Meet Sarah Gress

posted On Wednesday, April 5, 2023 in Blog

Meet Sarah Gress

Q&As with Sarah Gress

Sarah, you just started at AHT a few months ago. Tell us about your background before that.

Most recently I was in the mortgage industry assisting multiple loan officers. Before that I was a professional photographer and worked part time as a Crossfit coach. I also still currently bartend on the side!

Did you know much about heat treat prior to working at AHT?

Honestly, I knew nothing! But when I heard we heat treat items like cast iron skillets, gun parts and things for NASA, I was instantly interested!

What were your first impressions of AHT?

Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful as I learn my role at AHT. The longevity of the employees really says a lot about how awesome the work environment is here and shows the loyalty between the company & employee as well.

(Editor's Note: We are proud of our loyal employees and have a prestigious club known as the "15+ Club," comprised of the employees that have been at AHT for 15+ years. See our list of current 15+ Club employees here.)

What does a typical day look like for you as an accounting clerk?

I invoice our facility's work orders, generate statements and other accounting tasks, assist our Burton location's fantastic salesman Chad Bradenburg to deliver pricing to our customers, work with the shipping/expediting department, and am the "office plant mom".

How do you like to spend your time outside of work?

I enjoy spending time with my large family and our great friends, traveling, sports, cooking, gardening, and anything outdoors!

What's Your Favorite Thing to Cook?

Well, I will say this… I cook healthy & frugal but creative, with a splurge every now and then! I like to take different ingredients from the fridge, cupboard, freezer and find a way to create a meal from them. I don’t know if I have a fav meal to cook, but I do like to recreate meals we eat while we travel. ie: South African meat pies, sushi, seafood dishes, curry, etc. and we use our Traeger a lot!

You’re very involved with sports. Tell our readers a little bit about that.

Sarah and Her Dad Playing Ball at NIACC My Dad was a collegiate baseball player, so my upbringing was heavy in sports, especially baseball. Our family has housed Waterloo Bucks baseball players every summer for almost 30 years. Because of that we have spent many vacations somewhere in the US watching a previous Buck play in the pros. My sister and I were both collegiate softball players.

Nowadays, rugby is the main sport in our house. My significant other coaches Waverly Shell Rock's Boys & Girls High School Rugby teams, Iowa High School Elites, Iowa Central Community College Rugby and for the Rebel Rugby Academy out of Colorado – which takes us all over the state & country for tournaments.

Our 7 kids play multiple sports and I still enjoy fitness and a healthy lifestyle! When we’re at home we watch a lot of college/pro football as well.

(Pictured: Sarah playing softball at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) on the left; her dad playing ball at NIACC on the right)

What is an accomplishment you’re proud of?

From 2014-2018 I lost 50 lbs. through diet and Crossfit!

What is one thing people may not know about you?

I lived in rural southwest Nebraska for 13 years on a farm. It really solidified my love for the state of Iowa and the Hawkeyes!

What is one thing people may not know about Advanced Heat Treat Corp.?

Probably the wide array of items we heat treat!

(Editor's Note: Advanced Heat Treat Corp. offers nitriding, induction hardening, carburizing and many more services. View the various surface treatments offered at AHT here.)

What advice/tip would you give to someone considering employment at AHT?

There’s no other employer like AHT! It’s a family atmosphere, they strive for a healthy work/life balance, and as I say a lot, it’s a well-oiled machine here. Everyone is important in the role they play, and we work together well. Come join the Happy Place!

(Editor's Note: Interested in a career at AHT? View our open positions and job descriptions at www.ahtjobs.com.)

Now, a Series of Quick Random Questions:

College? I graduated from the University of Nebraska Kearney with a degree in history
First Job: Hostess at Carlos O’Kelly’s, unless you count babysitting
Favorite Food: Lamb (but I’m a sucker for curry and sushi too!)
Least Favorite Food: Oatmeal & Liver/Onions
Biggest Concert Attended: Garth Brooks or Metallica
Favorite Sport: Baseball
Favorite Team: Iowa Hawkeyes
Favorite Book: Alienist
Favorite Movie: A Time To Kill
Best Vacation or Roadtrip: Florida (been there 10-15x)
Hobby? Gardening in the summer, crafting in the winter
Kids? 7 in our house! (I have twin boys that are 12 and a daughter that’s 9. My significant other has 4 boys ranging from 3-11.)
Pets? Chief – a 2-year-old Newfoundland