Barbette Grisham, customer service clerk, NEX Newport, Rhode Island, has been named the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) Enterprise Associate of the Year for 2014, the top associate out of 14,000 employees world-wide.

A ceremony was held June 12 inside the store with Capt. Dennis Boyer, commanding officer of Naval Station Newport making the official plaque presentation in front of the entire store staff and attending customers.

"My #1 priority as the commanding officer of this base is to take care of those assigned to work here. Wow, this is a great accomplishment. Congratulations on this award and for setting an example for all of us to follow when it comes to how we treat each other," said Boyer.

"As a military spouse, Barbette understands the importance of the NEX to our service members and their families," said Robin Joseph, NEXCOM's Northern District Vice President.

"Her passion for helping others and her commitment to premier customer service are unwavering. She ensures every customer is welcomed with a warm smile and sincere greeting."

Grisham takes customer service to a whole new level. During the 2014 International Seapower Symposium (ISS), which brought dignitaries and their families from around the world to Naval Station Newport and the NEX, Grisham encountered a customer desperately looking for a local Starbucks mug she could take home to her daughter as a souvenir.

She reluctantly informed the customer that the NEX does not sell Starbucks mugs. After her shift, Grisham took it upon herself to drive downtown to the local Starbucks and purchase a mug for this customer so she would not have to return home empty-handed.

On another occasion during the ISS, a group of foreign military members were shopping in the NEX, lost track of time and missed their shuttle back to the Naval War College. Not wanting them to have to walk the 1.5 miles back, Grisham un-hesitatingly volunteered to drive them in her own vehicle.

Grisham's willingness to help others doesn't just extend to customers. On a snowy night this past winter, Grisham noticed that one of her co-workers was out in the cold, unable to find her car keys. When it became evident the keys were locked inside the car, Grisham insisted on driving the associate home to get a spare set and return back to the store so she could retrieve her car.

"Our company focuses on many things, but "Delighting our customers to create advocates" is our top priority," said Lisa Ballejo, NEX Newport general manager. "We put our associates through an extensive Premier Customer Service training to create a genuine culture of service oriented associates."

"Barbette embodies every ounce of premier customer service and takes it to a whole new level. I am very proud and grateful to have such a bright example on my team," Ballejo said.

Grisham began her career with the NEXCOM Enterprise in 1996 as a security guard at NEX Norfolk, Virginia. Over the past 19 years she has held various positions ranging from audit clerk at NEXCOM headquarters to accounting cashier at NEX Athens, Georgia.

She is currently a customer service associate at the Navy Exchange Newport where she has been employed since January 2011.

In addition to "bragging rights," Grisham was presented with a monetary award, gift certificate to a local restaurant, a new NEX Newport uniform name tag identifying her as the 2014 Associate of the Year, roses, a plague and a gift card.

Throughout the ceremony, Grisham remained speechless - something truly out of character for the Newport Associate of the Year.

A complete video of the ceremony will be uploaded to the installation Facebook page at www.facebook.com/navstanewport

For more news from Naval Station Newport, visit www.navy.mil/.