CIM Graduate
Joanne Stauffer
School: California State University, Chico
Graduation Date: Class 2017
Employer: Vulcan Materials Company
“CIM truly provided a solid foundation. The wide range of knowledge and experience gained through curriculum and internships has added value to my personal and career growth.”
Where are you currently working and what are your main responsibilities?
I began working for Vulcan Materials Company in 2017 as a sales trainee and after a year, moved into my current position as a sales analyst supporting all our central and northern California operations. I am responsible for maintaining an understanding of our cost inputs, production/logistical capabilities and market conditions to provide pricing guidance to the sales teams that aligns with our overarching market strategy.
Why did you choose to work with Vulcan?
I chose Vulcan because of their sales trainee program. I was unsure which path I wanted to follow when it came time for graduation and the trainee program allowed me to continue learning about the industry from inside the business. I spent my first year rotating through all different departments from sales to production to quality control and the knowledge/relationships I built during that time continue to contribute to my success daily.
How has CIM prepared you for your current job responsibilities?
CIM truly provided a solid foundation. The wide range of knowledge and experience gained through curriculum and internships has added value to my personal and career growth. Learning the industry language, experiencing different facets of the industry firsthand and interacting with industry professionals has all prepared me to do the one thing that I believe has contributed to my success: asking good questions.
The CIM program works with businesses to provide summer internships for CIM students. During your time at Chico State, were you able to take advantage of that program or any other special programs to develop your industry knowledge?
Yes! I participated in internships every summer, joined and directed industry-student associations (i.e., ACI), networked and volunteered whenever possible. I took advantage of all opportunities that CIM offered and I encourage all students to do the same. Internships allow you to do a trial run at a company or in a position that interests you. This may help answer the question “what do you want to do when you grow up?”
What advice would you give to current students?
The best advice I could give is to be curious, ask questions and LISTEN! Not only will you learn from others’ experiences, but this will help you build strong, lasting relationships. Get to know your peers. Once you all graduate and spread into different parts of the industry, you will have many great resources in each other on a personal and professional level.