**Welcome to Built to Work Podcast**

**Colin:** Welcome to Built to Work, the podcast that gets its hands dirty, dives into the grit, and uncovers the heart of what makes the blue-collar world tick. I’m Colin, your host, and I’m sitting down with the people who keep our world running—from those tackling tough jobs no one else dares to do, to the HR professionals working overtime to find the labor force we desperately need. Whether you’re in the trenches or behind the scenes, this podcast is for anyone who values hard work, determination, and stories that build the backbone of our workforce. So grab your gloves, your coffee, or your clipboard, it’s time to get to work.

I am sitting here with Mato, another one of Premier’s awesome employees. Mato, tell me about yourself. Tell me about Mato outside of work.

**Mato:** Mato outside of work? Yes, well, I don’t know where to start because outside of work might be like… might be like a weekend, right? You know, with a busy schedule, we work sometimes from Monday to Saturday. And we got some stuff that we got to do on weekends like doing laundry, buying food, and getting ready for Monday.

**Colin:** Cram it all into one day.

**Mato:** Yeah, but when there’s like a vacation, you know like in December, I usually go to explore other states and cities in the United States. For instance, last year I went to Las Vegas.

**Colin:** Las Vegas? Oh yeah? What do you think of Las Vegas?

**Mato:** Oh, it was really awesome, a wonderful experience. It was the first time I went to Las Vegas.

**Colin:** Yeah, did a lot there?

**Mato:** It’s a fun city, a lot going on.

**Colin:** Our recycled metals industry has a lot going on there too. There’s an organization called the Recycled Materials Association we belong to, and their annual conference was in Las Vegas this year. So we went out there for that to meet some other customers.

**Mato:** It’s said that it’s the city that never sleeps, and I found out that’s true. You can not sleep if you want to.

**Colin:** So do you have a family?

**Mato:** Yeah, my family is only my wife.

**Colin:** Gotta say, it’s easier that way sometimes. Kids are a lot of work.

**Mato:** Yeah, not too big.

**Colin:** Not too big. Those are the easy times. So, we were talking a little bit before about your time at Premiere. You’ve been with Premiere for about a year now?

**Mato:** More than a year.

**Colin:** That’s great. Tell me about what your role is, what do you do on a daily basis?

**Mato:** Well, when I started, I was working with my team trying to do the job better and trying to make sure everything was organized and efficient. Then I was given the responsibility for the building, making sure everything was okay, maintaining it, and then I got trained on forklift operation.

**Colin:** So you’re doing a lot of different things, keeping busy all day.

**Mato:** Yes, keeping busy. We are here enjoying ice cream in December in Northern Ohio. It’s cold outside.

**Colin:** You said you get pretty cold, you’re inside and outside on these cold days.

**Mato:** Absolutely, especially in winter. But now it’s getting colder; you have to learn to operate forklifts in the ice and snow.

**Colin:** So, have you been enjoying your role? Is forklift operating something you enjoy?

**Mato:** Yeah, I enjoy it, and I also ensure the teams in different buildings have everything they need, like safety glasses and other essentials.

**Colin:** Safety is so important. You want everyone to come home with the same number of fingers and toes that they came in with. You’re from Nicaragua originally, right? How have you found Ohio’s food? What do you like most about food in Ohio?

**Mato:** It’s hard to say. We stay busy and hang out with Mexican or Spanish friends mostly. I’ve recently tried some American food and it’s delicious, but I can never remember the names!

**Colin:** Do you follow sports? Any favorites?

**Mato:** I’m not a huge sports fan, but I recently watched a hockey game for the first time. It was quite an experience seeing people get so riled up!

**Colin:** Hockey can be intense. We appreciate having you with Premiere. We want to keep growing and getting better. What do you think our customers appreciate most about your team’s role?

**Mato:** They appreciate that we always say yes when they need something. We’re always there, never say no, and always get the job done.

**Colin:** That’s great to hear. It’s important to get feedback from those actually doing the work. Thank you so much, Mato, for all you do and for spending this time with us. We appreciate you at Premiere.