One of the greatest benefits of LinkedIn and other social media platforms is that it gives us the opportunity to stay in touch and follow the success of individuals who began their careers at United Computer Group: our interns and alumni. These individuals joined UCG full of potential and energy. It wasn't long before they became strong contributors bringing fresh ideas and building client relationships, all the while learning business strategies that would eventually support their growth into successful careers.
As business owners, of course we would prefer to keep our best employees forever, like UCG VP Mike Powall with over 20 years, and 13+year veteran Vladimir Capitanov. Still, we encourage our employees to go after their dreams and find their true passion in life, whether here at UCG, in a different industry, or to enjoy retirement.
Please enjoy this interview with UCG's very first employee, Shari Harris, conducted by our marketing consultant, Francine Ciaccia, of MoMo Companies Ltd. Shari, thank you for contributing to the success of UCG!
Shari Harris
“I still think about my years with UCG. I am so happy that Jim started so small and grew the business to be very successful. All his hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm really paid off. I was part of that and will always be thankful for the great experience! Thank you, Jim. It was terrific working with and for you!”
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| Shari Harris, circa 1989 |
Shari, you have
the distinct honor of being UCG’s very first employee! When and how did you meet Jim Kandrac, and how
did it come to be that he offered you a position at UCG?
It was 1989, and I replied to an ad in the
paper for a secretary at UCG. Jim called
me to arrange an interview, and as we spoke, the job sounded very interesting
and far beyond a typical secretarial position. It was in a field I was not
familiar with, but it was an up and coming industry. I was lucky enough to be called and offered
the job.
What was it
like to work for UCG in those early years when the company was a startup?
I think that it’s really great to get paid to
do a job that is fun and interesting.
This was definitely one of those jobs. We started in a large office space in Strongsville, Ohio with folding
tables, an adding machine and a couple of phones. However, we were selling the
current technology. Our office computer
was a 386 that we daisy chained, had a dot matrix printer, and did backups on
a 5¼ disk. (We're really going back in
time here.) But again it was the current
technology. Jim did the selling and I
did the administrative stuff. We picked
up used IBM computers, cleaned, tested, packed and shipped them all over the country.
We were on the “cutting edge” and
it was a wild and exciting ride! As each
new technology came out–PC, laser printers, emails, software–we were
learning it and implementing it. We had
a color laser printer that we used for mailings. I learned to do newsletters to update our resellers,
and then we did bulk emails overnight so the resellers received their
newsletters immediately.
Please tell me
about some of the responsibilities and tasks you were involved with initially,
and how your role evolved over the years.
As secretary and administrative “staff” I was
responsible for correspondence, phones, accounts receivable and accounts
payable. As we grew, I was able to upgrade my tasks and skills to include data
entry, accounting, computer maintenance, and back up, learning new software,
learning to program labels, etc.
Jim
had a very good relationship with I-O Corporation in Utah. We were the reps for
their printer boards that made the IBM computers able to print to Epson,
Lexmark and HP printers.As we began to sell more and more printer boards, I
was the connection with Tech Support. I-O’S Tech Support were great people to
work with and they had top notch products. I learned an immense amount about
printers and hardware. I
was extremely lucky that Jim sent me to I-O
Corp. in Utah multiple times and learn how the twinax/coax
boards and remote controllers were manufactured
and what to do if there were problems. It was very exciting to be able to solve
our customers’ problems!
What did you enjoy
most and what did you find most challenging during your 17 years at UCG?
Jim was a great person to work for. He had vision and was more than willing to share his strategy. He trained and worked with me so we could make that vision come to fruition. We did a little bit of everything, from picking up equipment and catching lunch at Slyman’s for corned beef sandwiches, to mailings, to installing printer boards, and anything in between.
The most challenging part during these years was
that I was not and am not a salesman. Still, Jim was able to teach me how to work
effectively with resellers and customers. I was able to learn the product so
well that it almost sold itself; I could speak intelligently about it and they
actually purchased the products from me. I also had to learn to use Word and
our accounting software as we grew and expanded. What a ride!
When you left
UCG to retire, what was your most valuable take-away?
I really missed being on the cutting edge of
technology and the high energy of the sales atmosphere. It was a very rare and special job that not
many people have a chance to do; anything after that is rather dull. Jim really shared all his knowledge and drive
to succeed.
Can you offer
some advice for individuals looking to set or adjust their career path?
If you’re going to do something every day it
should be something that you enjoy and gives you the satisfaction of a job well
done. Feeling successful in your job will also get you through bad days or dry
spells. And, it is a bonus when you work with people who are just as focused
and engaged.
Last but not
least, please share some of your most memorable moments during your time at
UCG.
I remember laughter. I remember that Jim was
so excited that he called me as he drove Pam to the hospital for the birth of
their daughter. I remember going to Salt
Lake City and meeting the people I spoke with on the phone all the time. I
remember all of us going to lunch and again, the laughter. I will always remember the people I worked
with even if I don’t see them anymore. We had a great team and did some wonderful business.
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| Shari and Gary Harris, 2015 |
Shari and Gary have been married for 44 years and have two adult children. They enjoy
traveling and are planning a trip to Washington DC this year. Next year they'll travel to Oregon and Washington State to celebrate their 45th
anniversary.
They enjoy attending
local music concerts in Cuyahoga Valley, Medina on the Square, Wolf Creek
Winery and Sully’s Irish Pub. Shari is
an avid reader, and also loves to ride her bike on the Rail Trails. Shari and
Gary are always looking for some new adventure or activity.
