Adam Woolley is a huge fan of “The Golden Girls.” The Infrastructure Engineer named his cat Blanche after one of the sitcom’s main characters because they’re both “unapologetically themselves.” Adam admires authenticity in others and thinks the world would be better if everyone were true to themselves. Lucky for us, Adam practices what he preaches.
“He would give you the shirt off his back.” That’s what one of Adam’s colleagues in the Information Systems (IS) department said about him in a referral for Chronicles. Adam humbly confirmed the stories of his generosity. He once gave a friend a car and bought a fellow associate’s beloved comic book collection when they needed money only to return the books to their owner. They taught me the only thing I could control in life was how I acted. Those lessons stuck with me.”
When his mom fell ill in 2009, Adam didn’t hesitate to quit his full-time job to care for her. That was when he started at Hendricks as a part-time dishwasher. His mom passed away in 2010 but left her excellent work ethic and problem-solving skills behind with Adam.
“At that point, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do professionally,” said Adam. “I did know that the Hendricks crew was tight-knit and felt like family, so I stayed and did about every job in the kitchen. We worked hard there, but I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun as I did laughing with Sam Carter and Jon McDermed.”
In 2013, Adam returned to school. Shortly before he graduated from Ivy Tech (currently enrolled at IUPUI), he gave his resume to a colleague in the Nutrition & Dietetics department whose mother worked in the IS department. She hired Adam for the help desk in 2017, and he’s steadily worked his way up since. He can’t see himself elsewhere at this point.
“We move mountains with a relatively small crew in IS,” Adam said. “It’s because everyone loves what they do, and our management puts the right people in the right places. We have made so many changes since I started. Hendricks does a great job of implementing new technology and is on the cutting edge of security.”
Adam is equal parts proud of his work and his family. He and his wife met as overnight stockers at Walmart in 2003. According to Adam, she came out of the truck making Chewbacca noises, which was love at first sight! The couple married in 2016.
Adam is now passing along his parents’ wise teachings to his children. “I’m a late bloomer, so I do my best to tell my kids not to get frustrated when things don’t go how you want them to,” said Adam. “It’s always possible to find yourself and take the next step. Just don’t give up.”
