Jill Turay – Sales Support Specialist

Could you share a brief introduction about yourself, including your role at Standard Electric and how long you’ve been with us?

I grew up near Kenosha, WI until leaving for college in 1984.  I started at Standard Electric in 2021 in the Sales Support role and have been with the company a little over 4 years.

What inspired you to pursue a career in your field, and how did your journey lead you to Standard Electric?

I went with my heart and graduated with an art major and a music minor so working in a different field was inevitable. lol.  After moving to the Eau Claire area, I started working production building circuit boards, moved into a training role and then into customer service.  During the pandemic there was a large layoff and that ended my 23 years at that company.  I found Standard Electric completing my work searches and my previous role was very similar to the Sales Support role at Standard Electric, so it was a great fit for me.  Very grateful Standard felt the same.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Sales Support doesn’t really have a “typical” day.  Every day is something new and that’s what I like about it. 

What do you love most about your job at Standard Electric? Is there a particular project or achievement that you’re especially proud of?

I like the people, teams within the company, culture, and flexibility.

How would you describe the culture at Standard Electric? What makes it unique or special to you?

Standard has a unique culture, and it starts from the top.  I’ve never worked for a company that sincerely drives each associate to be their best and encourages them to participate in all aspects of the company.

Working with a team often brings diverse perspectives. Can you share an example of how teamwork has led to success in a project or initiative at Standard Electric?

Being on the Associate Council team, I get to read everyone’s ideas and work through them with the vetting manager to see if the idea should or should not be implemented.  This is a great team to be on, and glad Standard encourages each associate to share their ideas.

Moving beyond work, what do you like to do in your free time? Any hobbies or passions you’re willing to share?

I enjoy doing anything artistic or crafty.  I’ve been working on driftwood creations for a few years and have an amazing greenhouse/workshop combo for my Me Shed. My most recent new undertaking is rock tumbling.  I gather interesting rocks while on walks with my dog and then tumble them for over a month to see the results.  Even though it’s a long process and I’m very impatient, seeing the transformation each step is very fulfilling.   

Do you have any skills or talents that most people at work might not know about? How do these contribute to your personal or professional life?

Being an artistic person, I think those skills work well when I need to come up with out of the box ideas to solve problems.

As you look to the future with Standard Electric, what are you most excited about or looking forward to in your role or the company’s direction?

Since I’ve started, I’ve seen sales growth year after year which is very encouraging to keep doing what I’m doing until I retire in a few years.