This week’s Industry Person of the Week is Arnita King, with SEPCO.
Q: How did you get started working in your field?
Arnita: In 1984, I started at SEPCO in compression packing braiding in the spooling department. After I worked there for two years, I was transferred to the ring department and have been there ever since. I’m called a floater and do several jobs in rings including:
- Graphite seals
- Cutting gaskets
- High-volume rings
Working in so many different areas within the ring department, I’m never bored. I really look forward to coming to work every day.
Arnita King works at a press producing graphite seals (Image was taken before COVID-19 restrictions).
I entered this industry because I love the work. I have been at SEPCO for 36 years because I enjoy working with my hands, and I adore the people that I work with.
Q: What do you love the most about your job?
Arnita: I am proud that I take a raw material and create a final, useful product that will help someone down the road. My favorite work is in producing the graphite seals. My most challenging work right now is the high-volume rings, but it’s also my newest role. I’m always learning.
After suffering a brain aneurysm in 2011, I spent 21 days in the hospital. My plant manager was very concerned about me and wasn’t sure if I would be able to come back because of my health, but my goal the whole time was to get back to the work I love.
This company helped take care of me while I was out. It was a miracle that I was able to come back, according to the doctors. I had God on my side.
Q: What are you most proud of?
Arnita: My supervisor can always depend on me wherever he needs me to go. Also, I want our customers to get our products and be proud of them. We always want to over-deliver on our quality.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work or new to the
field?
Arnita: I suggest you learn as much as you can. It helps you move to different places and grow. Try to not say no because “it’s not your job.” You will increase your value to your company and your supervisor. Also, show up on time and care about the work you do. What you produce represents you as an employee and a person.
Q: Can you talk about a project you recently worked on?
Arnita: Moving to high-volume ring production is my newest project, and it’s exciting. We make something that everyone uses every day. If you put gas in your car, you most likely benefit from our gas seals. We ship all over the world, and getting to learn how to do this recently has been a challenge but also an honor. It’s great to know that the work we do helps people worldwide.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
Arnita: Funny story: I started working as a housekeeper with Geoff Wilder (the original CEO of SEPCO) 40 years ago and moved into a role with the company. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
I’m also a mom and grandma. I have three kids and six grandkids that make me proud. I want to thank God, and thank God for the company that I work for.
THANK YOU, ARNITA! WE LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING UP WITH YOU THROUGH THE #PUMPTALK COMMUNITY!
KNOW AN AMAZING PERSON WHO IS MAKING VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS WITHIN INDUSTRY? NOMINATE THEM TO BE AN “INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE WEEK”!
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