In the last two years as Director, Walter has concentrated on mentoring and developing his management team. His can-do attitude and mentoring style work exceptionally well with his groups, and he knows how to motivate his teams to help them through complicated situations. A true team player and leader combined, Walter is a manager who leads from the front and is willing to work with his team through any issues. His dedication to his employees is evident, and his ultimate goal is to see them succeed and grow. 2023 was a challenging year, and Walter worked with his teams to review and improve processes, refocus, and shift responsibilities so that they didn’t miss a beat. Walters’s relationships have been a massive part of his success. As someone who is genuinely dedicated to his craft and will go above and beyond to see success, Walter has a vision for his teams and works hard every day to make them a reality.
Walter started as a Billing Specialist, a one-person show, back in 2014. Fast forward ten years, and he now oversees three departments and 25 employees. Over the years, he has always succeeded in identifying problems and proactively developing a game plan for resolution. All of the work and improvements implemented with Walter’s teams on the front end of the client operations process have contributed to the impressive and growing cash flow for ALKU. Their collaborative work, along with the AR and Cash teams, has resulted in the total outstanding balance coming in under 4%, which is no easy feat, thanks to Walter’s leadership.
Since his first day on the job, Walter has always embodied ALKU’s Have Fun Working Hard® mentality. His outgoing personality makes him approachable, and his “let’s work together to fix this” attitude has gained him trust throughout the company. From mentoring people on Roadmaps to presenting at the Directors’ Leadership Conference, Walter is all about relationships and ensuring everyone is heard and supported. In his new role, Walter will continue to oversee the Billing, Purchase Order, and Client Services departments. His focus will continue to be on identifying and addressing areas of concern, streamlining processes, and thinking of creative ways to automate some of those processes. He will continue working with his management team on cross-training within the departments and continue to identify and work with their next leadership level. Congratulations, Walter! We are so excited to see all you accomplish in this new role!
“WALTER… congratulations on your promotion! When I think back to the person I met in 2014 and compare it to current-day Walter Gillis, the one thing that comes to mind is your commitment to always looking for ways to improve yourself and your role within the company. Your dedication to your team and their success is inspiring. I have said it before and will say it again: your teams work hard for you because they know you have their best interest at heart. You always lead by example, listen, and support your team and anyone else from the ALKrew. As Joe DiMaggio once said, ‘A person always doing their best becomes a natural leader, just by example.’
2023 was a challenging year, but in speaking to your teams, the one common theme from them was, ‘Everything is going to be okay; we will get through this.’ They get that mentality from you, which makes them successful! Your relationships have been a huge part of your success, including your relationships with the revenue teams. Your problem-solving approach has earned the credibility and trust of the Revenue Management team, and you have helped create a business partnership mentality.
This promotion is so well deserved, and I am excited to see what you have in store for us in the coming years! Congrats, Walt, on a job well done!!” – Vice President, Client Operations, Jeanine Morgan
“Walter is a leader in the office and on the ice (shoutout to my hockey captain, #77)! What I’ve always enjoyed about working with Walter is that when he is working on solving a problem, he never points fingers at anyone else; he owns any issues and always works towards finding a solution for all parties involved. He is the ultimate team player and the guy you want to lead your team. Walt has a strong track record for developing great leaders, which is why his teams are so strong. Walter also won’t just tell you what you want to hear – he prides himself in telling you the truth—even when it may contradict the rest of the room. Walt, it has been an honor working with you for the past decade; congratulations on your promotion! PS: that smile and big ole red beard can light up a room—thank you for always keeping things fun (even when you’re mad at Vignone and me for trying to get you going)!” – Vice President, HCIT & DISS, Dave Tuell
“When I started working with Walt, it didn’t take long for me to realize that he was someone who would always take the time to understand the Revenue perspective. Whether or not he agreed with it… may be a different story. However, this is a small part of why Walter has done his job so well and why his teams have become a powerhouse and are critical to making ALKU run the way it does. Walt has become one of the strongest Revenue ally leaders at ALKU. What I think is equally impressive is that Walt has done this and can still confidently say he is always putting his teams and leaders in a position to succeed. When Walt approaches an issue, it is always a collaborative conversation on how his teams can support whatever we are up against while still not missing a beat in their day-to-day. He has always cared tremendously about his people, and every decision is driven with their best interest in mind, without losing a step on the teams running as efficiently as they do. He will always make sure his teams are being supported, and their opportunity is being maximized. The relationships Walter has built have allowed his teams to go from “roll with the punches Revenue throws” to solving the problems Revenue doesn’t even know they have yet. Walt – I know sometimes it can feel like a thankless role, but I hope you feel the love today! Congrats on a well-deserved and earned promotion, my man. Thanks for all you do.” – Vice President, Life Sciences & Government, David Esteves