Jesus Garcia - Where Are They Now?
Jesus Garcia, Plant Manager, Olympic Steel, Minneapolis, MN
Catching up with one of our previously featured IAM stories, Jesus Garcia shares some fun facts about himself and how his career continues to evolve at Olympic Steel.
As we head into our seventh year of sharing IAM Olympic Steel employee stories, we realized a good number of our previously featured employees have had big changes since their original story published. In between this year’s new employee stories, you’ll see some previously introduced employees in a feature called IAM Olympic Steel - Where Are They Now?
This month is Jesus Garcia, originally featured in 2020.From Quality Manager at our Minneapolis, MN Plate facility to Plant Manager at Minneapolis, MN Coil facility, we caught up with Jesus to learn a little bit about his current role, which Core Value he best represents and a few fun tidbits to help you get to know him better.
Explain how you made the move into your current position. Was it part of an established career development plan or did you seek out the new role? Why?
I pursued an expanded role through conversations with my previous manager, Matt Grussing, where I made sure to mention that I was interested in taking on more challenges and new learning opportunities within the organization. Matt gave me the opportunity to take the Quality Manager role at Minneapolis Plate; I held that role for three years. At that time, Plant Manager at Minneapolis Coil became available and Matt encouraged me to apply. I was selected for the position and have learned so much about business operations.
Which of Olympic Steel’s 10 Core Values do you feel you best represent and why?
Safety is one of the Core Values that I prioritize. I’m happy to work for a company that takes Safety seriously. Our CEO, Mr. Rick Marabito, has mentioned that Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Similarly, I strive to lead by example through active involvement with the safety walks, at both the Coil and Plate facilities, and through maintaining continuous, open communication with employees.
Who has most significantly influenced your career?
I am driven and passionate about accepting new challenges. Olympic Steel has been great at supporting my desire to stretch and learn new things. Management’s openness to provide opportunities and promote internal candidates gives the incentive to work hard to grow within the Company.
Where did you grow up and what brought you to Minneapolis, MN?
I grew up in Mexico and came to Minnesota to be close to family.
What is your favorite work memory?
Being part of the group that planned a retirement celebration for an employee who was a military Veteran and worked for Olympic Steel for 45 years. We organized a BBQ and had a really great turnout for the event, including his wife and other retirees who came back to the division to celebrate with him.
What advice do you have for others who might be interested in an open position within Olympic Steel that's different than their current path?
If you want something, don’t just think about it – take action and work toward your goals. If you want to grow in the company, apply for opportunities as they arise. And don’t discount lateral moves – they can provide valuable learning experiences needed to advance your career. Make the best out of every experience and remember that there is always someone in the organization who would like to help you develop your career. We have many resources available to work toward your development goals and you should reach out to your supervisors and/or your HR contact for additional information.
