Career Family TreeBy: Samantha Petty

My Dad

Phillip Petty

Works for SAP

Dad

What was their major and/or academic background/training? Business Administration

- What is their job title, and what activities do they do on a regular day of work? Engineering Architect Premium Engagements - Max Attention Managing critical situations within large enterprise customer’s

SAP Solution, defining strategic guidance around solution direction in relations to  SAP support and maintenance

What do they like about their job? Works across multiple customers and see the difficulty within

how to support global business processes with technology

Dad

What do they wish was different about it? More work life balance… He works too much

How did they start doing this job/choose this job? Started working in supply at AA and then moved into a

business analyst role that introduced me to SAP.  Learned how SAP worked and got an opportunity to work at SAP. 

What other careers/jobs have they had in their life? Action Auto Parts, McNatt Honda, American Airlines,

SAP…… this is rare for most to only work at this few of companies.

Why did they stop doing each of those? There was more money each time he changed companies.

Dad

What makes a job interesting to them? Being surrounded by really smart people

What about a job leads one to be happy? Compensation, Ownership, Accomplishments, and

Challenges

If they could not do the profession/job they currently are doing, what would they choose instead? “ I would like to own my own business at some point, I

would like to teach technology at a college…. I think I will do both before I am done working….. ”

My Mom

Kimberly Guenzel

Works for American Airlines

Mom

What was their major and/or academic background/training? An Associate’s Degree in Secretarial Science Medical from Central

Carolina Community College.

What is their job title, and what activities do they do on a regular day of work? Material Logistic Specialist at American Airlines. Daily she maintains an

inventory of aircraft parts and tooling to ensure when an aircraft has a problem, they have access to the appropriate supplies to repair the aircraft. For the last 18 months, she has been on a special project to build a new inventory system at AA. The new system will enhance their capabilities for traceability, accountability and movements.

What do they like about their job? No day is exactly like another. New things happen everyday.

What do they wish was different about it? She wished that the station that she works at (RDU) was a larger hub in

the system.

Mom

How did they start doing this job/choose this job? She received the opportunity to interview for this job

when AA opened their operations at RDU in 1987.

What other careers/jobs have they had in their life? Worked for the State of North Carolina Education

Division.

Why did they stop doing each of those? She chose AA for the adventure of the job. She also

wanted to be able to use the flight benefits that come along with the job (free flights.)

Mom

What makes a job interesting to them? It is constantly changing.

What about a job leads one to be happy? “If you enjoy your job, you are happy to go to work

each day.”

If they could not do the profession/job they currently are doing, what would they choose instead? She would probably be in law enforcement. Her

mother was a police officer and she always thought she might want to follow in her foot steps.

My Brother

James Hearne

Graduated from UNT

Works at the W Hotel in Dallas

James

What was their major and/or academic background/training? Hospitality Management

What is their job title, and what activities do they do on a regular day of work? Catering Sales Manager, booking and servicing

catering only groups.

What do they like about their job? Organizing people and events.

James

What do they wish was different about it? Co-Workers are always a struggle.

How did they start doing this job/choose this job? Applied for desk job within hotel and worked way up

to Sales position.

What other careers/jobs have they had in their life Server, Bartender, Administrative Assistant, and

Cheer Coach.

Why did they stop doing each of those? Progress of career.

James

What makes a job interesting to them? The environment and tasks involved.

What about a job leads one to be happy? Enjoying what you are doing..."enjoy what you

do and you'll never work a day in your life."

If they could not do the profession/job they currently are doing, what would they choose instead? Teaching within a high school to better

hospitality students.

My Uncle

Chris Amarante

Works for a city in the DFW area

Chris

What was their major and/or academic background/training? “I always like math and science in high school.  I went to college night my

junior year and thought I wanted a degree in Physics and Engineering.  I was accepted to Sam Houston State University in 1987.  I began with my basic core curriculum.  I quickly figured out I was not going to peruse a degree in Physics, so I worked on my basics courses for engineering.  I transferred after two years from Sam Houston State to Texas A&M .  I went to school an additional an three years taking summer school classes to graduate in 1992.  I graduated with a GPA of 3.33 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.”

    What is their job title, and what activities do they do on a regular day of work?  “I currently am a Director of Facilities and Construction for a large City in

the DFW area.  I manage 15 employees.  Our department is responsible for maintaining all City owner facilities including the custodial duties.  We maintain all of the HVAC systems, new construction, remodeling, future construction planning, and computer programs for access control as well as the Building Management Systems (lighting controls and HVAC systems.)” 

Chris

What do they like about their job? “ I have a very rewarding job.  I get to plan for construction

projects, implement construction, and maintain the final product. ”    

What do they wish was different about it? “ I am satisfied with my career.  Managing people has its

challenges.  Just when you think you know everything in a situation, something always pops up and you have to pull tools from your tool belt to handle.”

How did they start doing this job/choose this job? “I was looking for a job change.  At my previous job I worked 70

plus hours a week and stress was affecting me adversely.  I was at the top of my career ladder at that employer and I wanted a change.  The job I currently have I was hired for a specific position and since have been promoted. ”

What other careers/jobs have they had in their life? “I began my career right out of college as an engineer in

training.  I worked in Chicago for one year in the main engineering office.  I was transferred with the same company to the Gulf Coast to perform hands on training in the field working in Refineries and on large construction projects with steel plate structures.  I left that company after 7 years to get a job with no travel in the DFW area for a large engineering design firm as a design engineer. I left that company after 1 ½ years and began working for a competitor to the first company, working in the DFW office building new elevated water towers around the entire United States as a Project Manager.  I worked there for 7 years and changed to the current employer. ”

Chris

Why did they stop doing each of those? “I left my first job to move back home to the DFW area and have a stable

job with little to no travel.  I left the second job because I did not want to do design work anymore.  I left the third job because I was at the top of my career ladder with that employer and I felt I needed to move on.”

What makes a job interesting to them? “A good challenge makes a job interesting to me.  I like to be a problem

solver.  I like digging down in the details on a project. ”

What about a job leads one to be happy? “I am happy when I can see my accomplishments.  I can say I helped

make this project happen.”

If they could not do the profession/job they currently are doing, what would they choose instead? “I most likely would be working with my hands on tools, a skilled

laborer.”