Veterans Day Highlight: From Army to NSTAR
November 11, 2020
By Antoine Marion
Happy Veterans Day!
As you may know, veterans comprise a significant portion of our NSTAR® identity, and we could not be more honored to have them on our team.
Through the years, veterans have consistently been a positive part of our culture, and we’re proud to give back to those who have dedicated themselves to serve our country, placing others before themselves. Military veterans possess technical skills that align well with many of our job requirements, as we’ve discussed on our hiring site. With our NSTAR family comprising nearly 38% veterans, we see the value of investing in veterans as they transition to civilian life every day.
Having many veteran leaders on our NSTAR team who bring insights to better their teams and clients is one of our greatest honors. Today we spotlight Ardi Pitre, a site supervisor at a semiconductor manufacturing facility in the Phoenix metropolitan area. In this role, she interacts with technicians at the fab to assist with any administrative or human resources needs. Ardi acts as the messenger between the site and our corporate office in Garner, North Carolina. Additionally, she ensures the client is satisfied with the completed work. Ardi gracefully balances many tasks and people in this leadership position with her skills honed during her military service.
Her experience in the Army as a Soldier and wheeled vehicle mechanic made her stand out as a good fit for our organization. Her military background allowed her to work with large, diverse groups of people and accomplish difficult tasks together. This experience made her both a good follower and a good leader.
Ardi has actively served in the Army for 19 years, learning valuable skills along the way. To this day, she is proud to still serve on the Arizona National Guard. Ardi traveled to many places within the United States and internationally, which expanded her perspective and helped mold her into the person she is today. Ardi feels privileged to have had these dynamic experiences, and is grateful for those she met along the way. She notes that investment in people is her greatest accomplishment to date, and she lives by the values of “respect speaks all languages—a simple gesture can open minds and doors.” We’re lucky to benefit from the qualities Ardi brings to the team, and proud to have her representing us in the field.
For any new veterans transitioning into civilian life, Ardi recommends being a “sponge”—you need to be willing to absorb all of the new information around you. When you combine this knowledge with the confidence and teamwork the military is known for, success is within grasp. For Ardi, working in high tech has provided her access to a wealth of information within a new field. She shares that the technicians and engineers she works with daily are more than happy to share their knowledge and expertise. Ardi encourages new workers to apply these skills to the job at hand. She explains that if you maintain the core values that have been instilled in you by the military, you’ll represent your new company effectively as well.
For Ardi, the bottom line is that NSTAR promotes a positive workplace experience not just on Veterans Day, but every day. Specifically, she says that NSTAR is a great employer for veterans because:
1. Focus on safety is paramount
2. There is a climate of positivity and professionalism
3. NSTAR is connected to a great network in the semiconductor field
We thank Ardi for sharing her perspective, and we thank you and all veterans for your service.
Do you think you or someone you know would be a good fit at NSTAR? Contact our director of recruiting, Elizabeth Prochaska, at eprochaska@nstargs.com.
