero
frank@mountaintimes.com

After 25 years of helping people find jobs, Azalee Simandle is ready to give up her own.

Simandle retired on Aug. 29 as manager of the Watauga County Employment Security Commission, where colleagues, coworkers and clients showed up for cake, memories and plenty of hugs.

“She’s done a great job for us here in Boone,” said John McMahan, regional manager with the Employment Security Commission (ESC) of North Carolina. “She’ll be missed. She’s helped thousands of people here, and it’s been a real asset having her here because it’s her own community.”

Twenty-five years ago, Simandle accompanied her cousin to the Watauga ESC, where she learned a position had opened. Almost immediately after, she started work as an employment interviewer. Later, she worked in the dislocated worker program, and then served in Raleigh for five years as state consultant supervisor.

A Watauga native, Simandle returned to the High Country as an employment consultant working in Ashe and Alleghany counties, before accepting the job of assistant manager of the Watauga branch. She was named manager in 2004, and has served in that capacity ever since.

“I enjoy doing what I can to help people,” Simandle said. “We’ve got good people in this county – they’re easy to work with and are happy to work with us.”

The decision to retire seemed right, Simandle said, brought by a combination of age, years in state service and the desire to spend more time with her family at home and on the road.

Employment consultant Susan Siirila said Simandle will be missed, because, “She’s the most knowledgeable and professional employee with the agency. Someone who’s worked for 25 years in state service deserves a little recognition.”

Simandle will be succeeded by Tom Kinlaw, assistant manager of the ESC’s North Wilkesboro office.

For more information on the ESC, call the local office at (828) 265-5385 or visit www.ncesc.com on the Web.