A career path filled with enthusiasm, motivation, and a thirst for learning.
Angelica Norena’s UG2 story is an inspiring one fueled by hunger for knowledge, love for helping people, and willingness to embrace new opportunities. She is the true embodiment of a PHD – Passionate, Hardworking, and Dedicated. We sat down with Angelica to learn about her journey and how it led to her role as an Account Manager at UG2.
Originally from Colombia, Angelica moved to the United States in the early 2000s. She took a job working at a pizza restaurant where she learned all the ins and outs of managing a kitchen. Angelica displayed a strong eagerness to understand how to make everything on the menu and quickly became familiar with all the functions at the restaurant, even those she wasn’t assigned to.
Then in 2010, Angelica used her restaurant experience in her next role, at Boston Public Schools as a Cafe Manager. In this leadership role, she gained immeasurable customer service experience and team management skills, which she still uses today.
Angelica was acquainted with UG2 by her husband, Abelardo Rey, who is also part of the UG2 family. In 2012, she accompanied Rey to the annual UG2 holiday party, where she was introduced to Lou Lanzillo, Chief Executive Officer, John Correia, Chief Operating Officer, and Armando Lezama, Vice President of Operations. She was convinced that UG2 would be a good company to work for, so she instantly expressed her desire to join UG2 if any position became available. Angelica felt enthusiastic about the possible benefits and advantages of working at UG2. She wanted to challenge herself by trying something new and getting her hands dirty.
In June 2016, Rey told Angelica that UG2 was going to provide facility services for a new Seaport Boston customer. Immediately, Angelica was interested in working at this new location. The only available position she could fill was for a day matron, but Angelica held no reservations about the job title; her focus was on immersing herself in the work. After 18 months in this role, she was offered the position of night supervisor. She worked with Evelyn Reyes, who alongside Greg Lanzillo, provided her with the opportunity to truly develop her skills in the field.
The next stop on her UG2 journey was a promotion to Assistant Account Manager in 2018. Angelica smiled as she explained how much she enjoyed working alongside Rudy DeLeon. He truly helped her understand the specifics of the business such as the tools needed for successful management and how to take criticism and turn it into an opportunity to improve.
In 2021, Angelica was offered the position of Account Manager. This exciting opportunity allowed her to tag along on projects with day porters, so she could learn about the work firsthand. Day porters often have a lot on their plate to juggle, and Angelica explained she was glad to help ease their workload by helping in any way she could. She gives credit to all the UG2 employees such as Account Managers, Operations Managers, and many backhouse employees who answered her questions and helped her better understand the duties in her role.
Today, as Angelica continues her role as Account Manager, she reflects on her time at UG2. With everyone she worked alongside, she gained valuable knowledge such as the virtues of patience and respect when it comes to interacting with customers and managing a team.
Angelica admits that building and maintaining a collaborative team was a challenge at first. She discovered that to encourage the team to work together, she needed to do some of the work, and not just “supervise”. She was able to better understand her team members’ needs by working alongside them.
It is clear that Angelica has a deep appreciation for her team and her position. She repeatedly expresses her gratitude for the tenants, customers, and coworkers she has learned from along the way. She explains that it is impossible to be bored in a position like hers. Every day is different and full of possibilities. Angelica continues to share her industry knowledge and tools with her team and is hopeful for what the future has in store.