HURON — Since she was a young girl, Stephanie Metzger has had role models who have taught her what it takes to succeed in life.
As the administrator at StoneyBrook Suites Assisted Living in Huron for the past six years, she inspires her staff to take on greater responsibilities so they, too, can be all they can be.
“I grew up with parents who were very, very driven, very goal-oriented,” Metzger said.
“They have an impeccable work ethic, and that was taught in our home, to have goals and to have an excellent work ethic,” she said.
The daughter of Paul and Traci Sorben has another relative — grandfather Orville Chenoweth — who also leads by example.
As she grew up and attended Huron schools, Metzger developed her own work ethic as an employee in his business enterprises — in concessions at State Fair Speedway, in the office and at Under the Sun Rental. She also cleaned rooms at the Top Hat Motel.
“I grew up seeing him in that leadership role and seeing what it takes to be a successful leader and business person,” Metzger said.
After high school, she went on to earn her nursing degree at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell.
For more than 10 years, she has worked as an RN in the emergency room at Huron Regional Medical Center, and since 2011 has been the administrator at StoneyBrook Suites.
She oversees a staff of about 25 full- and part-time employees, a number that increases somewhat during the summer months.
Asked what she considers to be the qualities of a good leader, she says she thinks first of all that it’s important to be relatable.
“You’re more able to inspire and empower those that you’re leading,” Metzger said.
She also cites self-discipline and the ability to teach.
“I need to keep learning and growing in my position so that I can keep leading and growing my staff as well,” she said.
HRMC emergency room nurse Ginger Neitzert took Metzger under her wing when she was fresh out of nursing school and taking on a stressful role in the ER.
It’s quite uncommon for someone who has just earned a degree, Metzger said.
Neitzert is a role model, educator and friend who helps others to learn and succeed, she said.
“She taught me a lot early in my career,” she said.
So has her StoneyBrook boss, Bruce Burckhardt of Brookings, president and chief executive officer of the company.
Metzger describes him as very candid and relatable. A man with integrity who is a great educator. Retreats for administrators of the StoneyBrook facilities in South Dakota help them learn more about leadership.
“He wants to empower others to be successful, be good leaders, so that we can be mentors to others, mentors to our staff and continue growing our staff,” Metzger said.
Not only does she have a busy professional life, being one of the heads of a household of six children, ranging from 16 to 5 years old, requires organization.
“My husband (Matt) is a huge help with the children and all of the children are very helpful around the home,” she said.
“Everyone has their chores around the home and we all keep organized together,” Metzger said. “I’m a list maker and always have kept a planner, and I see the older children doing the same.”
If it was possible, she was asked what advice she would tell her younger self at the beginning of her professional life based on what she has learned along the way.
“I think to not be so apprehensive of roles and opportunities that came my way when I was so young,” she said. “I took this administrator position as a 28-year-old,” Metzger said.
“There have been different things that have been offered to me, different opportunities and roles that I was very nervous about, and I think looking back now I should have just embraced those and taken on more of those things because that is definitely how I’ve grown in my career,” she said.
In other words, despite a universal fear of the unknown, don’t be afraid to try something new.
So, while she is unable to pass that on to her younger self, she makes it a point of sharing that philosophy with her young staff every day.
“I really work on grooming them for a position like this, because I guess the best thing that I can do is teach them as much as I can, empower them to take on new roles even within the building, giving them more responsibility and that really helps them grow, to feel like they can take on a higher position,” Metzger said.
“There are those shining stars, and I think the more responsibility you give them and the more you teach them and allow them to go do, you empower them to want to do more,” she said.
ROGER LARSEN/PLAINSMAN Stephanie Metzger, administrator at StoneyBrook Suites Assisted Living in Huron for the past six years, stands next to a table where residents and friends are playing an afternoon game of bingo.
