Meet our Facilities and Cafe Coordinator, Donna! Not only does Donna keep Geonetric’s cafe looking sparkly clean, she also makes amazing monster cookies and mouth-watering candied bacon. Here’s some information about our latest #GEOSTANDOUT.
- What did you want to be when you grew up?
- What is your favorite part about working at Geonetric?
- Where is the most interesting place you have traveled?
- Give us a little known fact about yourself.
- Best advice that you’ve ever been given professionally or personally?
- Favorite snack food?
- What is your favorite hobby?
- What do you listen to at work and why?
- What’s your favorite show that you’ve binge watched?
- What will your retirement look like?
In middle school, I wanted to be a secretary, legal secretary, or medical secretary. Obviously, I didn’t have very broad aspirations—or awareness of the possibilities. In high school, I decided I wanted to work in a test kitchen, so I got my degree in Consumer Food Science and then headed off to the “big” cities of Cedar Rapids, Chicago and then Minneapolis.
I love the energetic atmosphere, the openness to new ideas, and the friendly and very engaged people. Of course, the facility is fantastic, and I’m part of a great team!
Fehmarn island, off the coast of Germany. It’s where one of my grandmothers grew up, and to me, it’s paradise: cool and windy! (I love water, wind, and cool temps!) The island is small and has just a couple of little towns on it. My mom’s cousin who lives there (now in her 90s) bicycled to the bakery and butcher shop each day—maybe still does!
I served leftovers to Vice President Joe Biden and his entourage when he was running for president. He visited Metro Studios when I worked there because he needed to record a speech. I made his favorite cookies—oatmeal-raisin—and other treats for them, but then they raided the fridge and ate leftovers from a lunch I’d served earlier in the day.
Not necessarily the best advice, but applicable to my job. From my mom: “You can’t cook sitting down.”
Grapes! I once ate three pounds of grapes on a trip between Chicago and Cedar Rapids—mainly to help me stay awake on the drive. But I’m sure I could eat that many in an evening while watching a movie, too!
I love to entertain dinner guests and try new recipes on them. I’ve just started dabbling (literally) in painting. I enjoy anything artistic or creative.
Mostly the sound of rushing water in the dishwasher! But having spent a lot of time as a kid playing in and around the water at Beed’s Lake (near Hampton, IA), which has a large beautiful spillway, I have always loved the sound of rushing water.
“Chopped” (what pressure for those chefs!)—and “Downton Abbey” and “Fawlty Towers.”
I’ll be very busy—hopefully singing and dancing in a show choir for adults, painting and crafting, cooking and entertaining, publishing a couple of books, doing some public speaking, and driving a golf cart around a senior community at pretty high speeds!
Join us!
Think you could be our next #GEOSTANDOUT? Check out our open positions!
