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Profile of Team Member – Jessica Bowling

Team 1 Plastics, a plastic injection molding company for the transportation industry, believes that “Building an exceptional company is the result of building exceptional teams with exceptional people.” Team 1 has been and continues to be a successful company because of exceptional people – its Team Members. Today continues a series of articles profiling Team 1 Plastics’ Team Members. Each month, you’ll be introduced to one of these exceptional Team Members, including Jessica Bowling.

Name: Jessica Bowling

Position: Assembly Captain

Date of Hire: 02/09/2014

Other Positions Held / Length of Each: Production Assistant – 15 months; Quality Auditor – 18 months; Assembly Assistant – 11 months; Lead Assembly Assistant – 2 months

Favorite Story / Memory during Time Working at Team 1: Jessica shared several favorite memories. The first was participating in local parades. Team 1 Plastics often participates in Albion’s annual Festival of the Forks Parade in September and the Albion Aglow Parade, held at the start of the Christmas season. “I really like participating in the parades. Last year, we did the Christmas parade, and it turned out great!”

The second memory Jessica shared occurred when she was pregnant. At the time, she was working in the Quality department. “I had a lot of issues because of the smells from the materials and the presses. It was really bad!” Jessica said, explaining that the smells made her nauseous. But, Team 1 “did whatever they could to accommodate for my condition.” In fact, her supervisor at the time, Dave Sanford, talked to Shelley Lewis, Lead Assembly Captain in the Assembly Department, and asked Shelley if Jessica might be able to join her department and become an Assembly Assistant. Shelley was agreeable so that’s what Jessica did, which as Jessica said “helped a lot!”

Jessica’s other favorite memory was attending the Winter Party last year. “That was the first one I’d ever been to, and it is was pretty nice. I really enjoyed myself.” Jessica said that she was really surprised how open and fun Team 1’s owners, Craig Carrel and Gary Grigowski, and their wives were. “They are wonderful people!”

How has Team 1 helped your Personal and/or Professional Development? Jessica said that she is a “really shy and quiet person,” and that the different positions that she has held at Team 1 have really challenged her personality and abilities. Working at Team 1 has “brought me out of my comfort zone quite a bit and made me more confident.” Jessica gave an example, saying that her shyness would sometimes cause her to be hesitant to ask questions. Once she determined in her mind that she really needed to know the answers, she approached Shelley Lewis with her questions. “Shelley was more than happy to answer them, and she did more than just answer the questions.” Shelley explained the process step by and by, and then explained why it was done that way and what would happen if it wasn’t done that way. Jessica said that she really appreciated the thorough explanation and Shelley’s willingness to help.

Jessica also really appreciated the extra training that she received in her position as a Quality Auditor. She said that she had received initial training, but was still struggling with working with some of the gauges and parts and measuring them. She summoned up her courage and told Dave Sanford, “I need more training.” Jessica said that Dave “… did not hesitate and helped me get more training. He was so willing to help – it blew my mind!”

Favorite Aspect of Working at Team 1: What Jessica “absolutely loves” about Team 1 Plastics is the way that the owners, Craig Carrel and Gary Grigowski, treat the Team Members. “They are down-to-earth kind of guys, and they know you by name. They address you, and ask you how your day is going. They are amazing owners!” She also mentioned that Team 1 is such a welcoming place with a “very friendly and family atmosphere. People walk by you and say, ‘Hi,’ or ‘Good morning,’ or ‘Have a good evening.’ Everybody is just so friendly. It’s like one big family. I just love it. I wouldn’t go anywhere else!”

What do you want to share about your life outside of Team? Jessica is married to an “amazing husband” and spends most of her time outside of Team 1 with her family. The couple has a blended family that she describes as a “Brady Bunch!” Jessica has five children – four girls and one boy – ranging from ages 15 to 1-1/2 years old. Her husband has two children – a son who is 12 and a daughter who is 11 years old.

Piece of Advice and/or Encouragement for Future Team 1 Team Members: Jessica’s advice is, “Work hard, and always remember that there are opportunities for advancement.” She said that Team 1 is the “easiest place for advancement because everybody here is willing to listen to you and to help you achieve your goals. They work with you and are willing to do whatever it takes to help you. It’s just amazing!”

Random Question: Walking on the Moon – fact or fiction? Why? Jessica said that she “kinda believes” it’s true because so many scientists say that Neil Armstrong did walk on the moon. However, because she personally can’t walk on the moon, she “kinda doesn’t believe it.” After all, “there’s not like there’s a whole lot of proof.”