When Jennifer Anderson fires up her computer to start her day at CertaSite, she is aware of the journey that brought her from Akron, Ohio to downtown Indianapolis. It’s a journey that reflects Jennifer’s determination and strong work ethic, and CertaSite’s belief in elevating committed and talented team members.
A native of Akron, Jennifer had spent a number of years working in food service management, managing the complexities of human resources while balancing customer service and store profitability. She went back to school, earning her diploma in medical insurance coding and her Associate of Science degree in health and health care administration.
The Journey to CertaSite
“I was working in medical coding and billing when I found out I was pregnant with my first child,” Jennifer recalls. “But it was tough to find a job in the field when I returned to work, and so I fell back into food service management.”
It was a job as a temporary office administrator at County Fire Protection that introduced Jennifer to fire and life safety. Jennifer, who says she always wanted to work in an office setting, covered employee medical leaves, while still managing the restaurant. The temporary job quickly turned into a part-time, and then full-time, position.
More than five years since starting as a temporary employee, Jennifer was promoted to office manager at County Fire Protection.
In 2018, the newly formed CertaSite acquired County Fire Protection, one of the first companies to join the CertaSite family. Jennifer remembered her initial reaction when she learned the news.
“I was terrified,” she says, laughing now at the memory. “John Lubinski, the former owner of County Fire Protection, was a huge mentor to me. He believed in me, took me under his wing and pushed me to try new roles in the company. I was terrified that no one at CertaSite would see what John saw in me, and that would be the end.”
Rather than the end, it was a new beginning.
Jennifer's Evolution at CertaSite
Jennifer sat down with CertaSite team members Jeff Wyatt, Bill Holmes and Kelly Henderson, and was quickly assigned to serve as district office manager. More importantly, she served as inspiration for CertaSite's core values. Jennifer's passionate, impactful, innovative, and genuine character formed the core of CertaSite's values to go beyond compliance and be the most dependable and simplified life safety solution on the planet. Jennifer spent six months in her role as district officer manager, and then was promoted to a new corporate position.
As CertaSite began expanding into new markets and acquiring new companies (eight to date), Jennifer was tasked with integrating these new companies into CertaSite’s technology platform. Soon, she found herself travelling to offices across the Midwest, working with internal teams and customers.
“CertaSite is using technology to revolutionize the fire protection and life safety experience,” Jennifer explains. “Using our platform, customers can manage their portfolio remotely so they are more than just in compliance with the various rules and regulations. Everything we do points back to the customer and ensuring their experience is seamless, from start to finish.”
CertaSite’s technology platform also allows Jennifer to work remotely, enabling her to log in at all hours to serve the CertaSite team. It has offered her greater flexibility both personally and professionally.
“I’m very fortunate in my position that I can carve out my niche based on my strengths and skills,” she commented. “I’m so grateful that I have people within the organization who encourage and support me.”
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Like everyone, Jennifer’s life took an unexpected turn in March, when the pandemic hit and stay-at-home orders went into effect. Jennifer was slated to move to Indianapolis and begin working at CertaSite’s corporate office as a business analyst. Instead, she found herself working from home while balancing her middle schooler’s e-learning schedule and having a toddler in the home.
Jennifer kept working and preparing for her move to Indianapolis. The family lived out of boxes while they navigated the real estate market ahead of their mid-June arrival in suburban Indianapolis.
Jennifer and her team used the time during the shutdown to continue technology integration and firm up processes. They also found themselves guiding customers as they prepared to re-open. They monitored state mandates, and worked with customers and CertaSite technicians to set expectations on the precautions team members would take onsite.
Jennifer at CertaSite Today
Today, Jennifer has settled in Indianapolis and has returned to the office. While her husband is managing e-learning, she reports that her children are making friends and the family is enjoying their new home and pace of life. She also is in the midst of working on integrating one new companies – Advanced Fire Companies – into CertaSite’s technology platform.
