HOW DID YOU AND BLACKLIDGE “MEET”?
Eight years ago, a close friend of mine who worked in the accounting department reached out to me saying she needed help. My career was in accounting for the gaming industry, and I was looking for a change. Blacklidge was the perfect fit.
WHAT’S YOUR ROLE AND DAY-TO-DAY AT BLACKLIDGE?
I do everything from overseeing accounts receivable and payable to collections to payroll. I have a small staff – four members right now, but we’re planning to grow – and we are constantly learning new information about different states’ tax and auditing regulations because Blacklidge is moving forward so fast. Right now, we’re focused on Texas because we have a new plant set to go there. I have a great team here; even though we’re small, we accomplish a lot.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT AT BLACKLIDGE?
Blacklidge has really grown in the past few years, and we’re continuing to experience unprecedented success. Watching all of that growth and being a part of it is really an amazing experience.
WHAT DO YOU SEE IN STORE FOR THE FUTURE OF BLACKLIDGE?
The future for Blacklidge is going to be great. We’ve had a lot of change in management over the past several years, and we are really headed in the right direction. Now more than ever before, we are focused on our employees – their safety, their opinions, their strengths – and that has been wonderful. Our CFO is also very focused on the team and we’ve made some reporting changes that really bring transparency to the management staff. The team is well-equipped to make smart business decisions.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO PRODUCT INNOVATION IN THE ASPHALT/EMULSION INDUSTRY?
While my role is not in product development, I have been able to watch all of our product innovations come to fruition. The development of UltraFuse has been especially interesting to see. My team takes BETA Lab tours to learn about the tech side of the business, and I’m really proud of the developments we as a company have made.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Reading is my favorite pastime. I also love renovating our house with my husband of 12 years, Patrick, and helping other people renovate their homes. We have four children and three dogs, and they all are the loves of our lives!