I always thought I wanted to be an architect when I grew up. I was an award-winning architecture student at Penn State, and worked on award-winning projects in my career, but that professional experience awakened a passion for business management.So, I returned to school for an MBA, earning awards and accolades along the way. When I graduated, I went to work in the family business – Stauffer Diesel – where I implemented an all-new Enterprise Resource Planning system to bring the company into the 21st century.I completely overhauled the IT infrastructure and launched 2 new websites, introducing eCommerce to the company for the first time. I also cleaned up the inventory system to reduce the parts on hand, saving more than $500K. Inventory turns were increased, and carrying costs were reduced.Today, I serve as an IT consultant, helping companies install and manage the software they use to stay competitive and run their businesses. I find myself drawing on my education in architecture as well as the practical experience I earned implementing an ERP system for my family’s business.Bottom line: I love solving business problems. Enterprise Resource Planning implementations require a broad set of skills: strategy, operations, IT, HR, accounting, and more. I find this extremely challenging and rewarding.My personal hero is my grandfather. He was an inventor and founded a company that has been in operation for over 60 years. I was proud of the part I played in modernizing the company, helping it to be more competitive in today’s world.