Who's Sergeant Stephenson's Boss?

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap
  • 931st Air Refueling Group Public Affairs
WICHITA, Kan. --  Editor's Note: "Who's the Boss" is a Spirit feature that highlights the civilian occupations of 931st Reservists and the employers who support them. Group members are encouraged to submit their place of employment to be featured in Who's the Boss by contacting Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap in the 931st Public Affairs office at (316) 759-3686, or via email at: jason.schaap@us.af.mil

Reservist: Staff Sgt. Julie Stephenson, 931st Military Support Flight Information Manager

Civilian Employer: Newleaf Vein and Aesthetics in Wichita, Kan.

Boss: Mark Rowe, CEO

Turning over a new leaf usually is not an everyday experience. It is, metaphorically speaking, for Staff Sgt. Julie Stephenson.

Sergeant Stephenson, a Reservist assigned to the 931st Air Refueling Group, is a full-time licensed aesthetician at Newleaf Vein and Aesthetics in Wichita, Kan. She's also the business manager, a position her boss, Mark Rowe, recently promoted her to within six months of hiring her.

Mr. Rowe, Newleaf's chief executive officer, said it didn't take long to realize Sergeant Stephenson doesn't need to wear her uniform to remember what she's learned during her tour in the Air Force.

"She's prepared every day, she's organized, and she has great discipline" Mr. Rowe said. "In the customer focus business, (that) really matters ... we can't afford to have a single unhappy customer. That's where Julie excels."

Rowe opened Newleaf in East Wichita two years ago. Generally speaking, it's a treatment center specializing in what Mr. Rowe calls a "relatively new field." Mesotherapy, dermal fillers, medical microdermabrasion, Botox Cosmetic, permanent makeup and Thermage NXT are among the aesthetic services listed on the Newleaf web site.

The other half of Newleaf focuses on vein treatment. Using cutting-edge, laser technology to replace what was once painful surgery, varicose veins are treated in an outpatient setting with only local anesthesia. The process usually allows patients to return to normal routines the next day.

"The advent of lasers has meant a lot (to this industry)," Mr. Rowe said. "It improves every day."

Mr. Rowe estimates that 10 percent of Newleaf patients, typically women from age 30 to 70, are servicemembers and their family members. He offers a 10 percent discount to all military members and most health insurance providers, to include Defense Department contracted TRICARE, cover medical procedures at Newleaf like vein treatment. Initial consultations are free.

Military discounts as high as 25 percent have been offered in the past, Sergeant Stephenson said, and will be offered during future timeframes surrounding occasions like Veteran's Day. An easy way to hear about discounts is to sign up for notifications via Newleaf's web site.

Newleaf offers another important service for men subject to military grooming standards, Sergeant Stephenson said. The razor bump problem that plagues many males servicemembers can be treated with laser hair removal.

"They'll never have to shave again," she said.

Sergeant Stephenson, a Wichita native, has been working in the skin care industry in a medical environment for more than two years. She was one of the first to graduate with honors from Eric Fisher Academy, a cosmetology school in Wichita. She's currently working toward a bachelor's degree in business at Wichita State University.

"I didn't expect to get this opportunity so soon," she said, referring to her recent promotion to business manager. She credits her Air Force training for helping her succeed.

"I've been in five years now," she said. "Boot camp enlightened me. I craved discipline. Everything the military teaches me I soak up like a sponge."

Mr. Rowe recently travelled to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, to see his niece graduate from basic Air Force training. The military, he said, turns people into workers that employers want to hire. Mr. Rowe is also CEO of a hospice care provider in Kansas and he "prefers" to hire military chaplains and nurses for hospice care. "They are awesome," he said.

It's not nearly as common to find someone who is an Airman in one capacity and a licensed aesthetician in another, Mr. Rowe admits. But in the case of Sergeant Stephenson, he said, "It's rare and it's wonderful."