If it’s happening at Breiner Innovative, it’s going through Melanee Grubbs.
As Breiner’s Executive Assistant and Inside Sales Person, she answers the office phones, checks orders as they progress, handles invoices, works with and follows up with customers. She’s the first one in the office every day, only the people in the shop are there typically there before her.
That’s why Joe calls her “The Hub,” she’s at the center of everything.
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“I guess I’m kind of the front line,” Melanee said. “When the phone rings, I answer it. If it’s something I can deal with I do it. If not, I dispense the information to everyone else, so they can do their thing.”
But, Melanee isn’t just an office gal. With over 31 years of experience working at Breiner, she is more than capable of rolling up her sleeves and helping out in the shop running machines or helping organize the shipping department when she needs to.
Having been with Breiner since April 21, 1987, and serving a very similar role ever since, 31 years is quite a while to be with one company. However, Melanee says it doesn’t feel that long at all.
“Every day is a highlight,” she said. “I haven’t had very many bad days since I started here. Everyone on every level is great and easy to work with and the whole company is really family-oriented. Everybody helps everybody because we are all invested in doing the best we possibly can at whatever we’re doing.”
This level of investment and quality of a work environment was a breath of fresh air when she first started, having come from a family-owned company who, Melanee says, did nothing but bicker and yell at each other at the office. With Breiner being a family-run business, she says she’s definitely seen both ends of the spectrum.
The only thing that’s really changed? When she started in the front office all she had was a manual typewriter and filing cabinet. Now, Breiner has gone almost completely paperless, which Melanee really likes because it makes her life easier and also makes it easier to find information, make orders, send invoices and serve customers.
Melanee is an Indiana gal born, raised and currently living in Mooresville. She’s also no stranger to big families, growing up with 5 other siblings (4 brothers and a sister). She also has 3 children (a daughter and a boy and girl twins!) who have since blessed her with 7 grandkids and 3 great grandkids.
Her family keeps her busy, but she loves the grandma life! Melanee loves spending time with her family, taking the grandkids to different after school activities, trips to the zoo, trips to the park and excursions to Conner Prairie.
When she isn’t with family or at work, one of Melanee’s greatest passions is motorcycles. A constant rider with her late husband, Melanee had ridden all across the state on her Yamaha 650 and even down to Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee and more. She also rode with the non-profit organization ABATE of Indiana (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education).
Unfortunately, she is taking a break from biking following an accident in 2017. Thankfully for all of us, Melanee came through alright and is even back at work!
She also enjoys spending time sewing, drawing, reading and planting flowers.
Melanee is just one of the many incredible people working at Breiner and they all want to help you. If you have a unique project that requires a special touch in sponge, foam or rubber CNC or die cutting, contact Breiner Innovative today.
