Colors are passion, emotions and personality. At Siegwerk, inks and coatings are our specialty and we use color to bring the packaging and products of our customers to life.
Siegwerk celebrates International Women's Day
Jennifer Nicholes, Human Resources Manager at Siegwerk CUSA and is based in Morganton, North Carolina. She started her career in Human Resources after graduating from college in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with Majors in Industrial Relations and Marketing. Additionally she has obtained a Masters of Science Degree in Human Resources. Because of her experience she had already gained working in HR in manufacturing she applied at Siegwerk in 2015 and has been with the company ever since.
Can you introduce yourself and your role at Siegwerk?
My name is Jennifer Nicholes. I’m the Human Resources Manager for the CUSA (Canada and USA) Narrow Web Business Unit, based in Morganton, North Carolina. I also manage all benefit plans for both Flexible Packaging and Narrow Web Business Unit employees in US and Canada
What have you done before?
I’ve worked in Human Resources in manufacturing since graduating from college with majors in Industrial Relations and Marketing in 1998.
How did you get to the job you have today?
I moved to North Carolina in 2005 for a Human Resources Manager position in Morganton. In 2015, the company was sold. Shortly after, I learned that Siegwerk was looking for an HR Manager. I applied, got the job and I have been here for almost 10 years!
What inspired you to pursue a career in the printing industry?
Honestly, I didn’t know much about printing industry but was looking for something in Human Resources, ideally in manufacturing.
What’s one leadership lesson you wish you had learned earlier?
Patience
Who has been your biggest mentor or role model in your career?
I can think of a few, but my former colleague Jim Tometsko, HR Manager (and my manager) at Spectrum Control, where I worked shortly out of college really stands out:
He taught me to address individual situations (don’t punish everyone for something one person did, just because it’s easier). You don’t have to treat everyone the same. You just have to be consistent in your decision making. He also taught me not to take advantage of your good employees. Reward them, don’t give them more to do just because they will. He also showed me that you can be good to your people, have fun at work and still be an effective manager.
Another mentor of mine was Mark Cain who I got to know at my former job at Sypris Technologies. He taught me to set high expectations for our people. Our people will rise to those high expectations. If we set low expectations, then we get lower performance.
If you had to describe your leadership style in three words, what would they be?
Accountable, practical and passionate.
How do you balance leadership and personal life (like parenthood, friends and family, hobbies, self-care, etc.)?
I try to manage my time well and stay focused so I can be as efficient and effective as possible. This allows me to relax and enjoy my time away from the office.
What do you hope future generations of women in your industry won’t have to experience?
Doubt in their ability to be high performers and lack of confidence in themselves.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice as a woman, what would that be?
Be patient. Be flexible. You don’t have to manage everything.