Alex Nunnally loves to take on difficult technical tasks. An engineer by education and experience—he bridges the gap between manufacturing and technical support. In two years, he has learned ProMach’s ERP system, business processes, and how to write SQL code. Nunnally has also assisted the company with five acquisition integrations and one upgrade project—with eight facilities. He started as a mechanical engineer at a manufacturing company outside Chicago, which slowly morphed into an analytical role, which is when he joined ProMach.
Have you enjoyed working at ProMach?
The time spent at ProMach has been rewarding. Having dozens of manufacturing facilities across North America, I have experienced a wide range of different processes and I have had to overcome unique problems everywhere I go. In my capacity as a business analyst, I have had the opportunity to learn every side of the business including shop floor, order entry, sales, accounting, field service, and more.
How does ProMach help you climb the ladder?
ProMach supports me as an emerging leader by giving me the opportunity to flex my abilities. I can travel and work on projects remotely or onsite knowing that I have support from my coworkers and management.
What excites you about going to work every day?
The most fascinating part of my job is not knowing what problems I will be able to solve that day. All departments have worked with me at some level and know that I will help to the best of my ability. Due to this, I am sought out on the “weird and wonderful” questions.
What are you doing in your role to ensure ProMach is on the leading edge?
I help ProMach innovate in two ways. First, I always challenge the current process and seek ways to make it better. Just because you “have always done it this way” doesn’t mean it cannot be improved. Second, I look for ways to standardize changes and process across all of ProMach. If one facility is struggling with something, most likely someone else is too. Providing a solution that is easily deployable elsewhere makes innovation across ProMach faster and more user friendly.
Do you feel like being a millennial in this industry is challenging?
The biggest obstacle is my youth; I work with people who have been in the packaging industry longer than I have been alive. Situations where credentials and experience are called into question must be overcome with quality of work and professionalism.
What would you tell others in the industry looking to enhance their careers?
The best advice I can give to other emerging leaders is to volunteer your time to be on committees and groups inside and outside of your organization. Being involved with people you normally do not engage with is an effective level of networking.
What are some industry trends you are currently following along with?
The industry trends that I have been following are advanced robotics and extreme engineering. It is fascinating to me how rapid technology is advancing; the final step is going to be who can create a ‘dark factory’ where robots are able to perform all manufacturing processes. This concept is what I watch for in the trends.
What does winning this award mean to you?
Winning this award is very humbling and exciting! I need to thank my supervisor, Rachel Willis, for her mentorship and above-and-beyond attitude. This award would not have been possible without her support. Being selected for this prestigious award shows that hard work does pay off and I will strive to accomplish even more for next year!
As a rising star in your organization, what is next for you?
The next step for me is to be more impactful for all of ProMach. Working on projects that can unify the company and have global influence is what I am looking forward to.
