08/03/2026
We had an amazing all staff picnic last week to celebrate our team for the incredible and difficult work they do every day. It was a great afternoon of celebrating our people and everything this team has accomplished together. A special congratulations to this year's award winners:
Mission Award — Individual: Tony Smith
Tony genuinely cares about our residents and about the communities where we work. He recently secured a donor to build raised garden beds at Roselle, creating a community garden that gives residents fresh produce and a new skill to grow into. His work goes far beyond the job description. Congratulations, Tony!
Mission Award — Team: The Mary Hall Team
Mary Hall, our historic 88-home supportive housing renovation in St. Paul, first opened its doors in 1926 and is now on its third or fourth generation of use, thanks to a $22.8 million investment and years of work across departments. Congratulations to Bill Lightner, Luis Pereira, Patty Smith, Heather Day, Tony Erchul, Greg Foley, Hannah Lahti, Kayla Helgamo, Tina Sklors, Robin Espinoza, Shannon Jones, Joe Eberwine, Buddy Heino, Victoria Stensrud, and everyone across Aeon who helped bring this building back to life. Because of this team, 88 people now have a stable home.
MVP Award — Individual: O'Shia Anifowose
O'Shia consistently takes on Aeon's toughest properties and builds the teams that turn them around. She stepped in to lead the supportive housing team through a leadership gap, and her team says it best: "If O'Shia isn't an MVP by Aeon standards, then no one is." Congratulations, O'Shia!
MVP Award — Team: The Seasons Park Team
This team faced an extraordinarily difficult year, working through emotional, high-stakes situations with compassion and commitment. Today, Seasons Park is in a much stronger place because of them. Congratulations to Yamilka, Sonya, Diana, Flor, Leslie, Luis, Julio, Orlando, Santos, Victor, Kevin, Yancy, and Yisaire.
Rookie of the Year: Faiyaz Muttoo
In his first year, Faiyaz has become a go-to teammate — always ready to help, always warm with residents from their very first call. As one nomination put it, answering the phone with "A pleasant good morning!" is a sign you're in the presence of greatness. Congratulations, Faiyaz!
