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Rachel is the first female plant manager in the 43-year history of Southern
pine plywood—and a great example of how Georgia-Pacific is providing opportunities to skilled
employees regardless of gender and ethnicity. But Rachel's appointment as the Taylorsville
plywood plant manager is also notable because of her personal outlook, which embraces change
and constantly looks for a better way of doing things while encouraging team members to
participate in the process.
When You Enjoy What You Do, The Work Day Just Flows"My father was a contractor and I grew up in the building industry. Construction has always been my passion in life and I realized early on that I wanted to be part of this industry so I set out to become an engineer. I always thought I'd be on the construction end of the business; not managing a building products plant, but this is a perfect fit for me. My background and knowledge of the building process has prepared me well for this job. "Being the first woman in this role seems pretty natural, the biggest challenge is overcoming the past paradigms around overall work culture. When you're the first, you have to prove yourself. "I was here a couple of years ago as safety manager, so employees knew me personally, they just didn't know what to expect from me in a different role. What they are getting is someone who is fair and will listen, but also someone who wants to hear from them. I am on the plant floor as many hours a day as possible—talking, but mainly listening. "Involvement is not a one-way street. As a manager I strive to engage employees, because while our competitors can often copy technology, products and structures, they can't replicate a team of highly charged, motivated people who care. "We want all of our employees, and we have about 400 at Taylorsville, to use their skills to generate the greatest contribution to the company. This means that it's important to hear their ideas and suggestions on how we can change, modify and improve to create value. The employees recognize that their voices are being heard, and they have a newfound sense of ownership in the company. I tell them they are my customers and that I work for them, and I treat them accordingly. "I see plywood manufacturing from my perspective as an engineer. The process is a chain reaction—you look at the strengths and weaknesses and adjust accordingly. We're making adjustments at Taylorsville every day and things are continually changing here, and we're working to instill a deeper understanding of our role in the industry. That, combined with my management style, has meant a lot of transformation at Taylorsville. "But, when you enjoy what you do, the work day just flows." < Back to the People Home Page |
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