College Intern to Director of Quality-the Tekmos Experience

This October will be my 6th year as a Tekmos employee. Oh- how time flies. Tekmos has gotten to see me graduate college, buy my first house, get married, and so much more! So-I think it’s only fitting to write an article about my experience within the company and a few life changing principles I have learned in the many different roles as; Intern, Assembly Engineer, and Director of Quality.

I started at Tekmos in 2014 as an Engineering Intern helping the design and layout of Printed Circuit Boards (PCB). I was familiar with working on CAD programs, so I was able to pick up the PCB software easily, but there was one important lesson I still needed to learn; admitting to my mistakes. Not every PCB I designed was functional, which meant my 20 year old self made numerous arguments blaming others for the mistakes. After one failed (expensive) project and my countless excuses blaming others, Lynn Reed, President, sat down in my cubicle with me and shared some wisdom about taking ownership of my work, including the mistakes, because in the end the project is ultimately my responsibility. Those simple, self-explanatory words changed my view on how to embrace mistakes and take ownership. Yes, I still made mistakes on some PCBs, but my attitude towards failure had drastically changed.

My next important learning experience came after I got promoted to an Assembly Engineer. This promotion meant I was now transitioning into a role I had little knowledge in and leaving the comfort-ability of PCB designing. I had to embrace getting out of my comfort zone and take initiative on learning a subject outside of the classroom. Although- fellow Tekmos employees graciously helped along the way. Specifically Test Floor Technician, Phil Buck, who spent many patient hours explaining the assembly process of ICs, machine operations/troubleshooting, and even the importance of electrical safety while working on test floors. With his help, I learned how to get comfortable with my new role as an Assembly Engineer and be humble in times of the unfamiliarity.

Fast forward one year, VP of Operations, Jon Gehm, introduced me to the Quality Management System (QMS). Initially, I was assisting him with audit prepping and reorganization, but over time he encouraged me to take leadership on the AS9100 quality system upgrade and set a goal to become the Director of Quality at Tekmos. This encouragement really tested my self-confidence and I had to learn to push myself beyond my set boundaries. I had many learning curves on what it meant to be in a Director position, but it eventually led me to grow a voice in meetings, audits, improvement plans, and much more. Eventually I was promoted to Director of Quality and have been at this role since 2017.

Because of the leadership and environment at Tekmos I have learned how to admit to mistakes, embrace the uncomfortable, and gain self-confidence.

Tekmos offers various internship programs for college students in the summer, as well as openings for design engineer positions for those wanting their own Tekmos Experience.