At 6’5″, with his warm demeanor, sweet smile and laughing eyes, Michael Burch is often viewed as a gentle giant as he greets Oak Hammock residents and team members. His patience and thoughtful approach to solving technology issues have made him a favorite among everyone on campus.

Burch and his wife of 20 years, Hillary, along with their three daughters—Riley, Lylah and Michaela (ages 15, 10 and 4) —are new to the Gainesville area. In fact, they’re new to Florida and are embracing the warmth of the southern sun. They relocated to be closer to Burch’s brother and family in Ocala.

Most recently from Spokane, Washington, Burch spent the first 18 years of his life in the small town of Meeker, Colorado. While he says it’s a place few have heard of, it’s located near Grand Junction.

Before moving to Gainesville from Spokane, Burch spent over four years as a systems analyst/engineer and eight years altogether at Umpqua Bank in northwest Washington. Reflecting on that role, he shared, “The job was very stressful, required long hours, and I was away from my family too often. I missed too many important life events with my girls. The stress got so bad that I realized I wasn’t being true to myself anymore, so it was time for a change.”

Burch joined Oak Hammock a year and a half ago as an IT support specialist. His bachelor’s degree in information systems made him a great fit for the role. The family sought a new environment that would offer a better work/life balance, and this job has been a perfect fit.

Burch is happy in his personal life and has great job satisfaction, which means less stress and a better balance between working hours and family life. His work schedule is reasonable, and he gets regular exercise, is healthier and enjoys the relationships he’s built with both the residents and team members.

Burch is appreciated at Oak Hammock. His manager, Bob Stott, VP of Integrative Operations and Chief Innovation Officer, said this about Burch, “Michael is an invaluable member of our team, and we are so fortunate to have his dedication to our residents’ technology needs. He consistently goes the extra mile, and his gentle, helpful nature is truly appreciated by everyone he supports. His intelligence and valuable experience, especially his professional IT support background, have made him an exceptional and impactful member who has made a real difference.”

With three young and very active daughters, the Burch family is always busy. They love spending time together doing activities as a family, such as arts and crafts. As Burch says, “After work hours, I try to soak up as much time as I can with our girls and enjoy their younger years before they grow up. I am in awe of how sweet they are!”

Recently, Burch reflected on his role at Oak Hammock:

What do you like most about your job?

I really enjoy the residents here and their pets. They are all very kind and respectful, and I love taking time to visit with them and get to know them better. I also have fun playing with their pets without the responsibility of caring for them!

I appreciate that my job keeps me active—I’m never just sitting behind a desk. I’m always out and about on campus, solving IT issues and helping people. I work to make technology a smoother experience for residents and team members, giving them one less thing to worry about. I know some people are embarrassed to ask for help, but I always reassure them that there’s no shame in it. Technology evolves so quickly, and I even have trouble keeping up sometimes.

Oak Hammock is a wonderful employer! I enjoy learning something new almost every day. I’m lucky to work with Daniel Eakins, who helps me expand my knowledge. He’s a great teacher, and his expertise in servers has been invaluable.

How do you apply the We Care values to what you do?

I try to live by the We Care values: welcoming, exceptional, courteous, attentive, responsive and empathetic. I make a point to greet everyone by name, even though remembering names can be challenging for me, so I have to work at it.
I also go above and beyond by helping out with any task, even if it is outside my job description—whether it’s moving furniture, creating Christmas cards on the computer, making deliveries or programming a resident’s car system. I believe in being a good human and offering help whenever possible.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

It might not surprise people that I’m quite shy. It takes a lot of effort for me to be outgoing. I always thought it interesting that I’m the oldest of three children in my family, and my siblings are the complete opposite of me.
I was very close to my grandmother, Merlyn Denny, growing up. She was my favorite person for a long time, and even when we moved away. I always made sure to visit her.

Riley, my oldest daughter, is most like me—calm and quiet. Michaela, the youngest, is a complete opposite, very active and keeps us on our toes. Lylah, our middle child, is a good mix of both. I’m extremely proud of all three girls. They’ve developed an interest in art—painting, drawing and crafts—and I’m amazed at their talents. I also enjoy drawing, though I know they’re much better than I am!

“I have had the good fortune of working with Michael Burch on several important projects. Most recently, he took time from his lunch break to help me solve problems related to an ILR presentation about the circus. Michael’s comprehensive knowledge of computers and other technology enabled him to quickly get the DVD player and sound system in the Oak Room working properly. He came to the rescue and saved the day! I have found that Michael always goes the extra mile in responding to requests for assistance and does so in a very congenial way. Clearly, Michael is a highly valued member of the IT/Computer Services team at Oak Hammock.” – Don McGlothlin, resident

“Michael has the remarkable ability to take what I see as a major problem, fix it – and not make me feel stupid in the process! He shares his technical skills with a smile and a can-do attitude. A real treasure for Oak Hammock residents like me who are easily intimidated by the ever-changing world of technology.” – Martha Rader, resident

“Michael is extremely knowledgeable; but so important: he shares this knowledge in the kindest, most gentle manner. And he will research a topic AND THEN, get back to me quickly. He is truly the most helpful & kind helper I have EVER had reason to need. I hope he never leaves Oak Hammock!” – Midge Smith, resident