Meet Newcomerstown's Sarah Swigert
Meet: Sarah (Mizer) Swigert
Education: Moon Sr. High School, Moon Twp, Pennsylvania; Bachelor’s degree, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania.
Occupation: Import/Export Compliance Manager at Quanex in Cambridge
Sarah, please tell us where you grew up, attended school, school activities, and your family ties to Newcomerstown.
“I grew up in Moon Twp. near Pittsburgh, PA. In high school I participated in clubs including the Key Club, Hasty Pudding Society, & German Club. I also performed in musicals each spring, either in the orchestral pit or in the ensemble and was a four-year member of the marching & symphonic band. During my senior year I attended Saturday classes and earned my EMT-B license for my senior project. I had a terrific group of friends and loved high school.
I always knew I wanted to go to college, but really did not know what I wanted to do as a career. Following high school graduation, I attended Allegheny College, and it proved to be a great fit for me. It was a difficult school academically and it stretched me. My major was Psychology with a minor in German. Lifelong friends were made, and I had the opportunity to study abroad twice, the fall semester of my sophomore year in Germany, and a summer semester after my junior year in Austria. I enjoyed Greek life and rushed Kappa Kappa Gamma and still visit and stay connected with many of my sisters.
While I grew up and went to school in Pennsylvania, I visited family in Newcomerstown for holidays and during the summer. My grandparents lived on a farm with my aunt, uncle and cousins close by and I loved visiting with all of them. I am an only child, so spending time with my cousins was a highlight of my visits. We made it an adventure to explore the old summer kitchen and wagon shed. I loved the smell of the barn and being close to the horses and cows. My grandma had a golf cart she let me drive around the farm which was thrilling. I always looked forward to wiener roasts where my aunt would tell the best ghost stories!”
Please tell us when you relocated to Newcomerstown to reside, and about your family, hobbies, and interests.
“I met my husband, Matt, through my cousin. We crossed paths several times when I visited Newcomerstown and eventually, we started dating. We got engaged in the spring before I graduated from Allegheny. Knowing that we would be married made it easier to narrow my search for employment to this area. Matt was established with a good job, and owned land where he planned to build a house one day. We first lived on College Street and after our son, Ethan was born in 2006 we moved to Booth acres for a slightly larger house with a bigger yard. In 2010 our twins, Andrew & Evan were born. Five years later, we broke ground and built the house on the hill we had dreamt of.
Our boys keep us busy with sports! They love all things outdoors including hunting, fishing, camping & riding ATVs. We have a loyal Labrador, Boone and cat named Henry who thinks we work for him. This spring acquired seven chickens and are anxious for them to start paying rent by way of laying eggs! We are active members of the Presbyterian Church in Coshocton where I am an elder and recently finished a term on session. In the fall, I will begin leading a Sunday School class for adults. I love spending time together as a family, sitting down together in the evening for dinner (when we are all home at the same time!) and traveling. We have great friends we get together with regularly and I also like painting, baking, and reading.”
What was your career before starting at Quanex?
“I spent several years in the social work/mental health. I also gained valuable experience in outside sales with a chemical company before landing in international business. Prior to Quanex, I worked for a procurement company in Canton exporting to humanitarian relief organizations around the world, and I fell in love with the process.”
How many years have you been employed at Quanex? Tell us about your career there, and what your current job entails:
“I will celebrate 14 years with Quanex on Sept. 8. I began as an International Customer Service Specialist working with customers outside North America. That position is the point person for Quanex’s international customers. The main responsibilities included receiving and entering customer orders and setting up logistics for international shipping along with processing the commercial documentation for export.
In February I moved to a new role as Import / Export Compliance Manager. In this position I am responsible for developing import and export compliance programs across Quanex North American Fenestration locations. I am working with sales representatives and our supply chain to ensure that the best international agreements are negotiated for Quanex, and I will begin to develop import and export compliance training programs.”
What can you tell us about Quanex as a whole? Why is it a great place to be employed?
“I can say with sincerity that I enjoy going to work every day. It is the people. There is a lot of longevity at Quanex and it really becomes like second family. “Do the right thing” is a part of our creed and I am proud to be a part of a culture that not only believes it but does it. Quanex always strives for continuous improvement, whether it be innovation, service, communication – we are always looking to out-do ourselves.
Quanex gives back and supports the community. We spent time with the Salvation Army over the summer volunteering to pack bags for their Summer Sack Lunch Program. A back-to-school drive was recently held where school supplies were donated to support the local Head Start. Quanex is very involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters, supports local youth at the county fair and there are numerous volunteer opportunities for employees to represent at local events like Guernsey County United Way’s Touch a Truck, United Way of Tuscarawas County, Rock-N-Run and various community clean-up activities, to name a few.
Quanex also invests in the employees. There is a gym for employee use, a Nurse Practitioner, massage therapist and exercise physiologist on site at specified times. Quanex associates can schedule an appointment for any of these services.”
What would you like to highlight for us?
“Two years ago, my parents relocated from my hometown to Florida. That gives us another great place to visit and vacation and make special memories together! It is important to me to stay connected to Pittsburgh and visit and explore with my kids the places I spent time enjoying when I was young.
I feel fortunate to have enjoyed both residing in the city, and in a smaller village like Newcomerstown. Our boys are growing up in the same community and school as Matt and both grandfathers and where Matt works as grounds keeper and a bus driver. I am so appreciative of our school system. The teachers, staff, and administration care tremendously for the kids and the community. We are blessed with family close by, wonderful friends and our church. I am proud to work at Quanex and always mention to anyone looking for employment to check their website for open positions (www.Quanex.com).
As we head into autumn, I’m looking forward to football games (Go Trojans!), taking in the fall foliage during my commute and sweater weather with a book on the porch.”
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Meet Newcomerstown's Sarah Swigert
