It is particularly fulfilling to celebrate our 40th Anniversary as the second generation at the helm of a company that I’m so passionate about. I grew up watching my immigrant parents work side-by-side, with a common goal for our family: to continuously improve and grow the business. Without really knowing or understanding it, I was always part of the business. I spent after-schools in the office learning how to use the typewriter to do invoices or answer phones from a very early age. Understanding the importance of personal bonds was instilled from a young age as we often entertained clients at home, getting to know people on a personal level and fostering true connections.

As with any small business, wearing multiple hats was simply a fact of life. Dad was ‘product development and sales.’ From time to time, I would go on sales trips with him to visit customers, navigating with a map on my knees as he drove – it was these experiences that shaped my love of travel.

Growing up, I didn’t envision myself with a future career within the organization. I left university and spent internships in Europe, discovering the world for myself. A few years later I came back on board as Operations Manager to help oversee the sale of the company. As luck would have it, the deal fell through, as I had begun to fall in love with the business.

My mom handled the production side of the operation and oversaw the finances. As I was getting ready to buy the company, she offered me a sage piece of advice as I was trying to determine where I would best serve the organization, “The one who controls the money controls the business.” I took her sage advice and found my fit within the business – a little bit of Mom and a little bit of Dad. I needed to find a way to carve out my own path: it took some time to find my voice and discover what that meant. I made it a point to surround myself with people smarter than myself and this was invaluable as I transitioned from employee to employer.

Because life is always full of surprises, being able to adapt (quickly) has helped me immensely. As a single mother of two young girls, balancing motherhood and a big career made for an interesting challenge – every decision and challenge were opportunities for growth. The culture and ethos of the family business still rings as true today as it did four decades ago. Commitment to our clients and employee’s well-being have always been at our core. To all our past and present employees, customers, stakeholders and friends – I want to thank you for your continued commitment to Sensor Technology. We hope to be able to continue to build on the relationships we have formed, and I look forward to the next 40 years! #thefutureisbright