Co-WorkersI consistently work in-house with just two sewers and two grunts. Edith Patino and Ruth Quitanilla work with me in the shop 4 days a week. Edith has taken offer Tomasa's spot on the production floor as Tomasa decided she was not going to be back in 2008. We miss her work ethic tremendously, but will make due.
Occasionally I outsource some production to a few skilled and industrious ladies who sew out of their homes throughout Cache Valley. Utah is considered the Beehive State for a reason...they help us stay on top of sub-assembly inventory.
Admittedly all of these fine ladies can sew circles around me, and have been critical in helping to establish ULA-Equipment as a supplier of quality products.
Ruth and Edith not only help with the sewing duties, but they keep the atmosphere fun and energetic in the shop. My slaughtering of their native tongue results in much laughter, and the XM Satellite Radio keeps the Latin music pumpin' all day long.
A brief introduction to the ladies in my life...
Ruth Quitanilla:
Ruth Quitanilla began working with ULA-Equipment in February '05. She is originally from El Salvador and has been in the US for 25 years, the last 15 years being spent in Logan, UT. Ruth has 3 kids. Odessa lives in Logan, Mario recently returned from an LDS Mission in Puerto Rico, and her youngest, Anna is in the 5th Grade. Ruth is the backbone of production work in the shop and can move to a salsa beat with ladies half her age.
Edith Patino:
Edith began working with ULA-Equipment in Nov '07. She is originally from Northern Mexico and has been in Logan, UT for 16 years. Edith has 4 kids and her husband works at the local cheese factory and dairy. Edith also works at a dairy here in Cache Valley. Edith cooks a mean batch of posole!
Kassidy Chatterton:
Kassidy is ULA's production mercenary. That means she is always willing to tackle the grunt jobs that everyone else (including me) complains about doing. Not Kassidy. Total team player who puts up with my occasional micro-management and the constant "thump, thump" of Latino Music with grace and dignity. Kassidy has been with ULA part time for 2 years....and in that time, no matter the temperature, I do not think I've ever seen her wear a jacket.
Holly Thompson:
Holly began working with ULA-Equipment in the summer of '07. She is an art student at the local university and is bound for eternity to the brother of my friend Brandt's wife Anna...otherwise known as Evan (or is it Ian?). Got that? Holly has dubbed herself the "Grommet Queen" and is utilizing her university education by spending her days at the Bartack Machine and Hotknife. She hikes with a Conduit and considers her lifestyle to be 'ultralight'.
