Cory Gagnon graduated with a bachelor's degree in advertising, with a focus on multimedia design, from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. She said she has always been interested in B2B and manufacturing in general and started at ACS Group in September 2016.
Gagnon has assisted in the product development and marketing launch of 14 new products and has planned and executed three separate brand booths for NPE2018 and the upcoming NPE2024. She worked on the launch of MiVue — Manufacturing Insight Service, the first software brand for the auxiliary equipment maker.
The senior marketing specialist works to strengthen the ACS brands — AEC, Cumberland, Sterling, MiVue, Wabash and Carver — across all channels and leads all marketing messaging and design initiatives as a brand expert.
The coronavirus pandemic has affected in-person relationships and not having access to everyone in the office has been a challenge.
"The work-from-home atmosphere has really allowed everyone's schedules to become more fluid, which is great. However, I feel like we are missing the in-person connections that we used to have with the full in-person workweeks," she said.
Gagnon said the pandemic has taught her to slow down and take time for herself.
Her current obstacle is getting ahead of the to-do list. "In marketing, we are always able to adjust and try new things, which in turn creates more work fine-tuning all the details," she said.
Aside from her work at ACS Group, Gagnon has been a small-business owner for 10 years, creating wedding invitations and stationery.
Q: What emerging technology or market most interests you?
Gagnon: I love hearing about how new composite materials can be used in so many applications. There are so many opportunities in many markets for plastics materials that can be used to make lighter materials in sectors like EV and aerospace.
Q: What is your biggest failure and what did it teach you?
Gagnon: I spent a summer working toward building my business as a full-time opportunity. I learned quickly that running your own company and being your own boss often means working 60-plus hours a week, with little extra perks. It was very taxing, and though it gave me some great experience, I am happy to have found my place at a full-time gig. I still dabble with the business, but it is a very small part-time part of my career.
Q: What is your personal "mold" that you are breaking?
Gagnon: I am breaking out of comfortable patterns and congratulating myself more. I started a goal list that is 22 items to track in 2022: "22 for 22" based on Gretchen Rubin's exploring happiness and good habits. The goal list has been really great to keep track of what I'm doing to challenge myself more.