Unifying Global Strengths for Scalable Growth

Before last year, I had never traveled outside the Americas. That changed completely as I packed my bags for seven countries across Europe and Asia. Beyond the breathtaking monuments and the essential fridge magnets, I was curious most about the cultures of our global teams. What I learned reshaped my perspective on how we build our future together.

While we all have beautifully different ways of experiencing the same world, each country brings distinct characteristics, strengthening our overall team:

• Munich, Germany: A deep history of meticulous quality, brilliant design, and methodical problem-solving.

• Milton Keynes, UK: A brilliant, sharp, and witty energy fueled by natural ambition and a quick pace.

• Lille, France: An effortless, stylish grace and genuine care that elevates every experience.

• Barcelona, Spain: A passionate, artistic spirit that brings vibrant creativity and enthusiasm to the table.

• Milan, Italy: An enduring wisdom rooted in rich historical depth, with incredible attention to meaningful detail, exhibiting extraordinary beauty and class.

• Sydney, Australia: A fiercely resilient and pioneering spirit, defined by a bold pragmatism that tackles complex challenges head-on.

• Singapore: An electrifying pace defined by agile execution that steps right over challenges others stumble on.

During our Surge transformation workshops, we collaborated with our top regional leaders to translate ambitious growth strategies into localized commercial execution across EMEA and Asia Pacific. By unifying our platform capabilities and standardizing our operating rhythms, we did more than just eliminate operational friction to give our teams their time back. We built a scalable, globally connected engine designed for accelerated value creation.

Despite the thousands of miles between us, I found we have so much in common. Across every border, we share a fierce passion for growth, approaching challenges with the grit to win while always stopping to help each other succeed; we continuously set the bar high, driven by an incredible talent pool dedicated to creating value for our partners.

At our global headquarters, I carry our expanded team with me. This unforgettable journey was about more than driving business growth. It was about building lifelong relationships and proving what happens when diverse perspectives align behind one vision. I am immensely grateful for the experience and, without a doubt, a stronger leader for it.

College Graduation

Today I completed my last courses for my Bachelor of Arts in Business Management!  I have gone to school on and off for 25 years.  It took a back seat to my career, and then my kids when they came along.  In 2020, I made the commitment to myself to wrap it up, and to graduate before my eldest son Ayin.  

I spent the last 3 years focused on this goal, pushing through with a young child at home, a child becoming an adult and entering college, and a very full work life.  It got harder and harder as time went by, the lack of rest built up and my family became impatient for quality time.  Seeing the number of weeks whittling down was what helped me keep going, as well as the incredible support of my husband, family, and friends.  

I am SOOO GRATEFUL to have this personal  milestone behind me and for the incredible lessons I've learned along the way.  One benefit of finishing the advanced courses more recently is that they make a lot of sense based on my business experience and I can apply them immediately.  I'm very proud to close this chapter and to be the first college graduate in my immediate family.  As Luke would say, let's go! :)