Carol Aberle retires from CCH

Carol Aberle came to Gillette, Wyoming in 1985 from Bismarck, North Dakota, when her husband Robert got a job at Wyodak, then the largest air-cooled power plant in the United States. Carol worked in banking in Bismarck, and also briefly in Gillette. Later, she received a part-time job offer from (then) Campbell County Memorial Hospital and a full-time offer from Gillette College on the very same day. She took the job at the hospital, but her part-time status only lasted about two weeks before she started working full-time in the Human Resources department.

Carol spent the first five years in Human Resources and then transferred to the Education Department for almost five years. In late 1995, Carol was missing the breadth and complexity of the HR world and she transferred back under the direction of Dana Thorne. Carol is leaving her most recent role as the Senior HR Generalist with many fond memories and lifelong relationships.

Carol credits her parents with her interest in healthcare. According to Carol, both her parents spoke fondly and with trust and respect about the nurses, doctors and other healthcare providers they encountered over the years.

When Carol started at CCH in 1986, there were only about 350 employees, and she knew almost all of them. She remembers eating out at local restaurants with her son Ryan, and having him ask why so many people knew his mom! Back in those days Carol and the HR staff actually handed out paychecks to every employee each pay day in the lobby. She says nobody ever turned down their paycheck.

Carol always thought that working for four to five years at one place was more than enough before changing jobs, but the depth of purpose and the positive relationships developed through her work kept her here for close to 33 years.

“Many people in the community have no idea of the vast amount of talent in this organization,” says Carol. "I get to see it every day in the employment and onboarding process and in the employee relations process. It’s the most rewarding thing about my job to know this level of talent exists right here at Campbell County Health.”

Carol and her husband plan to move back to Bismarck, closer to family and friends. She wants to play more, including spending more time with family and friends, traveling, some writing, and looking into a real estate career and some consulting options. There are two large healthcare systems in Bismarck if she finds she wants to return to healthcare.

Thank you Carol, for all you’ve given to CCH and your community. You will be missed.