Marketing

Name: Rachel Wiles

Title: Marketing Director

Time with Giant: 11 years

A Little Bit About You: I have lived in Toledo, Ohio most of my life.  I currently live here with my husband and our two dogs.

Responsibilities at Giant: I am responsible for all marketing and advertising for Giant.  This includes the website, manuals and fliers

Best Part of Your Job: Getting to learn new things and doing something different every day.

Fun Fact About You: I was born in Brussels, Belgium

Hobbies:  Reading, crafting, playing video games and watching movies

What Inspires You: My Mom.

Favorite Thing About Giant: The family atmosphere.  I love that my opinion is heard and everyone makes a difference.

Operations

Name: Bob Youngpeter

Title: Operations Manager

Time with Giant: 12 years

A Little Bit About You: “I grew up in Grand Rapids, Ohio.  I have lived in Ohio most of my life except for the four years while I was in the the United States Air Force.  I am married with a son, daughter, daughter-in-law, and a Shih Tzu.”

Responsibilities at Giant: “All aspects of the operation of Giant: Production, Quality, Purchasing, Engineering, etc.”

Best Part of Your Job:  “Working on the development of new products and improving our current manufacturing processes and products.  Working with everyone to try to incorporate their ideas and needs to make their time at Giant more enjoyable.”

Fun Fact About You:  “I enjoy astronomy.  The concepts and theories of what is our universe including the thoughts, theories and concepts of what was, is and may become are very interesting and thought provoking.”

Hobbies:  Astronomy, Financial Analysis, Fishing and he is a wildlife enthusiast.

What Inspires You: “My family and friends inspire me in almost all aspects of my life.”

Favorite Thing About Giant:  “Being part of a relatively small size family-owned organization.  Everyone at Giant contributes to the overall success of the company.”

Inside Sales

Name: Donna Burmeister

Title: Customer Service

Time with Giant: 23 years

A Little Bit About You: Donna graduated from Saint Francis College in May 1991.  She has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a Minor in Marketing.  She played basketball in college.

Responsibilities at Giant: Inside sales person and customer service account representative – answers phone calls, enters orders and technical support.  She is also responsible for all activities related to invoicing.  Responsible for communicating Giant’s needs to purchasing, informing the production department what our customers need and giving delivery dates to sales and customers.  She also arranges Giant’s potlucks, picnics and Christmas parties.

Best Part of Your Job:  Being able to help in other areas of the company when needed, like shipping, receiving or building products

Fun Fact About You:  Has a cat named Charlie, who is adorable and loving.

Hobbies:  Watching sports, walking or bike riding

What Inspires You: “My children”

Favorite Thing About Giant:  “We are all family.”

 

Name: Tobie Talmage

Title: Inside Sales/Customer Service

Time with Giant: 24 years

A Little Bit About You: ” ‘Redhead’ – ’nuff said.”

Responsibilities at Giant: Besides the day-to-day workflow/process: customer calls, e-mails, technical help and order entry, Tobie takes care of inquires and assisting our outside sales team.  At times, when the need arises, she helps in other departments like shipping and receiving.  She also communicates customer needs to the purchasing department/outside sales team to ensure their product needs are met.

Best Part of Your Job:  “Helping customers when they need assistance figuring out pump and accessory issues.  Also, feeling like I have accomplished something at the end of the day.”

Fun Fact About You:  “I am just the right amount of feisty.  My co-workers would say too much at times.”

Hobbies:  Exercising, reading, hiking, camping are some of Tobies’ favorite things to do as well as hanging out with family and friends.

What Inspires You: “Helping people, not only at work but in my personal life.”

Favorite Thing About Giant:  “The comradery and feeling like a part of a family at Giant.  Working with my colleagues to help our customers grow.”

 

 

Outside Sales

Name: Keith Linton

Title: National Sales

Time with Giant: 12 years, 22 with the Simon family

A Little Bit About You: Grew up in Maryland, playing sports, hunting, and fishing.  Graduated from Elon University.  Keith has two wonderful daughters and one lovely granddaughter.

Responsibilities at Giant: Responsible for 5 industries

Best Part of Your Job:  Meeting new people and making new friends

Fun Fact About You:  Keith loves to walk on the beach

Hobbies:  Golf, Going to the Beach, Fishing, Traveling

What Inspires You: New and different challenges everyday

Favorite Thing About Giant:  “The diversity to manufacture anything from small custom parts to custom power units.”  The people that I have the pleasure to work with at Giant.

 

Name: D. J. Ballash

Title: National Sales Account Manager

Time with Giant: 7 years

A Little Bit About You: DJ grew up in Swanton, OH and attended the University of Toledo.  He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Professional Sales and Marketing.  He currently resides in Perrysburg, OH with his wife Jessica and their three boys.

Responsibilities at Giant: Developing relationships with potential customers and growing relationships with current customers

Best Part of Your Job:  Meeting a variety of people and pushing to find solutions to help them

Fun Fact About You:  DJ has watched a baseball game in 16 different stadiums and has a goal to get to all of them.

Hobbies:  DJ is an avid sports fan along with his family.  They follow Cleveland Browns football, Detroit Tigers baseball, and the Michigan Wolverines.  He enjoys family trips to the beach and playing golf in the summer.

What Inspires You: People who work hard to get where they want to be and never give up.  DJ is motivated by his kids and helping to create a great life for his family.

Favorite Thing About Giant:  “That Giant is family owned.  Working at Giant makes you feel like you are part of the family.”

 

 

Name: Carter Lescallette

Title: National Sales Manager

Time with Giant: Started October 2008

A Little Bit About You: Carter is a Mechanical Engineer and previously has been a Maintenance Supervisor in a steel mill, a hydraulic design engineer, and a Sales Manager for a hydraulic engineering company before Giant.

Responsibilities at Giant: Industrial Sales

Best Part of Your Job:  Making lifelong relationships with customers

Fun Fact About You:  Carter has been an avid bird watcher from a young age.  When he was in his teens he was recruited by the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources to assist in identifying migrating warblers during their annual bird banding operation.

Hobbies:  Fishing, Cooking wild Game, Hiking and Camping

What Inspires You: Solving problems and helping others

Favorite Thing About Giant:  “Giant is such a wonderful place to work that it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I think the feeling of one big family is what makes Giant so special.”