Faces of Bryan

As a Bryan Medical Center customer care assistant, Deb Beck meets new people every day. Patients, families and visitors stop by the information desk for directions, answers and often a bit of conversation. She stands out with her warm smile and bright red pepper badge reel clipped to her signature Bryan Blue blazer.

The ensemble represents her passion for two things – Bryan Health and salsa.

Continuing a Legacy

Her salsa recipe traces back generations. Deb grew up making salsa, among other classic Mexican dishes, alongside her grandmother, who was from Chihuahua, Mexico. To continue her grandma’s legacy after her passing, Deb continued to make that fresh salsa, which quickly became a favorite among family and friends.

“I would just always hand it out to people,” she said. “They kept saying, ‘Why don’t you sell this at the Haymarket Farmers Market downtown?”

She wasn’t quite sure where to begin. Then in 2004, her mom spotted a newspaper article about an upcoming seminar for entrepreneurs hosted by the Food Processing Center at University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL).

It felt like fate.

Deb signed up and stayed after class to explain her idea. From there, the center helped her navigate everything from testing and labeling to meeting state regulations. From there, Deb started her farmers market journey – all while working full-time at a grocery store.

Building a Business

In those early days, the operation was small but persistent.

Once a week, she and her sister would take over their church basement kitchen, making and canning over 70 jars of fresh salsa at a time. They’d sell out at the Saturday farmers market every time.

“We’d go to the church at 4 p.m. after work, and we’d be there until midnight,” Deb recalled. “We just kept plugging away. Finally, I asked the university, ‘Can we get help?’ Because we just couldn’t make enough of it.”

With continued guidance from UNL’s Food Processing Center, Deb and her sister connected with insurance lawyers, obtained UPC codes, registered trademarks and secured a manufacturer who didn’t compromise their grandmother’s homemade recipe.

What started as a homemade gift gradually grew into a thriving business. Deb’s salsas – and now her hot sauces – can be found in grocery stores throughout Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa.

Finding a Balance

Despite its success, Deb never wanted the business to be her full-time job.

She left her job at Hy-Vee in 2006 and took on a job at the outpatient pharmacy and gift shop located inside the hospital at Bryan East Campus. Even as the salsa business expanded, she stayed committed to her work at the hospital.

“I like to be busy,” she said.

When the pharmacy closed in 2010, she moved into her current role as customer care assistant for Bryan Medical Center. She finally decided to take on shorter shifts to allow more time for her business – but she never considered leaving the hospital entirely.

For her, Bryan is more than a workplace.

“I like the way Bryan treats their employees. You can really tell they care,” she said.

One way she’s felt that is through the flexibility of her position. Every Monday through Friday, Deb works the information desk at either Bryan East or West Campus, 5-11 a.m., greeting guests and helping them find their way. After her shift, she heads out to check the shelves at stores around Lincoln to make sure her salsa is stocked. At least once a month, those trips stretch even farther, traveling to Omaha, Iowa and as far west as Kearney.

Though she’s not a fan of all the driving, it gives her something she loves: the chance to connect with people.

That same love for conversation is on full display at the hospital.

“Her customer service is outstanding. She always puts our guests first,” her leader Sarah Carter, Volunteers and Customer Care director, said. “She creates an inclusive environment, making guests feel welcomed and appreciated. She genuinely cares about people.”

For Deb, those daily interactions are what make the job special.

“This is my happy place away from business,” she said. “I always look forward to coming to work. There’s so many different varieties of people, and every conversation is unique.”

Making Connections

Deb can strike up a conversation with anyone about almost anything. That spirit of curiosity and conversation has led to some surprising connections.

While working at the outpatient pharmacy, a customer asked about the salsa being sold. He was delighted to discover the woman ringing up his purchase was also its creator. Next thing she knew, he was offering to be her business partner.

That customer was the late Everett Evnen, a well-known Lincoln businessman who also happened to be a Bryan board member.

“I thought he was joking,” Deb recalled fondly. “But then he came back one day, and said, ‘No, I’m serious.’”

Everett became both a mentor and a business partner, helping Deb connect with people and explore new opportunities. “He was like a grandfather to me,” she said.

And even now, many of Deb’s ideas still start with simple conversations.

One Bryan employee asked Deb if she ever tried making a salsa verde. Today, he – along with several other co-workers – has gotten to enjoy many variations of the recipe as she continues to perfect it and bring it in to share.

At the end of the day, Deb says both of her jobs share the same purpose: adding a little extra joy to brighten someone’s day.

“She wants to do the best that she can in both jobs,” Sarah said. “I admire her tenacity. No matter how far she travels the day before or how late she’s up doing paperwork, she’s always here at five in the morning – always with a smile.”

For Deb, the motivation is simple: it’s the people. And as long as the woman in the Bryan blue blazer with that red pepper badge reel is behind the desk, guests know they’ll be greeted with a warm welcome and a glimpse of the passions she carries with her each day: Bryan Health and a love of salsa.