DELTA, OH – Women in leadership at North Star BlueScope Steel (NSBSL) are enjoying ample growth opportunities and a diverse, supportive culture. They encourage other women to consider a career at this high-tech steel plant in Delta, Ohio.
Q: How Would You Describe Your Journey to Your Leadership Position?
Kristin Malosh, Vice President of Health, Safety and Environment, and Human Resources said, “I really don’t see my leadership journey as a hard climb. I view it as more of a winding road with twists and turns.
I owe much of my success to several amazing mentors along the way, both women and men. My journey has come with several career shifts where I took on a role that broadened my scope well beyond my engineering degree.
Three things I learned along the way: speak up (ask for what you want), acknowledge when you make a mistake (but learn from it), and actively listen (people can feel the difference, and that matters).”
QA Lab Team Leader Jackie Bancroft said, “If someone would have told me, ‘One day you will be a team leader in a steel mill,’ my response would have been, ‘What’s a steel mill?’ and ‘I can’t see myself doing something like that for a career’ yet here I am 21 years later.
‘It’s not the path I thought I would take. The knowledge I’ve gained, the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met are incomparable to anything before my career started at NSBSL.”
“I chose to take a chance in an industry I knew nothing about, completely outside of my comfort zone. I can honestly say I don’t regret my decision to try a career that is typically thought of as unconventional for women.”
Q: What Advice Would You Give to Your Younger Self?
“You need to believe in yourself,” said Ashley Kotowski, VP of Sales and Marketing. “It is easy to be your toughest critic, but at the end of the day if you don’t believe, neither will others.
In the words of Henry Ford, ‘Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.’ Believe that you can succeed, and you’ll always find a way.”
Keli Leandro, Financial Planning and Analysis Manager, said, “Be kind with yourself. Never stop learning; try to learn something different every day.”
“The world is much bigger than you think and your challenges today will be tomorrow’s opportunities.”
Continuous learning is also important for Kristin Malosh. “Whether it’s within your personal life or your professional life, it’s imperative to be curious and learn from others.”
“In my younger years, I remember thinking that I couldn’t wait to be finished with school. I know now that you may finish school, but you should never stop learning!”
Q: What Do You Like About Working at North Star?
“I am so happy to be part of North Star,” said Keli Leandro. “It’s very exciting to work for a company that gives growth opportunities and has professionals who I can learn from and push me to take on new and challenging opportunities.”
Kristin Malosh said, “We have a great team culture at North Star. We look out for each other and support one another to be successful every day.”
Q: Why Should Other Women Consider Applying to Work at North Star? What Advice Would You Give Them?
“North Star is a great place to work,” said Malosh. “I would tell women who are considering applying here to not be intimidated by a facility that makes steel. A career in manufacturing is exciting.”
Leandro said, “Women should consider applying to work at North Star because it’s a place that provides opportunities to grow and make progress in the company.