Debbie Stone, Office Manager for Alberici’s Canadian division, is celebrating her 25th anniversary this year. To mark this milestone, she shared some of her experiences with Alberici.
Describe the path that brought you to your current role.
I interviewed for a full-time position with Ryco-Alberici for a position at Ford Windsor. Although the position was guaranteed for only 18 months, Ryco-Alberici seemed like the right fit for me. Here I am writing about it 25 years later. I worked in an administrative role at the Ford facilities in Windsor for almost 12 years, together with several people who remain close to my heart. From Ford, I moved to Chrysler, before travelling to Goreway in Brampton, Chrysler Brampton, Hillsdale Structures, Stone Church in Hamilton, Highland Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant in Scarborough, BioAmber in Sarnia, and then back to FCA in Windsor. I am currently in Sterling Heights, MI as an Office Manager/Financial Coordinator for ACI, where we are working as Construction Managers for FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automotive).
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
I enjoy experiencing the differences between the U.S. and Canada, and the fact that after 25 years I am still learning. I am understanding and learning the Italian culture and language, as our current Owner is from Milan, Italy. We have been working at the FCA Paint Shop for over a year, and last week I witnessed the painting of the first box. I was in awe of the robotics and the whole process. I was proud knowing Alberici played a big role in making this happen.
What do you like most about working at Alberici?
I feel great satisfaction after working so hard to complete a project, while achieving goals and milestones. I enjoy the learning environment and making each project interesting and challenging. It’s a good feeling to go home at the end of a day knowing you have accomplished something and are making a difference. I am grateful to be working with amazing people, some new and some from past projects, and to get to do it over and over again. Each new project is a new experience and that makes going to work every day enjoyable.
What are you most proud of in your time at Alberici and why?
There are a number of instances where working at Alberici made me proud, and I had to go back a bit in my career for this one. While working for Alberici at Ford TMEP, I was able to help Ford recoup millions of dollars of government grants for infrastructure. It took hours of hard work and I was very proud that Ford recognized it by mentioning myself and Alberici in a letter to both Ford Executives and Ryco-Alberici Management.
In your time at Alberici, which project was your favorite and why?
I’ve never worked on a project that I didn’t like. The project that stands out for me more than others is the Sarnia BioAmber project. My role was to track millions of dollars of civil, mechanical and electrical time and equipment work. Everything about the project went smoothly, from start up to close out. It didn’t hurt either that Sarnia is not far from Ipperwash, Ont., a small beach town, where I spend as much time as I can in the summer!
What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting in the construction industry?
I’d say bring your energy and eagerness, represent Alberici with integrity and professionalism, and learn from others with experience. Every project is different. You’ll face many challenges along the way and every time you’ll be stronger because of them. Work hard and remain loyal and you’ll reap the benefits. Alberici encourages growth and cares about every employee. There is no other place I’d rather work.