Employee Spotlight: Chelsea Moxlow Lantto, Business Operations Manager
At Trenton Forging Company, the highest of bars have been set when it comes to recruiting talented, forward-thinking team players. We seek out those who are willing to rise up to every challenge and take great pride in their work. Every team member adds unique value, and each brings a special skill set, outlook, or work/life experience to the table.
From time to time, we’ll be spotlighting and giving additional recognition to a variety of employees who emulate the core values of our company. In doing so, we hope to thank them for their hard work and dedication for not only reaching our business goals, but their personal goals as well.
“The bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but it doesn’t know that, so it goes on flying anyway.”
This sentiment is one the founder of Trenton Forging Company, George S. Moxlow, shared with his grandchildren – a quote that resonated in Chelsea (Moxlow) Lantto’s mind, pushing her toward new adventures, and ultimately, leading her back to the company her grandfather founded to serve as our Business Operations Manager.
Chelsea grew up on the island of Grosse Ile, Michigan. As a child, she was immersed into the company culture – the plant was (and still is) a constant in her life. She recalls,
“As a young kid, my mom and I would bring my dad lunch, always chicken burritos from Amigos… I would page him on the intercom system, saying, ‘Dad! Lunch is here!’ making everyone laugh.”
However, the role of her youth extended far beyond lunch delivery. From document processing on typewriters with her mother, Renee Moxlow (Vice President, retired), to overhauling the engineering filing system during her high school summer months, Chelsea learned how to properly manage the company’s internal databases. The work didn’t stop there, though. Chelsea helped launch a company-wide software changeover initiative and training; developed marketing promotions and employee wellness strategies; and even worked on the inspection belt. Even when working with the 1521 yokes (affectionately known as “finger smashers”), she continued to work hard to maintain the family legacy and learn the ins and outs of the business.
Eventually, though, it was time to learn outside the walls of Trenton Forging. Chelsea went on to obtain her Bachelor’s of Science in Health Promotion and Behavior from the University of Georgia, followed by her Master’s of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. As if this was not impressive enough, during her school tenure she also:
To say she’s well-rounded would be a gross understatement – especially considering the incredible amount of additional outside certifications she’s earned. In 2009, she became a Certified Health Specialist, and in 2015, a Master Certified Health Education Specialist, proving her level of competency in the health education/public health field.
At this point, you may be asking — how does this experience translate into the manufacturing industry? Well, in Chelsea’s words:
“It probably sounds funny, but public health principles can be applied to every industry. Workforce development, strategic planning, and performance management are cornerstones in how we approach public health, and those things are vital for any business to flourish.”
She has also been implementing the teachings of the 4DX framework in her public health position for over 3 years – a framework that Trenton Forging currently follows to ensure the company’s most important goals are achieved. With a fresh set of eyes on our version of the 4DX approach, and a renewed spirit to carry it forward, Chelsea’s skills will prove immeasurably beneficial.
Chelsea continues,
“The forging industry is in my blood, and it has always been in the back of my mind to return to the family business. I loved my public health work but taking on a new challenge that includes spending more time with my dad (CEO, David Moxlow) and being able to carry on the family legacy was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”
It’s a decision that required a certain amount of encouragement and support, despite her strong intuition to return. She drew this from her father, David, who has been a constant support system, as well as a role model for work ethic and innovation; from Renee, her mother, who taught her how to dig deep and discover her inner-confidence and “own the heck out of it;” and from her husband, Joel, who inspires her to live authentically.
Those same people have brought incredible passion to her life — passions that extend far beyond work. Not only does Chelsea enjoy SCUBA diving in her free time, she’s a master of it. That’s right, she’s a Scuba Schools International certified SCUBA Open Water Master Diver, specializing in Stress & Rescue, Night Diving, and Adaptive Buddy Diving, finding it fascinating to explore a world in which “humans don’t belong.” When not diving, you can probably find her curled up with a good book with her dog Ellie snoozing at her feet or working on home renovations.
In true Chelsea fashion, however, that doesn’t mean the learning stops; she is currently enrolling in business and accounting classes to further enhance the skills she brings to the table, no doubt with the same mantra her grandfather, George Moxlow, spoke to her years ago, still ringing true.
On behalf of everyone at Trenton Forging Company, Chelsea, we want to welcome you home. We appreciate the immediate passion, outside-the-box mentality, and innovation you’ve poured into the projects you’ve taken on. We look forward to seeing you achieve personal success while helping the Trenton Forging team solidify its position as a world-leader in the forging industry.
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Interested in building a lifelong career with Trenton Forging, like Chelsea? Click here.
