Insight_2nd Edition

with people, which really helps me do my job more effectively. I can’t do what I need to without good relationships with different people in the organization or outside, who bring me issues so that I can address them. Actions drive me, and it’s important that I remain involved. It’s a bit of a challenge; sometimes I have to force myself. I know I have a lot of work to do, but I have to go to the meetings and conduct the daily walk-around, so everybody knows I’m there and that I care. What is the most important issue/challenge you are dealing with in your industry right now? There are two things that are important issues in my industry. First, is the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both the economy and how we will run our business in the future. Second, is the future relationship between the United States and Asia with a particular interest in our relationship with China. This is an important issue for NorComp, as we source a majority of our material from China and Taiwan. How do you feel your industry has changed/ evolved over time? In our field, we are becoming more involved. We’re not just number crunchers anymore — we are being forced to do other things. In a way, we are being forced to be general managers with an expectation that we have to understand operations and provide our feedback to help the rest of the team run the business. What new innovations or technologies do you feel will shape the future of your industry? The more rapid technology growth is, such as artificial intelligence, the quicker we can pull elements in to make us more efficient and more effective at closing the books and understanding the numbers. Also, these things help control the internal processes, problems with which seem to be popping up continuously. What excites you the most about your industry? For me, it’s basically being able to work within the business, and service customers to help our business grow financially and increase its brand reputation. That is very important to me. Second Edition | Marquis Who ’ s Who Insight 9 “ You have to be in the here and now, but you also have to look forward and interpret how things in the econ- omy or society will impact your business. Forward planning helps to dictate direction. ”