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Jim Wright - 1997 Terra Graduate

When Jim Wright graduated from Fremont Ross in 1986, he didn’t find his way to Terra immediately. But the Coloring of Plastics program that eventually attracted him has served him well since his graduation nearly seven years ago.

Jim earned an Associate of Applied Science in Color Matching in 1997. He has been a Technical Sales Support Manager at Standridge Color Corp in Social Circle, Ga. for the past six years.

“I was actually working in the plastics industry (Thermocolor Corp. in Sandusky) while I was attending Terra,” he said. “During my time at Thermocolor, I advanced from equipment operator to shift supervisor and then into sales. My plans had always included moving south after graduation to a warmer climate and furthering my career.

“I found out about Standridge Color Corp. from family members who lived in Georgia. I sent my resume and was flown down for an interview. They were satisfied with my work history but were most impressed with my degree.”

In his current job, Jim manages the efforts of the technical support group and reports directly to the sales manager. He is responsible for interacting with customers and performing any duties handled by individual account managers. He has the ability to perform any physical or quality testing requested and he manages customer trials internally while following through at the customer’s facility. He reviews color and additive formulations to ensure proper selection for the requested application.

Jim said his first job in the industry netted him a $30,000/year salary. He currently earns between two and three times that figure.

He looks back on his Terra education as an important element in his career development.

“Terra taught me the fundamentals for researching, formulating and understanding pigments for various applications,” he said. “The plastics processing and physical testing portion of the program are invaluable building blocks for working in the plastics industry.”

Bottom line, according to Jim, “I have an excellent job that I enjoy. I honestly believe I would not have been this successful if not for my time spent at Terra.”