Purchasing Queen. Paper Princess. These are just a few of the names Pat Schlimme goes by around here. She’s our knowledgebase of all things paper and purchasing. Pat is in charge of placing stock orders for our conventional and digital presses, and ensuring all of her colleagues have the materials they need to be successful. She helps in our Estimating Department, too, making sure that we give our clients the best value for their money. Pat really does it all. In her 40 years at VP Demand Creation Services (Village Press when she first started), Pat has seen a variety of positions and has played a key role in helping the company transition throughout its lifetime.
We asked Pat a few questions so that you could better get to know the person behind the paper.
Current Job Title:
Purchasing Manager
Number of years at VP Demand Creation Services:
40 years
What was your original position?
Receptionist – Office Clerk
What made you apply here in the first place?
Wanting to work at a local company that would offer benefits.
What path did you take to get where you’re at in the company now?
I took classes at our local college and finished my Associate’s Degree in Business while working at Village Press. This showed that I was willing to work for something more and that I wanted to learn new things. When the purchasing position was offered to me, I was very excited to learn more and continue to grow with the company.
In three words, describe your time at VP Demand Creation Services.
Never, ever, boring.
Which single project would you consider your most significant, or most memorable, career accomplishment to date?
Reducing the cost and quantity of inventory.
What is one thing you’d like a client or a prospective client to know to make their and your life easier?
There are so many different substrates to print on. If the client has a sample of the paper they’d like to use on a project, we’ll do our best to duplicate it. Sometimes it’s just the way it’s finished that they like; we can do that.
What is your definition of hard work?
At VPDCS, it’s doing your part to contribute toward producing the best products and services for our clients.
Share something interesting we could find on your desk.
This is tough – my desk is a melting pot of 40 years at VP. The wall is posted with notes, price lists, phone numbers, etc. Pictures of my daughters when they were younger. I’m hoping people think I’m younger than I am and that I have young children – although I don’t think I’m fooling anyone. Knickknacks from gifts over the years. A picture of cows (they’re sooo cute). And a trophy for the “VP Winter Warm-Up Soup Cook-Off” with my name engraved for winning in 2015 and tying for first place in 2016.
Share a bit of advice for the next generation workforce:
Look up from your electronic devices every once in awhile and smile at the people around you. Learn to take in the experience of what you are doing. The memories you make are far more important than missing something posted on social media.
