Listening Tour 2026 is Underway
William J. Clark’s 2026 Listening Tour is well underway, offering Saint Francis employees an open forum to ask questions, share feedback, and engage directly with the ministry’s CEO. Each year, Clark visits offices across every state served by Saint Francis — Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas — to hear from staff firsthand.
This year’s tour has already included stops in Omaha (Nebraska), Hutchinson (Kansas), and Junction City (Kansas). Visits to Dodge City, Liberal, Garden City, and Hays in Western Kansas, along with Amarillo and Lubbock in Texas, were originally planned for early fall but have been postponed due to scheduling conflicts. They will resume soon.
Saint Francis encourages all employees to attend at least one Listening Tour session each year. These gatherings promote transparency, strengthen internal communication, and give staff a voice in shaping how Saint Francis Ministries continues its mission of service and care.
Clark is typically joined by Fr. Andrew O’Connor, Executive Officer for Mission and Ministry, and COO Lora Winchell. Staff from the Foundation and Communications & Marketing teams also attend to answer questions and gather stories about the transformative work happening across the ministry.
Years of Service. Lifetime of Impact.
Saint Francis Ministries has launched a new initiative – “Years of Service. Lifetime of Impact.” – marking the dedication and longevity of employees who have reached milestone anniversaries with the organization.
The inaugural celebration, held this month, recognized team members who achieved milestones between April 1 and June 30, 2025, marking one, five, ten, fifteen, twenty-five, and thirty-five years of service.
“The award is different for each milestone, but each will be individualized,” said Tracy Hervey, Vice President of Human Resources. “It isn’t just the work we do that makes Saint Francis so special; it’s the people who give so much of themselves to make it happen. Through our longevity program, we hope to celebrate the stories, relationships, and lasting impact created by our incredible employees.”
Approximately 45 employees celebrated their first year with Saint Francis, while six reached five years, six marked ten years, two achieved fifteen years (Lisa Jacobs and Sandra Cully), two celebrated twenty-five years (Jennifer Bongartz and Linda Street), and one, Kathryn (Kathy) Salzman, marked an extraordinary thirty-five years of service.
Salzman began her Saint Francis journey in April 1990 at the Boys’ Home in Ellsworth, Kansas, shortly after serving as a Red Cross Disaster Action volunteer following the Hesston tornado. Offered positions with both organizations on the same day, she chose Saint Francis and never looked back.
She started as a direct care worker serving adolescent boys. “Frank Hebison from the corporate office provided my new-hire training,” she recalled. “He told me retention in direct care would be a challenge – especially for women – but I took that as a personal challenge. Guess who’s done Frank’s job since 1999?”
After several years in Ellsworth, Salzman transferred to the Bavaria program (now Salina West) as a primary counselor and equestrian instructor, later becoming a certified riding instructor and licensed CMA. She then worked at the Salina Center as a primary counselor before joining Risk Management in 1999, where she continues to serve today.
Her Red Cross background again proved invaluable during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when Saint Francis temporarily relocated Mississippi clients and staff to Kansas. Salzman helped secure housing, clothing, and supplies for displaced families.
“I joined Saint Francis because I wanted to work where I felt needed and could help others,” she said. “Over the years, I know I’ve made a positive impact by ensuring our standards of care are met.”
Skip to content