Faces of Bryan

Every weekday morning, patrons of the Bryan East Campus cafeteria are met with a friendly face and warm greeting from the tall man behind the omelet station.

Well-known for his ever-present smile and knack for remembering everyone’s order, Klinton Laschanzky is hard to miss, not because of his large stature, but because of his kindness toward every person to walk into the cafeteria.

“You don't know what someone's here for, and it's nice to you know you're making their day,” he said. “They may have just had a kid, or they may have just lost a parent. You never know what you deal with."

Klint’s role is more than just a job to him. It’s about the connections and meeting the customer – employee, patient or visitor – where they are. Whether it’s asking about someone’s weekend plans, swapping dog stories or remembering a regular’s favorite omelet ingredients, Klint tries to brighten the day for whoever walks in.

“He really knows how to read people and greet them. He talks to them like he's known them forever. I think that really resonates with people," supervisor Jameison Cooper said.

It made him the perfect choice for the omelet station when it was added to the breakfast service over five years ago. Not only does he fill the silence and make time go a little faster during the wait for an omelet, but with the station near the cafeteria entrance, he’s often the first person that people see.

“He’s very personable,” Jameison said, “and that’s particularly important in the morning, because a lot of these people are just getting their day started.”

Lending a Helping Hand

Klint isn’t just a superb omelet flipper or welcoming presence. With eight years at Bryan Medical Center under his belt, he’s been an integral part of Nutrition and Dining Services, wearing many different hats and tackling various roles with an infectious enthusiasm. His colleagues often describe him as a “jack-of-all-trades,” a title he fully embraces.

“I’ve learned every position we have to offer,” he said with a laugh.

Whether running the register, carrying trays for customers, handling the fast-paced lunch rush or even stepping in for a late-night shift on occasion, he’s always ready to jump in wherever he’s needed.

“He's quite capable, and he does it all like it’s no big deal. We trust that he does it well and gets it all done," Jameison said.

A Family Man

Klint’s jack-of-all-trades spirit doesn’t just apply to his main role at Bryan. He balances multiple jobs, including in-home caregiving and bartending, and his resumé boasts work in fencing, warehouse distribution and security. And when he’s not at one of his jobs, his wife puts him to work building and fixing things around the home. He doesn’t mind – he loves bringing her Pinterest dreams to life.

With such a packed schedule, it’s hard to imagine he has time for anything else. Yet, Klint still finds a way to make time for the most important part of his life – his family. In fact, providing for them is one of his greatest joys.

That’s one of the reasons he’s loves working for Bryan in particular. Between the “amazing hours,” awesome teammates and thoughtful leaders, he’s been able to truly focus on spending time with and providing for his family.

“Working 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every day means I have the whole afternoon with my family," he said. "It’s nice to be able to pick my child up from school and do sporting events or other extra activities.”

More than a Job

For Klint, work isn’t just a means to an end. It’s a way to connect with people, whether that’s his colleagues behind counter or the customers in front of it. Ultimately, if he can make someone else’s day just a little bit better, it’s a been good day.

“It’s just an easy way to make the day go quick and make it enjoyable,” he said.

It’s that friendliness that makes Klint “one of the good ones,” according to Jameison.

Klint leaves a lasting impression on the many individuals who come and go from the Bryan East Campus cafeteria, and he’ll continue to do so, one friendly smile and perfectly cooked omelet at a time.