Jen Dowdy, Project Manager Assistant
With a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, Jen brings a fresh perspective, and joyful spirit to the team. Over three years ago she was initially hired to work as Front Desk Reception, but soon after she received a promotion to Assistant Project Manager/Inside Sales Associate. A full-time single mother of two amazing boys, she knows how to balance responsibilities, and acts as a bridge for communications between internal and external key stakeholders towards project delivery excellence. When it comes to working in the fast-paced steel manufacturing industry, Jen thrives. She is highly adaptable and is no stranger to learning on the fly.
Jen appreciates working with different people and building relationships with her customers and coworkers. Consistently fostering a positive energy, she enjoys finding creative solutions to roadblocks that may come up along the way. With 15 years of experience working in the health benefits industry with a previous employer, her genuine care and kindness through her customer service is undeniable.
“I enjoy the interaction with our clients and team members because I find pleasure when I take good care of them. If an issue arises, I can actively work through it to solve the problem. I enjoy tackling these challenges since I usually get to learn something new, and it’s fun.”
Jen is a people-oriented person, so naturally she embraces the family values and collaborative environment at Advance. Everyone feels like an integral part of the team and for Jen who values being a team player, that’s important. She understands the importance of respect, accountability, and communication when working with others. It’s vital for team members to speak to each other with mutual respect, can admit when they’re wrong, and can communicate clearly when working together towards a common goal. More importantly, Jen knows that for her and the team to reach success, they must never give up.
“That’s something my parents instilled in me. There have been plenty of times in life when I wanted to give up or quit, but it’s just not in me to stop. I may not have the answer today but we’re just going to keep truckin’ along and do our best with the resources we have to reach our goals. That’s something I hope I will pass onto my boys.”
As busy and hard working as Jen can be, she is not all work and no play. She knows when it’s time to be serious and when the team could use some comedic relief. You can sometimes catch Jen in the office sharing silly stories about dancing in the kitchen with her kids or cracking witty jokes from her cubical.
Her boys keep her busy and on the go most of the time, so when she isn’t at work, you’ll likely find her soaking up as much family time as she can at home. When the boys are busy, she finds delight tending to her backyard garden, admiring her most beloved plant the hydrangeas. Watching them bloom is her favorite part. Another way Jen likes to unwind is by playing the piano. She would like to learn to play Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue someday, when she finds more free time.