Strom Manufacturing Machinist Becomes First-Ever Team Member to Represent Company as Compass Precision Employee of the Month
“Great moments are built from great opportunity,” said the famous USA Hockey Coach Herb Brooks. When analyzing the true nature of the quote, one can find it applies to many different individuals and unique aspects of life. Seizing those select opportunities to grow and excel can be the difference between success and failure. For one Strom Manufacturing team member who continued to seek out chances to flourish professionally and make the most of his moments, he is seeing the rewards of his efforts.
Compass Precision is pleased to award the September 2022 Employee of the Month honor to Cesar Macias-Banuelos of newly acquired Strom Manufacturing. The 27-year-old machinist has been with Strom since June 2019 and immediately hit the ground running.
“I started out as a machine operator,” said Cesar. “Then once the pandemic began, business slowed down. This became an opportunity for me to learn more through on-the-job training and expand my skillset. The training I received here is absolutely great. I believe the reason I’m where I’m at today is due to the quality training the organization provides.”
The Hillsboro, Oregon native also accredits his current success to his family and developing a passion for machining at an early age.
“My dad has a background in machining,” said Cesar. “Seeing him operate and utilize his expertise firsthand intrigued me as a child. I always enjoyed going to work with my dad a few times a year and learning more about what he did. It truly fascinated me.”
“Cesar is a pretty modest person and very eager to learn,” explained Bill Strom, President and former owner of Strom Manufacturing before its acquisition by Compass two months ago. “He is our key guy on second shift. We need this extra capacity to keep up with customer demands. Cesar is leading our efforts to make this happen.”
When asked about representing Strom Manufacturing as the company’s first-ever Compass Precision Employee of the Month, Cesar is humbled and cherishes the opportunity.
“It feels really good,” said Cesar. “I’ve been working hard since day one and never thought I’d be where I’m at today. I never thought I’d get to the point where everything is second nature. I’m comfortable with the processes and the space that I’m in. I’m thrilled doors are opening for more opportunities and additional responsibilities for me to grow within the company.”
Attention to detail, keeping a clear mind, staying focused on the moment and balancing priorities are all traits Cesar prides himself in. As far as words, there’s a few he lives his life by.
“It doesn’t matter who does it, just as long as the job gets done,” said Cesar. “When you’re faced with a lot of work it can be overwhelming at times. Applying that quote lends to teamwork and ensuring we are all on the same page to get the job done accurately and efficiently.”
When he’s not performing his work responsibilities at Strom, Cesar enjoys graphic design, Photoshop, skateboarding, comedy movies, and open-world video games. As far as future goals are concerned, a few sentiments came to mind.
“Be nice to people and treat people right,” said Cesar. “Do what needs to be done. I’m big on integrity and enjoy doing the right thing.”
In July 2022, Strom Manufacturing become the seventh operating company under the Compass umbrella. It is the third add-on situated outside the Charlotte area, location of the company’s headquarters, and the first in the Pacific Time Zone.
Strom Manufacturing, located in North Plains, OR., was founded in 1974 and owned solely by Bill Strom since 2008. Strom serves a select group of high-tech customers and well-known consumer products customers, primarily in the Pacific Northwest. The company’s differentiating capabilities include both horizontal and vertical 4-axis mills for precision machining. Some of these units have multiple pallets for continuous operation without operator intervention.
“There’s a lot of teamwork and that’s what I like the most about working here,” said Cesar. “Everybody is really friendly and gets along well with each other. We all work together to ensure the job gets done. We’re a bunch of gears working together to move the company forward.”
For more information about Strom Manufacturing and Compass Precision, please contact David Wyscaver, Compass’s Communications Manager at [email protected].