How long have you been working at Phoenix Mecano and have you always been doing the same thing here?
This past June will be 10 years with Phoenix Mecano. I started as a screen printer and now I wear a multitude of hats. My title is Lead for Surface Treatment and Assembly, but I float around to a bunch of different areas, most recently helping with TEFELEN. I think it’s important to move people around– you don’t want to get too sedentary.
What aspect(s) about your job do you really enjoy?
Believe it or not, I really enjoy the chaos. For some reason, I work better when I’m being pulled in different directions and have an ongoing To-Do list. I get a sense of satisfaction if I can get a bunch of things done instead of just one thing at a time. There are just so many things going on at once in Production that you have to adapt.
What’s something interesting people might not know about you?
I’m pretty much an open book, so a lot of people might already know this, but I’m heavily involved in Boy Scouts. I’ve continuously been charted in a Boy Scout unit for the last 42 years.
What is one thing people don’t know about Phoenix Mecano’s products that you think they would find surprising or interesting?
I think they’d be shocked at the variety of products we make. You could walk across the Production floor right now and see 40 to 50 enclosures at one time. Tomorrow, there could be 40-50 different ones. You can go from lifting columns to enclosures to Frameworks in the blink of an eye. I still get excited when I come in every day because the possibilities of what we’ll make are endless.
If there is anything else you could do for a living, what would it be?
I’d retire! In all seriousness, I really enjoy this line of work. I’ve been screen printing my whole life – there isn’t another job for me. In my opinion, this company treats its people well and is a solid company to work for. I plan to retire here.
What is your background? Ex: where are you originally from, where did you go to school, etc.
I grew up in Parkersburg, West Virginia and graduated high school in 1985. My father owned a garment screen printing business so that’s where I got my start in this field. I moved over to this area that same year and went to Shepherd University. I fell in love with a girl and have been married 26 years. I also have an 18-year-old son who works for a metal shop in Virginia doing welding.
What is your favorite pastime?
I’d probably have to say Boy Scouts. I hunt and fish a lot too, but most of my time is spent working and scouting.
How do you feel about Phoenix Mecano’s work environment? Do you like the people you work with? Is it a team environment? Can you have fun with your job?
I very much like the environment and people I work with but it is ever changing. We are continually getting better, making physical changes throughout the plant all the time, bringing in new personnel all the time… I dig it. We are always hiring in this department so there’s never a dull moment!
“One of Steve’s best characteristics is his ability to figure out what makes a person smile. His charismatic and gregarious nature brings a breath of fresh air to Production, and I’m proud he’s helping to lead our team the way he is.” says Phoenix Mecano’s Production Manager, Marc Berman. “Steve is elastic – he adapts to things and is an example of someone who comes in and gets stuff done. He’s good at managing the chaos, but also knows when to offload tasks onto other people. Being involved as a Scout leader all these years has actually helped him at Phoenix Mecano; he knows how to encourage, lead and train those around him and can ratchet down a difficult situation using tactics that are appropriate to the circumstances.”
At Phoenix Mecano, we are proud to work with such a talented and dedicated team that brings years of combined wisdom and experience to our company. We hope you enjoyed learning more about Steve and we can’t wait to bring you more ‘Spotlights’ in the weeks and months ahead. Stay tuned to our blog to see what’s next!
