Laura Davis, chief strategy officer at Midland Davis, was initially hesitant to join the third cohort of ReMA’s Women in Recycling mentorship program as a mentee.
“I felt that I was in between being a mentor and mentee, but then Paula [Summers] recommend that I just take the leap and sign up now as a mentee and I could always become a mentor later down the line.”
She felt lucky to be matched with Judy Ferraro, chief marketing officer at Shapiro and owner of Judy Ferraro & Associates. One of the important areas they tackled was determining Davis’ value system. Over the course of five sessions, the pair worked through Davis’ list of values to help her stay on track with her goals and to refer to when making important decisions.
“Overall, this mentorship program came at a good time for me because I was stepping up a level in my career at Midland Davis and moving into a leadership role,” Davis said.
Ferraro has been informally mentoring people in the recycled materials industry since the late 1990s.
“I always learn so much from the men and women I mentor,” she said. “They guide me toward other avenues to explore whether it’s organizations to look into or new books to read, it’s a mutual relationship.”
The WIR mentorship program taps into existing knowledge, skills, and experiences of high-performing individuals and connects them with other ReMA members who want to expand their knowledge and develop their skills to advance their career. WIR leadership match participants together after thorough evaluation and review of questionnaires answered by mentors and mentees. Partnered together for one year, mentors and mentees meet once per month to discuss important issues for them and their business.
For those considering whether to sign up for the next cohort, Davis highly recommends jumping into the program with both feet.
“Don’t hold back,” she said. “Judy and I aren’t in business competition with one another, so I don’t need to hold anything back when I talk to her. I can be open and honest about anything going on in my company or any of my struggles.”
Ferraro agrees. “I admire that young people in the industry today don’t feel as though there are any industry secrets,” she said. “And I think it’s true. I feel like in the recycled materials industry we’re still working to pass the torch to the younger generation and to women, this space is where I feel that I’m needed.”
Even when Ferraro and Davis conclude their formal partnership, the pair want to continue to connect and build on their strong foundation.
“I never see mentoring relationships with an end,” Ferraro said. “And I don’t think one year is long enough, it goes by too quickly. I also think it would be great to gather the mentors and mentees together because there’s a lot we could learn from each other’s mentor relationships.”
The benefits of the WIR mentor program include:
- An outside perspective on you and your business;
- Someone to listen, confidentially, to the things that concern you about your business;
- Friendly, unbiased support and encouragement;
- Honest and constructive feedback;
- A sounding board for ideas;
- Contacts and networks to further your personal and business development; and
- Strategizing advancement within your company and ReMA.
The 2024-2025 program will launch Aug. 30. If you’re interested in joining or would like to learn more about the program, please reach out via email to Sandy Pierce and Nina Grimes.
Photo Caption: Laura Davis and Judy Ferraro at Midland Davis. Photo Courtesy of Judy Ferraro.
