10/02/2026
🌟 October Employee Spotlight – Stephanie Rios 🌟
This month we’re proud to recognize Stephanie Rios, our HR Coordinator and an important part of the Dakota family for 4 years.
👋 Role: HR Coordinator
📅 Years With Dakota: 4 years
A day in Stephanie’s world? Pre-employment and onboarding paperwork, reports, password resets, and “a million other HR-related things.” 😂
Favorite part of the job: Every day looks a little different, which keeps things interesting. She also says working with Melissa (HR Director) and everyone at Corporate makes her days fun!
Something you may not know about Stephanie: Melissa had to write the maternity policy because of her. 🙃 AND Melissa officiated her wedding! ❤️
🌅 Morning person or night owl? Morning person — thanks to her girls!
☕ Coffee or tea? Coffee
🍿 Go-to snack? Popcorn
🏖️ Beach or mountains? Beach
🎵 Country or rock? Both!
🎬 Favorite movies? Dirty Dancing & Breakfast at Tiffany’s
🐶 Dogs or cats? Dogs — she has FOUR!
When she’s away from work, Stephanie loves spending time with her husband, their two little girls and their pups. She’s also crafty, loves art projects and cooking — and she went to culinary school! 👩🍳
Her coworkers would describe her in one word: Dependable.
One piece of advice that’s stuck with Stephanie:
“Never settle if there is an aspect of your life you are not happy with.”
Stephanie is most proud of her willingness to help anyone, no matter the department or project, and the initiative she takes to get things done for Corporate and our branches.
Stephanie is Melissa’s right hand — the one behind the scenes, keeping things organized while Melissa is running 100 MPH. 😂 She jumps in wherever she’s needed and is someone our entire team can ALWAYS count on.
Thank you, Stephanie, for 4 years of hard work, initiative, laughs, and for being such an important part of our Dakota family!
