Meet Wayne Jalbert, Shipping and Logistics Specialist at Progress

Today, we shine a spotlight on Wayne Jalbert, who has been recognized for “Progress Collaboratively,” one of the ProgressPROUD core values we strive to embody every day.

Since March 2020, many of us have been working outside of an office setting. It’s become easy to forget the feeling of driving to work every day and sitting at a desk somewhere that isn’t your home.

Of all the work-related things that have changed since the pandemic began, the fact that in-person collaboration is now a rare occurrence is perhaps the most challenging. We’ve gotten used to seeing our colleagues almost entirely online for the better part of two years—it’s been an adjustment, and not an easy one.

At Progress, this adjustment has come with an even bigger development: We decided to move out of our global headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts, our home for nearly 30 years.

It’s an exciting change, one that requires effort from a lot of different employees and departments—Wayne Jalbert being one of those employees.

Together with the rest of the facilities team, Wayne led the move from the Bedford office to our new headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts. The cross-team collaboration involved in the move was a plus for Wayne, who was able to connect with colleagues and friends he hadn’t seen in person for a long time.

Read more about the move and Wayne’s 20-plus-year career at Progress below:

How long have you worked at Progress? Do you remember what made you choose to work here?

I started at Progress in 1994 and worked here until 2013. I returned to Progress in 2018 and have worked here since for a total of 23 years. I chose to work here because some of my colleagues from my former company began working here and said great things about the organization and that I should join them at Progress.

You played an integral part in the Bedford move. What was that like? What/who was involved? 

It was challenging, but I felt I was in my element and was able to work with a lot of different colleagues that I have not gotten to see in a while. Multiple departments were involved, including HR, legal, communications and many others. My management team, which included Adi Hod and Vessy Stack, was always supportive and trusted in my relationships built with different colleagues over my many years at Progress. This was very helpful in working towards a smooth move.

Did the move bring up any old memories or feelings?

This move brought up many memories. When I first started there, manufacturing and distribution was in Building 14 on the first floor. To think how long ago that was, and all the people I had the opportunity to work and grow with over the years, it amazes me how far we have come and how many happy memories I made in this building over the years.

How does collaboration factor into your day-to-day work on the facilities team?

Collaboration is an important factor on this team. Being able to work alongside my teammates and have them trust me is an essential part of our day-to-day work.

What is your favorite part of your job right now?

My favorite part of my job is being able to work with many different people and departments on a daily basis.

What do you think makes Progress a great company, and why has it stood the test of time?

What makes Progress a great company is that we have always cared about our employees as well as their families. Progress always does a great job at showing appreciation for us with wonderful events, like the drive-in movie event that our entire families were welcome to.

When you're not working, what do you like to do?

I enjoy golfing, swimming and spending time at my pool with my wonderfully large family.

Throughout your career at Progress, has there been a certain coworker who has helped you, or who has been your favorite coworker?

I have worked with Leah DePolo for many years, and she has been an absolute pleasure to work with and made my time here even better. She has always helped me in any way she could and has been a great ally over the years.

What are you most excited about for the future of Progress?

Now that we have moved into a new building, I have been given the opportunity to work with many faces, new and old, in a smaller space where we can get to know each other and build a new community together. I cannot wait to see what great new ideas and opportunities await us in the future.

To get to know other Progressers like Wayne, read more of our employee interviews here.

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