This week the Women in Leadership spotlight shines on Evelyn Ruiz, Director of Client Services, Valencia, CA. Evelyn started her AMS journey in 2002 in the Operations department, where she learned returns, shipping, inventory and receiving procedures. In 2004, she had the opportunity to work in client services, in a temporary position. That same year she was able to stay in the department as an assistant account manager.
In 2007 Evelyn was promoted to Account Manager. She said, “This was a challenging but also a rewarding position. With my Operations background I was able to perform and keep up with the new challenges.” Another promotion came in 2014, when Evelyn became a Senior Account Manager, where she worked with full-service model clients, learning the client’s side of the business.
In 2020 she was promoted to Director of Client Services. Due to the pandemic, she began to work remotely. She said, “This change was totally out of my comfort zone, however, this has been one of my most successful changes.” Evelyn not only had a higher responsibility as Director, but also a higher responsibility in handling the many adjustments that came with the pandemic. “Our main goal was to keep providing a great service to clients and keep the team members operating as smoothly as possible.”
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Thank you for being in the AMS Women in Leadership spotlight Evelyn. We are curious as to was AMS like when the company began. Today we see AMS as an employer that knows the value of women leaders. We also see our other B Corp values, i.e. serving the community, environmental impact, and dedication to the clients. Were you surprised as AMS changed and grew over the years or was the company culture always well suited to be a B Corp?
In my personal relationship with AMS, becoming a B Corp was the last step we needed to close the circle of a great culture we as a company established since day one.
That is great to hear! Your job is to be of service to AMS’ clients and that is such a vital role. How do you look at ‘being the change’ when serving the clients?
With AMS having client services department established since day one and being part of it, it makes it a lot easier to be the change clients are looking for. I like to identify ourselves as partners instead of 3PL or just another vendor. Maintaining a proactive and respectful relationship with our partners and making them feel that we are an extension to their business is what I look as “being the change”.
As a Client Services Director, you mentor others who are learning and growing in their positions. What are your most effective ways of helping others to achieve?
I was lucky enough to have the best mentor ever, and when you have a great person behind you all you can do is replicate the same with the people ahead of you. Provide a healthy personal and work balance, make people feel important, trust them, dedicate time to teach them and show them that you want them to eventually have your position are some of the methods I like to use as those are the ones my mentor Betty-Lou Wisemen (BL) used with me.
In your experience at AMS, have you enjoyed any particular aspects of the B Corp culture? What are your favorite ways to contribute?
Participating on the Adopt a Family during the holidays was an amazing experience for me, as a mom, teaching my daughter the great culture of the company I work for is priceless.
Thank you for this excellent interview Evelyn!! Stay tuned for #8 next week!!