For those whom have been reading this blog for a few show cycles, I have had interns the summer of IMTS, Olivia our third in 8 show cycles. She is a Senior at TCNJ, here in NJ. She has taken my instructions at the beginning of the summer and executed them flawlessly. Here is her blog post that I asked her to write at the end of the summer:
When I started my first day at Royal Master Grinders, I was as nervous as anyone else starting a new job. I remember being very timid in this new place surrounded by new people that had already been here for years and here I was, the college intern who didn’t know anyone’s names or what to do. Looking back, boy do I feel silly that I was ever scared. Within a few short days, I could already feel this work family accepting me as their own. John Jr. threw me right into the work atmosphere and there was never a dull moment. Working mainly with the upcoming IMTS details, I quickly learned more than I ever thought possible. Not only did I learn about the makings of a great trade show exhibit, but also the extreme precision and hard work that everyone in this office exhibits to keep things running smoothly. I think one of my greatest lessons was learning the true qualities it takes to be a leader. This does not mean someone who barks orders and hangs back from the real work. A leader is someone who is involved in every aspect of their projects. A leader is someone who knows how to take command and gain the respect of all of their employees. A leader is, most importantly, someone who genuinely and whole-heartedly cares about their work and all of those who are involved in it. These were the qualities I saw every day at Royal Master Grinders.
Unfortunately, I have to return back to school before I can truly see the outcome of the intense work that has been put into IMTS. I was most looking forward to seeing the loading of the huge truck to be shipped to the show! For anyone that is even remotely familiar with the Royal Master Grinders work family knows how hard of a goodbye this will be for me. From Stacy singing everything she does, to Bob’s never-ending witty comments, to John Jr. drinking countless Mountain Dew’s a day and making every day enjoyable, there is never a dull moment here at Royal Master Grinders. I look forward to visiting them in the future and wish everyone nothing but luck at IMTS!