REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

July 25, 2022

Special Report by Jordan Vitick

Kiana Anderson

Sales and Market Development Representative, Teknor Color Co.

Kiana Anderson’s interest in the plastics industry started around 7 years old, when her father was working toward his master’s degree in plastics engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

“On Saturdays he would lock himself in the basement to work on his reports. Naturally, I was curious and wanted to hang out with my dad, so I would join him in the basement while he studied. He generously let me scribble on his notes while he was studying and even let me help type his final thesis, one letter at a time and very slowly,” she said. “I'm not sure where he found the patience.”

Women Breaking the Mold

When he would come home from work, post-master’s degree, Anderson’s father would be excited about a project he was working on.

“Other days he would bring home samples for me and my brothers to learn about. I often asked questions and thought, ‘Hey, this is pretty neat,’” she said.

Anderson studied applied mathematics and finance at the University of Rhode Island, and she is working on her MBA with a concentration in leadership at Bentley University.

She started as a cost accountant at Teknor Apex Co., and her career highlight so far has been transitioning from cost accounting to sales. As a sales and market development representative for Teknor Color Co., Anderson manages customer relationships, works in close cooperation with cross-functional departments, develops new business from product development to commercialization and conducts market research.

“I have been in my current role for nine months now, and I have enjoyed every minute of it,” she said. “Despite joining the commercial team during a period of supply uncertainty, I look forward to waking up every morning and partnering with customers and my colleagues to source material, finding solutions for their supply or manufacturing needs and learning more about plastics and customers’ applications.”