For the rest of this year, Walsworth will be featuring an Employee Spotlight series on its websites as part of the company’s celebration of its 85th anniversary. Walsworth’s people are our most important resource and the Employee Spotlights will give you a chance to get to know them better.
Mary Slater
Yearbook Sales Representative – Chicago Area
This year, I celebrate 25 years as a Walsworth Sales Representative in the Chicago area. Prior to this, I was a high school English and Yearbook teacher.
I love what I do! Every day, I get to help students and advisers all over the area preserve their memories. The best part of my job is that I get to know so many wonderful teachers and students. As a rep, I get to influence and guide students as they learn new skills – writing, photography, interviewing, design and leadership. Every day is different for me as I work to support each staff’s unique needs and talents. I love the variety and the satisfaction of helping them make yearbooks that make them proud.
I have been a yearbook sales rep for 25 years at Walsworth, and I was a yearbook adviser for two years before that.
Like many yearbook advisers, I was told “I had to do the yearbook” to get my teaching job. I fell in love with the creativity and challenges of guiding my staffs through the process. I didn’t necessarily want to leave teaching, but Les Kuehl believed in me so I decided to give Walsworth a try. It turned out he was right.
The coolest thing I do in my position is work with students. I love teaching them new things and seeing them light up when they realize they can do it!
If I had a personalized coffee mug at work, it would say, “The Yearbook Lady”
What motivates me to come to work every day is my teachers, advisers and students need me. Just the other day I got an email that said, “Mary – you are NOT allowed to leave us, like EVER!”
A fun fact about me is I was voted “most artistic” in my class in high school.
My husband John and I have two beautiful children who keep us very active. Nate is 11 and Maya is eight. We kind of got a late start but we feel very blessed.
We are really kid-focused with two in elementary school, so we spend a lot of time at swim meets and at the gymnastics gym. I love to ride my bike when the weather is good and walk year-round. I am also the parent adviser of the kids’ yearbook. We love the outdoors and usually camp a few times a year.
My family and I just returned from a 10-day camping trip – in a tent – at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. We flew in and had no car, but eight large bags with all the gear we needed. We had a blast.
We also do volunteer activities through our church in the city, but also do quite a bit to help support our local schools.
Walsworth has provided a solid career for me that not only meets my financial needs but offers the flexibility to raise my family. The people at Walsworth are wonderful and so many are great friends.
There are so many great memories I’ve made here! Each and every meeting when we get to visit with other Walsworth employees is special. When you work from home and don’t see other employees regularly, it is wonderful to get together with others who “get” what you do!
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