A UG2 PHD from the Mid-Atlantic team embraces opportunities to build skills and grow professionally—and helps others to do the same
Ellie Garland has been with UG2 from its earliest days, and as she’s witnessed the company evolve and grow, she has expanded her expertise and impact right alongside it.
“You’re always going to be learning,” she says, about the many opportunities afforded to employees through UG2’s industry-leading training and professional development opportunities. Combined with an emphasis on promoting from within, those offerings help the company attract and develop the most skilled and dedicated employees, and it helps us retain them as they thrive in their careers.
Ellie started with UG2 in 2015 as an Administrative Assistant in the operations support team after successful work experience in the restaurant and veterinary industries. Immediately demonstrating the skills of a talented, curious, and dynamic worker with much to contribute, she advanced steadily up the ladder in the years that followed, tackling the roles of Lead Operations Support Administrator and Operations Support Manager before earning a promotion to Senior Operations Support Manager in 2023.
In discussing that progression, she expresses her gratitude for what she laughingly calls the “Chuck and Maria lectures.” Chuck Restivo, UG2 Vice President of Operations for the Mid-Atlantic Center of Excellence, and Maria Tueros, UG2 Regional HR & Business Manager, have always made themselves available to educate, guide and support Ellie as she was determined to learn all she could about the operations side of the business and pursue every available opportunity for professional development.
“They taught me the business side, from making forms to understanding the numbers and how everything comes together,” says Ellie. “You learn about the cleaning services and which products we use. You learn the names and faces of the cleaners and facility engineers. You learn to be efficient and organized, and to be patient and calm, too.”
Ellie describes applying those hard and soft skills to a challenge she encountered early on in her work in accounts receivable, following up with unpaid invoices. She realized people were less likely to respond to her requests because they did not know her. Along with developing a system, she worked to build personal relationships with them through day-to-day communication and customer events. The approach increased her success dramatically.
Her story exemplifies UG2’s approach to mentoring — a critical ingredient for professional growth that we understand as a two-way street. They helped her gain a nuanced understanding of the business, and that is a gift she is paying forward to the employees she supervises today.
Adding Value to Other Regions and Aspects of the Company
Ellie’s talents are benefiting UG2 well beyond her immediate team. She helps with the Midwest Center of Excellence on tasks ranging from fulfilling background requests for new hires to teaching the processes that make our operations run smoothly across the company. She also supports our Southeast Center of Excellence, creating quarterly business reviews and monthly reports. In addition, she assists the corporate office team with HR, payroll, onboarding, and training. She loves contributing to the company as a whole and takes particular pleasure in the team she works with every day.
“It’s been nice to be recognized for all the hard work I’ve done and for helping the business grow, but my favorite part is my administrative team,” she says. “I love that everyone is different, and also helpful and loving, like a home away from home, and we are always here to help each other learn and grow. It’s kind of like going to school. You get to see your friends and then you have to do your homework. You’re never not learning something new.”