september 2019 spotlight member of the month: casey port

This month's YEP Spotlight Member is Casey Port. Casey is a Sourcing Specialist at Parker Hannifin and previously worked at Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc, working with the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. She graduated from Behrend in 2016 and is currently pursuing her MBA. Aside from her corporate ventures, you can find Casey at her family's farm teaching people all there is to love about agriculture. In her spare time, Casey loves to take advantage of Erie's four seasons by snowboarding, snowmobiling, kayaking, golfing or hiking with her dogs. Casey is an active member of the Manufacturing Committee.

YEP: Tell us about your work with Parker Hannifin?  What's the best part of your career?

CP: At Parker I manage supplier relationships, as well as physical inventory for our location. A lot of my day is spent negotiating agreements with strategic partners, as well as working on continuous improvement throughout our division.  The best part of my career has been providing leadership to incoming professionals in the supply chain field through our internship program and helping them develop their career.

YEP: Why did you decide to get involved with YEP?  What's your favorite "YEP Memory" so far?

CP: I joined YEP to grow my network and become more active in our community. So far it has gone above and beyond my expectations.  My favorite "YEP Memory" so far was at a recent manufacturing meeting held on a golf course. It has been fun to get to know the group and talk business in a casual setting.

YEP: What else are you passionate about?  How do you fill your time outside of work?

CP: I love learning something new and having an adventure, whether that is through travelling or exploring new business opportunities.  My brother and I are the fifth generation on a farm that is continuously changing, so a lot of my time is spent helping the business grow.  However, when I get the chance, I explore new places as much as possible.

YEP: What's a perfect Erie day look like for you?

CP: There are so many ways to have a perfect day in Erie.  Whether it's enjoying one of the many outdoor festivals with live music during the summer, taking advantage of the snow at our local ski resort, or visiting the Gorge during the fall time to admire the beauty of the fall foliage. There is so much to love about the area and the people here have so much to do with that.

Thank you, Casey, for your continued commitment to YEP and Erie!