From Mentee to Mentor – Career Development in The Heritage Group Family

At Heritage Environmental Services, one of our core values is the “Freedom to Learn and Grow.” Many of our employees started their professional careers at Heritage Environmental and other Heritage Group companies and have had mentors who helped shape their careers. As their own careers progress, they’ve gone from mentee to mentor, seeking to guide some of the newer Heritage family members. We interviewed several about their experiences, read on to learn how they’ve grown with us.

Please tell us a bit about what you do. 

Samantha Nobbe, Associate Asphalt Engineer, Heritage Research Group (HRG): I work within Heritage Construction + Materials (HC+M) in the Rheology lab. In the Rheology lab we test and modify asphalt binders as well as support Asphalt Materials Inc. on projects and plant issues.

Savanna Jarmon, Project Specialist, Heritage Research Group: I am in currently an HR rotational role which allows me to explore different areas of HR. I am currently working with HC+M on Talent Initiatives, including Diversity Equity & Inclusion and affirmative action plans, while also providing support to the talent acquisition team.

Hannah Fleishman Norton, Leadership Development Program (LDP) Representative, Heritage Environmental Services: I am on the LDP Commercial track which focuses on Customer Experience, Marketing, and sales over the next three years. I am currently starting in the customer experience department as a Program Manager.

Mark Elia, Operations Manager, Heritage Environmental Services: My duties take place at the Indianapolis Plant, a permitted Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal site. I am responsible for the day-to-day operation of the plant, as well as the budget, continuous improvement projects, and safety initiatives. The Indianapolis Plant is responsible for the treatment of inorganic wastewater treatment for acids, caustics, cyanide and heavy metal bearing wastes, stabilization of heavy metal bearing solid wastes, and supplemental fuels blending of waste organics.

How did you originally hear about The Heritage Group (THG) and how did your journey start with our company?

Sam: I learned about The Heritage Group through my dad, who works for Milestone. I started my journey with THG by finding internship applications online and applying for a position listed at Heritage Research Group. I was an intern with HRG for three summers before joining full time after I graduated.

Savanna: I went to Ball State and Lexie Seward came to a Society for Human Resource Management event to talk about THG. At the end of that event Lexie sent out internships happening that summer, one of them being a compensation intern, I applied and got the internship. After the internship was up, I accepted a full-time job with THG finishing out the year in compensation and rotating to now working with HC+M.

Hannah: I originally heard about The Heritage Group when I was a junior in college through the Accelerator internship program where I became a marketing intern for the 2022 Accelerator. Wanting to learn more about Heritage I talked with Caitlin Hacker at a career fair at Butler University and learned about the LDP program.

Mark: After graduating from Indiana University with a Chemistry degree, I went looking for a job working in a lab and found a posting for a Lab Technician role with Heritage Environmental Services at the Indianapolis Plant. After working in the lab for over 2 years, I got the opportunity to move to Heritage Research Group where I spent 3 years before getting the opportunity to return to the Plant where I started my career with Heritage as the Operations Manager.

How has working with your mentee/mentor benefited you?

Sam: One of the best experiences working with the mentees like Savanna this past summer was getting to learn about and see the growth and development of projects across THG companies. As an intern for THG they give the exceptional opportunity to lead your own summer project. Each intern’s project is important for the company and they can lead to future. Through working with Savanna and hearing about her project, I was able to learn about the People and Culture team and what they do. I work in a completely different sector of THG than Savanna, it was so fun to learn about her team and gain a greater appreciation for what they do.

Savanna: Working with my mentor has benefited me during my internship by having biweekly meetings and lunches to answer any questions I had, or to even debrief on what I am working on. By having those meetings, it pushed me out of my comfort zone to connect more with my fellow interns. My mentor has benefited me during my full-time position by always having a friendly face around the office and being a part of the Young Professionals with my mentor!

Hannah: Within the mentorship I had in my internship with the Accelerator I was able to shadow the team leads and learn about the processes and industry that The Heritage Group embodies. This benefitted me as I was able to see the flexibility and the value that THG places on learning and growing which allowed me to be excited for the mentorship program I will participate in the next year.

Mark: The Operations Manager position has been my first leadership role, and I have been fortunate enough to have a great mentor to help me develop as a leader. One of my favorite things about working for The Heritage Group is that everyone from the top down truly lives the core value: Freedom to Learn and Grow. Whenever I have needed advice, or mentorship from someone in the company, they have always been more than willing to make time for me. Similarly, Heritage Group has invested a lot of time and resources into helping me develop as a leader and gain the skills I need to continue to grow within the company.

What is something you’ve learned from your mentor or how has working with your mentor influenced you to give back to others just starting out in their career?

Savanna: Sam has influenced me to also be a mentor for the incoming interns. She was awesome with keeping everyone engaged and making sure we knew that we could come to her if we had any concerns, questions or just needed someone to talk to!

Hannah: One thing I learned from my mentorship relationship is to always ask questions when you have a problem that needs a solution or need clarification. My mentors have always been there to answer the questions I have or dive deeper into a topic. This has been beneficial for me starting out in my career, as it allows me to understand the industry and learn how I can best operate within my role.

Mark: As someone who has had excellent mentors throughout my time at Heritage, helping me grow from an hourly employee to a leader within the company, I have developed a passion for talent development. Now that I have reached a position of influence, I want to give back by offering my time and knowledge to help mentor the future generation of talent within The Heritage Group.

What would you say to someone who is interested in joining The Heritage Group?

Savanna: To someone who is interested in joining the internship program, THG bets on its people, whether you’re an intern or a full-time employee. THG has given me an amazing opportunity to learn and grow with the company. You will learn so much during your internship, meet so many great interns, and work with some of the best leaders!

Hannah: For an individual who is interested in joining the internship program/ The Heritage Group, is that the experience you will have within the company will be unique. They bring a family feel to a large company and allow you to grow personally and professionally and really push you to have the freedom to learn and grow. Never be afraid to ask questions and challenge yourself but know that there will be people behind you that will support you along the way.

Mark: Joining the Heritage Group has been one of the best decisions I have made in my life. The internship program is perfectly geared toward not only giving real world work experience, but also providing mentorship and networking opportunities, and a broader view of the many facets of such a large and diverse company. Likewise, The Heritage Group is heavily invested in developing its talent. There are countless resources available to help you grow professionally, and several different operating companies to find your niche, but it is up to you to take ownership of your own career.