My Path to Operations Management

I started at ACE in early 2018, coming from a DCS background in the power industry. One of the things that was most apparent to me when I joined ACE was the value we placed on operations and technical expertise. At ACE, engineers are recognized as the driving force of our business and success. I loved working on controls projects, learning new programs, and being in the field. I had no interest in project management or sales, and ACE made it clear that a career path focused on projects, field work, and technical leadership was valued. The people who make projects successful, teach others best practices, over-deliver on project solutions, and solve problems are integral to the organization regardless of titles or positions. I saw year-over-year how much value ACE puts into our technical leadership and into our customers. I knew I could be successful at ACE choosing whatever career path appealed to me.

As I learned and grew in my role at ACE, I started to branch into things in which I never thought I would have an interest. A few of us at ACE decided to commit to taking the FE exam. Since I invested time in doing that, I found myself applying for the PE exam in 2020. When the world shut down, I literally had nothing better to do but study, so I stuck with the plan. After the PE, I swore I would never take another exam again, but I have a feeling I won’t stick with that promise if the opportunity comes up.

Even when I first started at ACE, I was never afraid to share my opinions on improvement and to push back on what I thought was the best path for the big picture. When I saw problems, I tried to fix them, and made sure people heard my perspective. Luckily, I had supervisors and mentors in the company who invested hours into listening and teaching, and never discouraged my ideas (though I’m sure I was difficult at times).

There was one project a few years ago that I was leading with an aggressive schedule, and I had recognized that we had fallen behind. One of the Operations Managers, being a subject matter expert in the technology, jumped in to tackle programming, resolve punchlist items, and execute our internal tests so the project could stay on schedule and to ensure the success of the project. This example is only one of many that I have seen during projects, site calls, or proposal efforts where colleagues, regardless of official roles or responsibilities, have stepped in to help in a pinch simply because there was a need. I think it is a testament to the type of company ACE is, and another reminder that individuals at ACE can drive their own career success.

Around 2022, I became a team lead with little to no confidence of my qualifications in engineering management. I just knew I had a lot of opinions and was never afraid to share them. What it gave me was a better conduit to listen to others’ ideas, see the bigger picture, and try to solve problems. Being closer to the day to day across two offices, I saw everything as opportunities for ACE. As a team lead, I’ve gotten to see colleagues take on new roles and responsibilities, step up to unexpected challenges, and make others at the company great engineers. One of the best parts of the job is recognizing growth, strengths, weaknesses, and people’s drives and passions.

That same year, I started visiting Lehigh University’s controls class and presenting what a career in controls and system integration looked like in the “real world.” Our demonstration included sequence control with the look and feel of a real HMI. One colleague, when asked about how he learned about ACE, tells people it was in that chemical engineering class. Since visiting my old controls class, I’ve done similar presentations at other schools such as Widener. I’ve enjoyed involving as many people at ACE as possible in college outreach, and sharing with students what a career in controls means.

At some point I found myself getting more involved in sales and actually enjoying it. I realized how much of sales is driven by operations, and that I did not have to give up technical leadership to do both. It’s one of the unique things about ACE: getting involved in aspects of the company or business doesn’t mean giving up technical work. ACE will let you shape a career based on your interests and the organization’s needs.

There was no lightbulb moment that made me interested in being an Operations Manager. Operations Managers at ACE are responsible for the all-encompassing day-to-day, but they are also able to create the role that benefits the needs of the organization and their own interests, skills, and expertise much like other engineers at ACE. The organization is setup to succeed when management is close to employees. I saw through the success of previous OMs that I did not need to give up closeness to project execution, sales, technical leadership, customers, and employees. Instead, Operations Managers are positioned to stay close to all of that and to better support employees who are driving the values and success at ACE.

I am most excited to see how Lehigh Valley and ACE can grow and shape over the next few years. I’ve seen colleagues move into full-time project management and full-time account management, I’ve seen some grow into hybrid operations positions, and I’ve seen others become integral company-wide subject matter experts for certain technologies and industries. At ACE, no single employee knows everything, but behind one engineer is a network of engineers with different experiences and expertise ready to help at a moment’s notice.

If you are interested in being a part of ACE check out our careers page. You can also learn more about our company culture here.