Leivy Gonzalez is our Director of US Operations and it is bittersweet to now say farewell to such a beloved team member. She is a true role model to us all, especially to women in leadership. We wish her all the best as she enters her well-deserved chapter of retirement! Here are some words from her that we would like to share with everyone from her exit interview.

 

Hello! Tell us a bit about your background, interests, and your current position.

I come from 3 years in the banking industry and over 30 years in the floral Industry. My former position at Decowraps was Director of Operations, NA. I love to explore the beauty of this world the seas, mountains, and nature.

How long have you been part of the Decowraps family?

Over 19 years!

What attracted you to join a floral-focused company?

I grew up in a household with a mother who has a green thumb, and our homes werealways full of plants and fresh cut flowers. The thought of not only being surrounded by an abundance of beautiful flowers but to have an opportunity to learn from the time the flowers are cultivated to the time they are delivered to the consumer was fascinating. This was a whole new world for me. Decowraps specifically? After learning about the perishables side of the floral industry, learning about the hard goods seemed interesting to me and I also wanted to help Steven grow his company any which way that I could.

What are some key principles you have learned in the workforce and what advice would you pass along to anyone in your position?

Key Principles:

1. Have mentors in your life and if you do not have one, find one and learn from them.
2. Be passionate – I found most who are passionate about their work in their current role are usually the ones with the most success. Some don’t even have to work [too hard or love every aspect of what they do]. It all comes naturally to them if the passion is there.
3. Don’t stop learning and accept change no matter the difficulty.
4. Teach others and never be the only one that knows it all. Never leave the company or yourself in a position where they only depend on you. You will eventually burn out of fuel and both sides will suffer.

My advice is for anyone in any role is to have humility and transparency.

What is your favorite memory from your time here at Decowraps?

I have many, but my very first trips to China, Holland, and Colombia to meet my colleagues and suppliers face to face were truly awesome experiences.

Share with us any additional milestones in your life and/or career.

Additional milestones would be being a wife for 30 years now, a mother, overcoming fear, growing, and maturing in my faith. 

Steven Tchira, our CEO, had these thoughtful words to share about Leivy’s legacy:

“Leivy is known for her calm, collected and even keeled demeanor.  Even during crisis-mode she projected a calm and a mature approach to finding solutions. She has never been afraid to speak out and say what she was thinking. She is persistent in her ideas even if peers didn’t agree with her at first. Nevertheless, if she firmly believed it was the right thing to do, she pushed forward. She has always been loyal and kept the company first. She leaves behind an incredible legacy. The team she hired and trained is top of class. The procedures and systems she implemented are practical yet robust. The reputation she leaves behind is an example for others to follow.”

 

To close, we could not agree more with Steven’s words. We wish Leivy a wonderfulretirement and all the best in her future endeavors!