Year 1 at ALL4

This week marks the completion of my first year at ALL4 (and my first year in the “real world”).  So far, I’ve been able to hang out with Oompa Loompas, meet the most important man in Pennsylvania, sample exquisite Tuscan wines, and star in the sequel of Wall-E!  Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but I did have a pretty amazing year…

Almost immediately when I began working at ALL4, I took part in several “Recess Events” ranging from a kickball game (turns out Dan Dix is a much better runner than outfielder…) to a fancy wine tasting, and it didn’t take me long to realize that the people around me were quickly becoming more than just co-workers.  I was also given the opportunity to assist in recruiting students from my Alma Mater, Villanova University.  Working for ALL4 has exposed me to a variety of responsibilities and opportunities very early in my career.

I’ve been lucky enough to have had more than one of those, “I’ll tell my Grandkids this story” moments.  One of my favorite events was attending Pennsylvania’s 2013 Best Places to Work awards dinner.  I was having a great time cheering on the company with my colleagues when Kevin Hickey, one of our four (4) principals, leaned over and asked “Would you mind getting that award for us?”  I was shocked (and flattered) and before I knew it I was on stage accepting the award for Third Best Company in PA and shaking hands with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett!  Soon after, I had the opportunity to tour the facility of one of our clients, Blommer Chocolate Company, with Tom Saylor.  Blommer is the largest cocoa processor in North America, and although I got my hopes up (and yours), they didn’t actually have Oompa Loompas running around.  However, they do have amazing chocolate and gave us fresh samples right off the line!  Another incredible facility I was lucky enough to visit is the Mercedes-Benz plant near Tuscaloosa, AL.  As an engineer (read: nerd), I was enthralled by the paint shop which is powered by high-tech processes and adorable robots (and of course I couldn’t help but picture Wall-E)!  We were even taken for a trip around the off-road track which is complete with a 70-degree drop (the equivalent of many roller coasters).  It was terrifying and completely awesome.

Another opportunity that was presented by ALL4 was the chance to make a bold change and relocate to Atlanta.  Having grown up in Allentown, PA and gone to school in Philadelphia, this would be a pretty big (and exciting!) change for me.  Despite my nerves, I went for it and the relocation has already provided me with so many career, travel, and growth opportunities. Since moving this past January, I’ve traveled to some incredibly historic cities including New Orleans and Charleston.  I’ve met countless new people and branched out of my comfort zone, and I became part of another tight-knit ALL4 family – the Atlanta Office.

I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such amazing people and to have been afforded such incredible opportunities so early in my career, and I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store for me!