Ibia inspired by disabled workers

ROBERT IBIA Recognition: The state Vocational Rehabilitation agency has named Ibia, manager of the McDonald's in Eleele, Kauai, employer of the year on the Garden Isle for helping to accommodate employees who have disabilities. He is one of nine local employers who were recognized at a recent awards ceremony as part of the national Employment Disability Awareness Month. Background: Ibia started working for McDonald's 26 years ago as a crew person in the grill area, and he became a shift manager soon after that. He was promoted to restaurant manager in 1992, and plans to spend his career with the fast-food restaurant chain. Age: 44. Born and raised: Kauai. He and his wife, Mindi, have four children and live in Lihue.

The manager of the McDonald's in Eleele is honored for helping people with challenges

Question: I understand you drew some inspiration some time ago from a disabled employee who worked at McDonald's.

Answer: It was when I first came back from college, when I worked for McDonald's in Waipouli, they had a disabled person working there. What McDonald's was doing with that individual inspired me.

Q: What did they do?

A: They accommodated him really well. They had specific tasks for him to do. Even with the challenges he had, he could do the task. He had a physical handicap. He had a big limp of a walk. His hand was curled in. But he could still do the job. He could work the fryers.

In the late 1980s, we had two deaf people working for us. We had another manager that learned sign language through them. They could work all positions except for the drive-through and the front counter.

Q: Who are some employees that you've helped?

A: Debbie Matsumoto from the state Vocational Rehabilitation Agency on Kauai called me one time. She said, Robert, I have this person who is willing to work. I said, bring him down and let's set up an interview. She mentioned he had a stroke, but he's a hard worker. I sat with him. I could hardly understand his response, but he could understand me. Today, this guy's doing a phenomenal job. He's still employed there. He puts in five days a week, seven- to eight-hour days.

Q: What's his role?

A: Maintenance. He cleans the dining room, makes sure the parking lot is clear, takes out the trash, mops floors, cleans the restroom.

I worked with Debbie for very long time. Anytime she had somebody she felt could work in the work place, she could call me.

Q: How else do you assist people who have disabilities?

A: By communicating with my management staff and employees, just letting them know that we hired this certain individual. He has some challenges. Let's work with him because they could do a very good job for the company, and my hat's off to my management staff and employees for taking the time to help these individuals with challenges.

Q: Is the state doing enough to help the disabled?

A: I think the state is doing everything they can to place these individuals at the right job site. Each individual is handled on a case-by-case basis. Each individual has different challenges.

I learned that having disabilities does not mean they can't do the job; it just means doing it a little differently.

Q: What's the best part of the job?

A: Just working with the people, meeting new people; there's a lot of challenges, like every other job has. It's just a great company to work for.

My biggest challenge right now is hiring.