Coworkers: Logan Van Proyen
“Serving others is at the core of my faith as a Christian,” said Logan. “By volunteering I feel a sense of purpose because I can be relied on and I can benefit those I am serving.”
Logan Van Proyen, Business Systems Analyst, Mokena
It takes one person to make a difference and change the lives of many. Logan Van Proyen, business systems analyst in our Mokena office, knows this all too well. He spends a lot of his time solving and building countless business processes with technology, saving coworkers many precious hours they could use elsewhere. Logan sees this as an opportunity to serve them and go above and beyond what they need assistance with. If a core piece of an application is broken and the user is flustered, Logan won’t only try to fix the issue, he will also talk through it with them or find a possible work-around solution until the issue is resolved. By viewing these IT challenges as more than just routine procedures, he is able to put passion into helping others at work.
Logan’s passion for helping others isn’t contained to just his office space. Two years ago, he accepted a role as a youth ministry leader at his church. By volunteering, Logan lives his purpose. When he’s volunteering for youth group, serving coffee, providing A/V support or stepping in to help on the worship team and choir, he knows people are counting on him. Those simple acts alone have opened doors for Logan to work with organizations outside of his church, including PADs of DuPage and My Brother’s Kitchen in North Lawndale.
“Serving others is at the core of my faith as a Christian,” said Logan. “By volunteering I feel a sense of purpose because I can be relied on and I can benefit those I am serving.”
Growing up as a middle child of five, Logan’s parents instilled in him the importance of volunteering at a very young age. When money was in short supply and Logan’s parents couldn’t support a cause financially, they volunteered their time. For as long as he can remember, his parents were taking him and his siblings to and from volunteering opportunities. When Logan entered high school, he learned he had to make a conscious choice to get out and serve in his own way and make it a priority.
One of the main reasons Logan commits to volunteering on a regular basis is to disrupt any apathetic tendencies within himself that many young people are prone to: watching too much TV or wasting time on their smartphones.
“I think most people want to forget about the struggles of the world and they hide themselves, and they don’t realize someone out there needs a friend, a meal or a little boost to get to their next day,” said Logan.
Since joining Ozinga four years ago, Logan’s volunteerism has carried through from the office, to home, to his church and to every aspect of his life.
“I love to work for a company that emphasizes community involvement and giving, it’s a great fit for me,” said Logan.
