Bucky's Story

Bucky Hinz began his career with Homes for Independent Living (HIL), a MyPath Company in 2019 as a casual, part-time Direct Support Professional (DSP). This year, he celebrates a milestone of seven years with the organization. What started as a part-time role quickly evolved into a dedicated career path driven by Bucky’s desire to support clients on a full-time basis. To expand his impact, Bucky transitioned into a Float DSP role, providing versatile, high-quality care across multiple programs in the Wausau area for nearly three years. For the past three years, he has continued his support within a single, dedicated program.

Colleagues describe Bucky as an exceptionally compassionate and supportive DSP who treats every client with dignity and adapts seamlessly to changing needs at a moment’s notice. As a reliable and dedicated employee-owner, Bucky serves as a role model for his peers, consistently advocating for clients to live their lives to the fullest. Among his favorite activities is facilitating community integration, accompanying clients on outings to local events such as the balloon festival and zoo visits, and sharing in their joy as they engage with the community.

Bucky’s tenure at HIL has also been a journey of personal and professional development. He notes that his role has significantly strengthened his patience and understanding—two essential attributes in the human services field. Furthermore, Bucky has excelled in peer mentorship. Leveraging his diverse experience across various programs, he actively shares best practices and lessons learned with fellow employee-owners. He is particularly passionate about onboarding and training new staff, ensuring they are thoroughly prepared and supported as they begin their careers at HIL.