Q: How did you decide on a career in supply chain?
A: I was attracted to supply chain because I can get a good grasp of how the overall business is behaving with inbound and outbound operations and processes. I like to know and understand the general overview of the business.
Q: Can you share what you do as a buyer?
A: The goal is to meet our customers’ expectations and have parts ready when and where they need them. This requires reviewing part availability, placing orders to meet lead times and avoid backorders, ordering stock parts to replenish supplies, confirming the parts we ship are received, reviewing backorder reports, negotiating with vendors to get supplies, updating our pricing in system and more.
Q: What do you like most about your role?
A: I like the interaction with suppliers and the challenge of something new each day. I enjoy solving problems and taking on new challenges to give customers the best experience. The pace is fast and dynamic. The interaction with other departments including engineering, quality, shipping and receiving is great. Having happy customers is what we want for our business and our procurement team has a very important role in making that happen.
Q: What are your career plans?
A: I am finishing up my master’s degree in industrial management now. After that I plan to get my certification in supply chain management. I also want to explore different roles within the supply chain – commodity manager, materials manager, logistics and more. There are so many areas that I’m interested in. This profession is very broad and gives you a lot of range to move around and be challenged.
Q: What advice do you have for someone thinking of a supply chain career?
A: I was originally going to get a business degree but friends suggested industrial engineering. Going the engineering route gave me the basics of engineering but also the tools to speak the same language as my counterparts. I also suggest being open to explore other areas and try new experiences to give yourself more tools and more knowledge.
Q: What is your relationship with your team?
A: My team is always helpful. I’m new and they were welcoming from the start. No one is ever too busy to stop and help me. They want me to succeed.
Q: What makes Pella, Iowa a good fit for you?
A: We had a four-month-old baby when we made the decision to move to Pella. Being bilingual allowed me to find a good job in Pella. This is a great community to raise children. There are great schools, we feel safe and the quality of life is amazing. There are jobs here and that prosperity is important. It was a big change from living in a large city, but it’s been great for my family.
Q: Why did you choose a career at Vermeer?
A: What attracted me to Vermeer was the culture. I knew a lot of people who worked here who shared the great culture. And it’s true. You can see how the company cares about you here. It’s not just about money, it’s about people. You’re taken care of and that’s important. I believe a good culture is important to the success of a company. To have a really well-defined culture and then applying it throughout the business is key.
I also wanted to be part of a large organization where there are more career prospects. I appreciate the variety of segments Vermeer works in. It gives me more opportunities and I am able to grow and learn all the time.