FROM THE READER
Kimberly Chaussee from Stack Metallurgical Services
FROM MARTIAL ARTS TO METALLURGY: MY UNEXPECTED PATH INTO AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING
If you had told me 15 years ago that I’ d one day be running a heat treat facility supporting the aerospace and manufacturing industries, I wouldn’ t have believed you.
My journey into this field started in an unlikely place: a martial arts school. For 15 years, I trained, competed, and helped run the school I loved. It taught me discipline, grit, and leadership – skills I didn’ t know would later translate into a completely different kind of career.
Kimberly Chaussee General Manager Stack Metallurgical Services Portland, OR
stackmet. com
When I became a single mom of three young kids, my priorities changed. I needed to find a job that would allow me to be home in the evenings while still providing for my family. A close friend referred me to Stack Metallurgical Services for a ground-level position. I didn’ t know anything about aerospace or manufacturing – but I was ready to learn.
From day one, I was fascinated. I discovered that heat treating plays a vital role in the integrity of components used in aerospace, energy, and manufacturing applications. The more I learned, the more I wanted to grow. As positions opened up, I took on every challenge I could. Little by little, I worked my way up, and three years ago I became general manager of our Portland facility.
One highlight of my time at Stack has been leading our Strategic Energy Management( SEM) initiative in partnership with Energy Trust of Oregon. Over the last three years, we’ ve saved over 901,703 kWh of electricity – helping reduce our environmental im-
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