Path Of Progress: Jesse Ryan

Jesse has worked at Harbor for 18 years. He started working in utilities, but over the years has transitioned through various roles and is currently on the Sales Team

Path Of Progress

Path Of Progress: Jesse Ryan

October 25, 2017

Jesse has worked at Harbor for 18 years. He started working in utilities, but over the years has transitioned through various roles and is currently on the Sales Team.

Q: What roles have you held at Harbor?

J: At the Tumwater Warehouse I was Utility, Stocker, Picker, Receiving, Delivery Driver, and Inventory Control Assistant. At the Dominic’s Warehouse I was Picker, Stocker, fill in Espresso Delivery Driver, and Java Service In-House Technician. On the Sales Team I have been Java DSD Delivery, Account Manager and now Territory Sales Manager.

Q: How did you make the transition from where you started to where you are now?

J: In 1998, when I was 16 years old, I applied for a part-time afternoon position being what was essentially the janitor. I cleaned the offices, swept warehouse floors, unloaded the trucks, and emptied all the garbage cans and cardboard bins. After 6 months, my work ethic was noticed and I was promoted to afternoon Stocker. I then stocked every department in the Warehouse except the mezzanine (shoutout to the OG employees who know what that is). When I graduated high school, I started working full time as a grocery picker. I then learned how to pick in the freezer and cooler and re-pack as well. On Fridays I would come in and work as a Delivery Driver in the morning and then work as a Receiver Friday afternoons. In 2001 I was asked to assist the Grocery Supervisor in the picking operations. I would organize the pick routes, work with the loaders in staging the routes, fill outs in the orders, organize Costco and cash and carry inventory replenishments, and close the Warehouse down at night. In 2002, I started college courses and was asked to work part time as an Inventory Control Assistant while in school. In 2004, I came back to work for Harbor in the Dominic’s and Java Warehouse. Similar roles at this Warehouse led me to filling in for a Java DSD Sales Driver. That fill in role led to a full time position in May of 2005. Java DSD was incorporated into Harbor Wholesale and I became an account manager in 2008. I was then promoted to Territory Sales Manager in January 2012 and hold the same position today.

Q: How long have you been with Harbor?

J: 18 years cumulative. 1998-2003 and 2004-present.

Q: Any advice for advancing your career at Harbor?

J: Understand that nothing is given for free. Work hard, be reliable, show up early, continually look to improve yourself and never be satisfied with where you are. Never say no to a task asked of you and always show an eagerness to fulfill even the most mundane of tasks.

Q: As a long standing employee, what do you think is the most important quality to have to get your career started at Harbor?

J: Self motivation and reliability.

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Path of Progress: Eric Luken

Posted on: October 25, 2017

Eric has worked at Harbor for 20 years, starting out as a Merchandiser, and eventually moving into his current role of Creative Manager. Q: What roles have you held at Harbor? A: I was hired as a Merchandiser (Store Solutions today). I did that for about a year and a half. I was then asked if I was interested in working as a buyer in the Purchasing Department. I had no experience in this area, but I was eager to learn, so I accepted the job as the buyer for HABA & GM. Soon afterwards I was approached to take lead in our Planogram program called Merchandising Solutions. This was much more of a job that I was suited for, as I had a design background so I welcomed the opportunity. Planograms soon led to more design projects and this was really the birth of Marketing at Harbor. Harbor was undeniably growing and needed to evolve. Today I stand as the Creative Manager and I’m very proud of how far not only Marketing, but Harbor has come during my time here. Q: How did you make the transition from where you started to where you are now? A: My path within Harbor has been a little unconventional and nonlinear, but that has allowed me to gain experience in other departments and learn more about how the company works as a whole. This has only made me better at my job and allows me to see the bigger picture. Hard work opened up opportunities for me that might not have come otherwise. In the end I’m doing a job that I love and I feel lucky every day that I get to work with an amazing team and for a company that stands behind their values. Q: How long have you been with Harbor? A: 20 years Q: Any advice for advancing your career at Harbor? A: My advice for anyone looking to advance at Harbor is to find a way to make a difference. Be passionate about what you do, be the person people want to come to for answers and show your team you are eager to learn as much as you can about our business even if it’s outside of your comfort zone. Q: As a long standing employee, what do you think is the most important quality to have to get your career started at Harbor? A: I would have to say being resourceful. Be a problem solver and always be positive….see any potential difficulty as a challenge and not a road block.

Path Of Progress

Path of Progress: Alex Johnson

Posted on: October 25, 2017

Through Alex's years at Harbor, he has held various roles starting as a Procurement Intern and working his way up to his current role as a Logistics Manager. Q: How did you make the transition from where you started to where you are now? A: My time at Harbor started in Procurement where we worked closely with the logistics department. Over time, when permitted, I was able to sit down and job-shadow the previous logistics manager allowing me to get a better understanding of the day-to-day process and the industry. I eventually started lending a hand with projects like collecting data for analysis, communicating with carriers, and stepping in where needed. This provided the experience needed to take on the Logistics Manager role when it became available. Q: How long have you been with Harbor? A: 6.5 years Q: Any advice for advancing your career at Harbor? A: Harbor allows you the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone to try new things. Communicating with your manager about something you are interested in and want to learn more about can go a long way. Whether it’s within your current department or not, they can help you find time to explore your interests. Q: What roles have you held at Harbor? A: Procurement Intern, Replenishment Buyer, Pricing and Logistics Specialist, Northlink Logistics - Logistics Manager Q: What do you think is the most important quality to have to get your career started at Harbor? A: I believe collaboration is the most important quality to succeed at Harbor. Every day you face a new challenge that requires you to problem-solve with other departments, customers, and our vendors. Having the skill of collaborating well with others leads to improved productivity, creativity, while also building strong connections. Trust is also built through collaboration which goes a long way as you continue your journey at Harbor.

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