“People First” Spotlight

A peek behind the curtain on the people who help to power the brand of Southern Aluminum.

Posted by Andrew Moffett - 03/08/2021

What is in the “secret sauce” at Southern Aluminum? Well, it includes passionate people! One of those passionate people is Jennifer Edwards, and this is her story.

Regarded as a trailblazer in all she does, Jennifer Edwards is the shipping logistics manager at Southern Aluminum. Hired in April of 2000, Jennifer began her career in the company’s manufacturing facility building tables. At that time, Jennifer was one of the few females hired into production, and she was proud of it! She is as passionate about her career as she is about taking care of others around her, an endearing quality, and one that transparently shines through in the first few seconds of meeting her. Jennifer’s energy and positivity are infectious, two qualities found in all employees that help power the culture and Southern Aluminum’s brand.

At the time of Jennifer’s hire, Southern Aluminum was eager to diversify their workforce. As the company was rapidly growing, she was sought out in the community because of her reputation of being fearless at trying new things; and who would not want that on your team. Jennifer quickly became a master at her first job in production, so much so that she was quickly moved around to other areas, mastering each one as she went along.

Eventually, Jennifer was recruited into front office operations and today is the mastermind behind the complex and strategic task of the company’s shipping logistics. Another challenge she was up for, stepping in with no training but quickly becoming an expert. She has proven herself to be untouchable in what she does and how she does it.

You see, Jennifer is not the type of person to go after an opportunity because she knows she can do it, rather, she looks for opportunities that will challenge her. She takes these on because she is determined to learn new skills and be the best at what she does; she exudes this every day.

Jennifer’s attitude is representative of the culture at Southern Aluminum. She is fearless at what she does, so it is no surprise that Jennifer has enjoyed a successful 21-year career with no signs of slowing down.

“I am very proud to tell people that I work at Southern Aluminum. One of my favorite things is telling people how long I have worked here as I do not have the desire to look for anything more because I am so happy here. I am proud of what I have seen us become over my 21 years”.

The added benefit to Jennifer’s work experience? With her roots in manufacturing and then growing into front office operations, Jennifer prides herself on being a strong conduit between our heart of the house employees and our front of the house employees, living the mantra of our company’s ONE TEAM philosophy. Jennifer has the great ability to relate to the team on many levels as she works to problem solve and meet deadlines for employees and customers alike. This comes from her unselfish attitude and her servant leadership.

We celebrate Jennifer in all of her accomplishments, dedication, fearlessness, and all she brings to the business every day!