Multiple paths to success at T&B

I’m originally from Louisiana and first came to T&B’s office in Memphis in 2001 as a structural drafter. I had a friend from college that was working at T&B and they encouraged me to apply.  It was a great opportunity in a large corporation with a family-focused environment and a successful track record.  Watching my mentor progress within the company was so inspiring for someone like me, who was so young in their career.

The management team encourages growth, but unlike most companies they also encourage you to make a succession plan by preparing for the next rung in your career ladder; complacency is not an option. We have great leaders, mentors and a great executive team. Before I received my master’s degree, the president of the division encouraged me to finish and then followed up on my progress. He made sure I was on the right track to maximize my career potential in the company.

People at T&B take the time to ask about your family and how it factors into your work-life balance. They support family values, which I respect and appreciate. It’s a secure company, a healthy business where you have the freedom to move to different areas or divisions. This is a long-term career for me with multiple paths to success and ways for me to provide for my family. 

At T&B I am part of the solution

I came to Thomas and Betts through an acquisition six years ago and have fifteen years experience in environmental safety.  It is fulfilling to know that I am a part of the solution as it relates to reducing risk and exposure for both employees and the company. I enjoy working with all of the divisions and business units within the organization. The opportunity to work with different people from different backgrounds both domestically and internationally has been rewarding

At our company, we want to be compliant but we also want to far exceed it. We sell employees and leadership on new philosophies and safety programs. It’s a win when employees feel that I am accessible and approachable; they feel free to come to me with questions and engage in follow up conversation. It’s very rewarding and satisfying.

T&B has a philosophy of promoting personal and professional development.  Professionally, I have been able to bring additional tools to enhance current safety practices and the latitude to make effective decisions.  There are no limits to learning and growing in your position or for the next position. Personally, I work remotely and they encourage telecommuters to volunteer within the community. This means a lot to me. It’s important to be an active part of your community. T&B sees their employees as assets. 

T&B empowers me to advance

I came to Memphis right out of school from the University of Missouri Rolla for my job at T&B. I sensed that there was a lot of room to learn and grow within their company structure.  It turned out that I was right and I am very happy about the decision I made.  My degree is in mechanical engineering so I began with the company as a product engineer in the electrical division.

The most exciting part of this job is watching the people I mentor or manage develop professionally and gain confidence in themselves. I also feel a sense of pride in watching the projects my team and I work on make a difference in  the company. We work hard and make great accomplishments every day. I like what I do. We are here to solve problems and help the company perform better. I enjoy managing and coaching my team to do this and to improve their work skills. I embrace challenge and this job always presents good challenges that keep me interested and engaged.

Though, I came into the company as an engineer, I always had an interest in management one day. I think my superiors probably saw more in me than I did, which goes to show that the company takes an interest in its employees and what they like to do, making sure we have the opportunity to advance in our areas of interest. T&B really makes an investment in their people.

T&B cares about my career path

I came to T&B 16 years ago because I heard it was a great company. It had a good reputation in the industry and in the city. I wanted to be in a big company where I knew there would be room for growth. I had another offer from one of the Fortune 500 corporations in Memphis but chose T&B because I knew they cared about their people. I began my career as a customer service representative and was promoted after only one year. From there my career succession has grown steadily to an Inside Sales Manager.

A positive work environment is really important to me and T&B provides that.  My main motivation is my team and how I can best support them. I work hard to supply the answers that they need so that together, we can provide a positive customer experience. I’m here to make a difference.

One of the benefits of working here is that they provide the necessary tools for your career path. If you choose to utilize them, you determine where you want to go. I plan to continue to promote myself within the company. I’ve had the privilege of taking part in the Foundations of Management Excellence (FME) leadership program, which was a 6-month long initiative. Not a lot of companies offer a structured leadership program or accelerated programs for their people. I can really appreciate that T&B is a company that cares.