“Never go back, always look to move forward.”
This mantra was something my father stood by and would reiterate whenever we discussed any potential career move. He believed in climbing the corporate ladder, as well as advancing in his career. Even though he was never one to burn bridges, he also believed that your career was a one-way street. There was never a rewind, a back button, a boomerang.
I remember a co-worker pulling me aside as I was leaving a job, stating “Don’t forget to keep in touch; you can always come back!”. I nodded politely, but internally, the idea of returning to an old employer ran counter to the advice my father gave me. I was determined to forge ahead, to embrace new opportunities and challenges.
Six years ago, I decided that maybe that wasn’t true, and maybe it was time to put my father’s mantra to the test.
My engineering journey began parallel to my career at Applied Control Engineering. After receiving my BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Delaware, I spotted my former Sequential Logic Teaching Assistant at a career fair, leading to an interview and ultimately, a job offer.
What initially drew me to ACE was the vibrant atmosphere. During my office tour, I witnessed teams collaborating on a variety of projects and equipment, with younger engineers working alongside the more experienced colleagues. It was clear that ACE valued mentorship and strived to foster a culture of learning. By the end of my first week, any lingering doubts vanished; I knew I had found a great place to work.
For my first project, I was given the task of developing screens (in Wonderware InTouch) for a biopharmaceutical pilot plant. I was quickly integrated into a project team of five, and it was in that collaborative environment that I realized this was the career path I was meant to pursue.
However, in the spring of 2003, I found myself in a position to take my career in a different direction. After a brief detour, I was hired by a distributor, who recognized my InTouch and Historian experience. This opportunity allowed me to leverage the skills I had developed while at ACE into a career as an applications consultant, providing best practices, architecture planning, and support for systems integrators and end users alike. Fast forward to 15 years later, and I had become a leading subject matter expert in System Platform and all the software products Wonderware (now AVEVA) had to offer, as well as an expert in HMI / SCADA architectures and best practices overall.
Even with this success, I found myself again at a crossroads in my career. After some very serious discussions with my family, I felt like it was the right time, both on a professional and personal level, to make another move. Reflecting on my time with ACE, I started to miss the variety of day-to-day challenges, the relationships I developed, and the overall company atmosphere. So, I took a chance. I reached out to a former colleague I was still in touch with and inquired about possibly coming back to ACE.
After many conversations, I was back. While things had changed in the 15 years I was gone, the core reasons I wanted to return had stayed true. I was working on new software systems providing customers with best-in-class solutions that spanned vendors. I was able to leverage my experience to provide advice on project proposals and technologies. The leadership team continued to live by the mission statement that I had valued during my first employment at ACE, and I truly had a work-life balance that fit the needs of both me and my family.
Within my first few weeks, and in the following years, I found that I wasn’t the only person who left ACE, only to return years later. There are several of us, and that roster of “boomerangs” continues to grow. It’s a testament to the culture that ACE provides, and something that I make sure to highlight to all prospective employees that come to interview.
One of the key reasons that I came back to ACE is their support of their next generation programs, professional development and student recruitment. While at U of D, I participated in the Russell Fellow program, a mentorship program where upperclassmen live with and advise freshmen Honors students. This program sparked my interest in mentoring. I feel that it’s essential to foster an environment where the younger workforce feels supported in their professional development. As such, I’ve gone from executing projects to mentoring the next generation of ACE engineers. I’ll be honest, mentoring these engineers and watching them become not only self-sufficient, but mentors themselves, is just as (if not more) rewarding to me than leading and delivering a successful project myself.
Reflecting on my journey, I’ve come to appreciate the value of the connections we make along the way, and how those connections shape our opportunities. I also have come to the realization that returning to familiar ground doesn’t mean stagnation; it provides a chance to build on what you’ve learned and contribute in new ways. The buildings and the people may be different, but in the right circumstances, you can go home again, and 6+ years later, I can confidently say that I’m better for making that decision.
If you are interested in joining the ACE team, please visit our careers page.