A sign of a great company is having staff who have not only been there for years but who have grown within that time. Engineering Technician Lead, James C., has been a part of the EZ-ACCESS® team for over 17 years. He started in Manufacturing, placing stickers on our aluminum ramps.
“I've worked my way up to a Welder and then a Weld Lead. After that, I worked for a short time with Inventory and Scheduling. When EZ decided to do more complex customs, I helped set that up and took over. Then, I moved to Research & Development as a helper. Now I'm the lead.”
James sees the difference he and the EZ-ACCESS team make in the lives of those around them. He has been present for many of these moments because he has been part of many installations of modular access systems donated by the company. Volunteering and helping the community is a thread woven throughout the fabric of EZ-ACCESS’s existence, with everyone giving back in different ways. One of his most memorable installations was for a young lady whose mom had to carry her up and down the stairs for school or any time she left the house. The installation James and the EZ-ACCESS team performed allowed the young woman to be independent in a way that many people take for granted every day.
During his nearly two decades with EZ-ACCESS, James has taken part in a variety of projects ranging from residential ramps to commercial stairs, but another one of his favorites was the Museum of Flight project in Seattle, Washington.
“The barriers that the Engineering and Manufacturing teams had to overcome opened doors to more complex projects,” he says. This innovation is part of how the Leadership team challenges all the staff to think outside the box. James notes that there’s never a lack of creativity. In James’s words, “From new ways to make existing products more efficient to new products that give people the access they deserve,” he and his colleagues are always challenged to strive to be the best in the access solution industry.
A key quality held throughout the company is the dedication the team has to helping one another. When James had a recent family emergency back home in Washington State, the EZ-ACCESS team helped him plan the trip home. During a stressful time, the support he received from his work family made a difference. “This is my family away from my family. They always made this more than just a job.” It’s the culture of treating employees with care that has in turn had a positive impact on the communities and world around us.