All Stars

4 N E W M A N U F A C T U R I N G A L L I A N C E COURTESY OF ALEX ZACARIAS, 3N PRODUCTIONS, LLC Erica Burke Georgia-Pacific, Green Bay What does your company make? Paper products like tissues, napkins and paper towels. What do you do there? Create purchase orders for goods and services, manage and optimize inventory, and adhere to internal financial controls. What are the most interesting things about your job? Every day is a new challenge, and my department gets an opportunity to be involved in projects across the facility, whether it's a new capital project or bidding a new prescription eyewear supplier. How did you decide on this career path? I knew I wanted my degree in business, but I love the manufacturing industry because you can see a tangible product being made based on your work and effort. What kind of education or training do you have? I have a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, as well as additional supervisor and negotiation training. What kind of technology do you use and interact with? Procurement uses multiple purchasing systems, and we are working more with bots — a type of artificial intelligence that automates information and assists with reordering. We also use numerous reporting tools and tracking systems for time and materials. ASSISTANT PURCHASING & STOREROOM MANAGER Online: Watch Erica talk about working at Georgia-Pacific. newmfgalliance.org Check out Georgia-Pacific's website at gp.com. N E W M A N U FA C T U R I N G A L L I A N C E ALL STAR O What does your company make? Wet wipes and coffee filters. What do you do there? Provide guidance and development to my team and make sure we meet customer expectations and plant-wide safety, quality and production standards. What are the most interesting things about your job? I like seeing my team grow professionally and personally. When we do one-on-one meetings, they tell me where they want to see themselves in a year or five years. As a team lead, I can direct them and help them to grow. How did you decide on this career path? I wanted to prove to my girls that I could make a career in manufacturing — they're thinking about career paths already and are learning that there are lots of careers within the manufacturing workplace. What kind of education or training do you have? What prepared you for this job? On-the-job training provided the technical skills, and outside classes like Dale Carnegie provide the leadership skills. How does your company promote teamwork, and what is your role in a team within your company or your department? We have meetings every single day with different departments to see what we need to get the product out the door, and if there are any Patricia Cordero Rockline Industries, Sheboygan OPERATIONS TEAM LEADER N E W M A N U FA C T U R I N G A L L I A N C E ALL STAR O Online: Watch Patricia talk about her work as a team leader at Rockline. newmfgalliance.org Check out Rockline's website at rocklineind.com.

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