Charles Dickens once wrote that no one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another, and this week the HOBI’s Employee Spotlight shines on a man of strong faith, culinary expertise, and a deep passion for helping others.
As the Client Production and Sales Support Lead, Ivan Ruiz contributes to various departments, including sales and client support, reporting, production, and compliance. For ten years, he has been HOBI’s go-to man at the Batavia location, serving as a key point of contact for clients, handling inquiries and resolving client issues, coordinating with internal teams, tracking sales activity, and reporting. Whatever the need, Ivan is always there to assist in any way he can and is an essential member of the HOBI team.
Born in Mexico, Ivan’s family moved to Illinois when he was just 3 months old. He still calls Illinois home, where he lives with his wife and children. As a father of five homeschooled daughters, ranging in age from 2 to 5, patience is essential for survival, but it also aids him during long days of communicating with clients and other team members. Ivan earned a degree in Culinary Arts prior to HOBI and learned early on in his role as a chef that problem-solving comes in many forms.
A man of faith, Ivan is an active member of his church, currently serving as the Worship Leader, where he sings and serves his community every Sunday. Wherever he is from day to day, Ivan is serving others, but the most important cause in his life is his family. Whether it’s at home or at church, he most enjoys spending time with his girls.
In his free time, Ivan can be found soaking in the cool northern outdoors, singing praise music while keeping his culinary skills sharp, and knee-deep in all things girl-dad-related.