Omar, I learned that Cristian first joined Pajunk as a temporary employee. What did you see in him to bring him on as a full-time employee?

I interview all temps before they come on board. His resume was full of things we were looking for – 5S practices, safety procedures, following good warehousing practices, etc.

He moved from temp employee to staff employee in two months. After two more months, he moved into a lead position. Four months later, we had a vacancy for the warehouse manager position. Cristian agreed to be an interim warehouse manager for six months to evaluate the workload. During that time, his progress was excellent, and he defined the warehouse manager role. I believe he takes customer service very seriously – he is the main point of contact for incoming, outgoing, storage, etc. He interacts with all departments communicating clearly and completing tasks on time.

His work ethic, personality, and skillset significantly contributed to his becoming Warehouse Manager.

Cristian, I just talked to your manager, and he had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. When you were promoted to become the manager, were you nervous? Did you know what type of manager you wanted to be?

I think most people can agree that It’s always a little nerve-wracking to step into a new position. I have plenty of experience working in warehouses, managing inventories, and coordinating shipments- so when it came to the job itself, I was not nervous about that. What made me a little anxious was making sure I could be a manager that my team would not only respect but enjoy working with.

My goal is to be the manager I wish I had when I started my career—someone who is transparent, communicative, and friendly. You know, it’s funny how much better things are when you’re genuinely nice to people. My team is amazing, and I wouldn’t be able to do anything without them. 

What do you like most about working at Pajunk?

I would say the opportunity for growth is my favorite thing about this company.  At some jobs, moving up the ladder seems almost impossible, but here I’ve seen my peers get promoted solely based on their skills and leadership qualities. No one is too new or too young.

As the recipient of the Above and Beyond Award, you won a trip to Germany! What are you most looking forward to?

I can’t wait to check out the warehouse at our Pajunk Global facility in Geisingen. We’re continuously improving our warehouse operations in the US, and I can’t wait to see the latest automation solutions Geisingen has put in place. I would love to learn from them and bring some ideas back to my team to continue to become more efficient.

I know you love work, but is there anything fun you want to do or any foods and beer you would like to taste while in Germany?

The chocolates, absolutely the chocolates. There are some stores in Helen, Georgia that sell German chocolates. I should buy them, take them to Germany, and compare them to see if the ones in Helen are the real deal!

When Cristian is not working, he likes to spend time with his dog Sophia and turtle, Freesh. He also loves to draw, listen to Math Rock, and spend his time in the kitchen trying to perfect his mom’s recipes.

Congratulations Cristian!