As we wrap up this year, we invited colleagues around the world to reflect on and share their achievements, challenges, and goals.

Jerrick Williams, Director of Sales

Personal and Professional Growth

This year has been a time of significant personal and professional growth, as I got married and became a dad. These new roles have given me a fresh perspective on what truly matters—valuing time, living in the moment, and focusing on what’s important.

Every morning, I remind my daughter to be kind, confident, and be you. In today’s world, kindness can often be lost in the chaos, and it’s easy to compare ourselves to others or change who we are to fit in. This simple mantra has become a guiding principle in both my personal and professional life.

Professionally, these changes have shaped how I approach my career. As I’ve stepped into my new role as Director of Sales, managing my time effectively and balancing the demands of my team, our customers, and my family have been key priorities.

Ultimately, this year has taught me the importance of balance and flexibility. I’ve learned that growth comes from embracing new responsibilities with an open mind and that being truly present—whether at home or at work—requires continuous adjustment and mindfulness. I feel better prepared to tackle new challenges, both personally and professionally, as I continue to evolve in these new roles.

Lessons Learned

One lesson I learned this year is the importance of embracing uncertainty and flexibility.

At the start of this year, I had a very clear picture of what I wanted to accomplish and how things should unfold. But as the months went by, I realized that life doesn’t always follow a predictable path. Whether it was changes at work, unexpected personal events, or simply plans falling through, I had to learn to adapt and stay open to new possibilities.

I learned that resilience isn’t just about pushing through difficulties—it’s about being willing to pivot, adjust expectations, and find opportunities. I’ve become more comfortable with the unknown and less afraid of things not going as planned.

So, my takeaway this year is this: life is unpredictable and embracing unpredictability can open new paths you never imagined.

Preparing for Next Year

On a personal level, I’m looking forward to spending quality time with my family and friends, cherishing the simple moments that make life so special.

Professionally, I’m optimistic about what 2025 will bring—new opportunities for growth and success, both for our customers and L&P. I plan to take some time over the holidays to step back, relax, and reflect on the past year—what worked well, what didn’t, and what lessons I carry into 2025. I plan to review my personal and professional goals, reassess my priorities, and set clear attainable goals for 2025.

As we wrap up this year, we invited colleagues around the world to reflect on and share their achievements, challenges, and goals.

Jennifer Birch, Service Desk Analyst II

An important lesson I learned this year is that working remotely requires resilience and intentional communication!

I appreciate my network because it provides support to grow and adapt while working remotely. My role in the Service Desk gives me a unique opportunity to connect with most branches and departments, and our Women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) utilizes a virtual platform to reinforce the value of community and open dialogue. These relationships have helped me connect to the L&P community and do my job even better.

T Raja Chidambaram, Assistant Manager

This year, I began working with a global team on machine building and improvement projects. We plan to manufacture machines for our global plant, and my goal is to install five machines worldwide next year.

This coming year, I aim to advance to the next level in my career and visit the United States for the first time!

A lesson I want to share is that success takes time, but with hard work and patience, we’ll always succeed!

Jodie Rudd, Project Group Manager

In 2024, I learned to lean into hard challenges and am encouraging others to do the same.

It’s hard to “grow” if we’re not challenging ourselves.

As we wrap up this year, we invited colleagues around the world to reflect on and share their achievements, challenges, and goals.

Sarah Hodges, Customer Service Representative

One of the biggest lessons I learned this year is the importance of connecting with people.

This year, I ran my first full marathon, which is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done! With the help of friends training with me, encouraging me, and supporting me, I crossed the finish line of the Charlotte Marathon on November 16. It was challenging, but by connecting with friends and family, I did it!

The importance of connection applies in the office as well. There isn’t a day that I can be successful at my job without the help of my co-workers. I may be the person working with the sales reps and the customers, but everyone in the plant is just as important. Building these relationships between the various departments makes us that much more successful for our customers.

This coming year, my goal is to continue to learn and work with other departments. I believe learning other areas of the job creates a better understanding of how other departments operate and helps build professional relationships. At the end of the day, it takes a team to get the job done, and I’m very grateful for the connections I have made. I look forward to growing those connections throughout 2025!