“The Heritage Group has been extremely welcoming. It is special that there is such a directed  focus on care for employees. I have always found that familial welcoming and sense of  belonging that Heritage prides itself on.” 

Teresa Anderson grew up loving to cook and was curious about messing around with different  ingredients in the kitchen to make final products. She later graduated from Purdue University in  2020 with a degree in chemical engineering, furthering her love of combining different  ingredients to create outcomes.  

She began her career at THG as an intern where she spent most of her time in the lab, which  allowed her to gain perspective and insight on what aspects of a work environment were  important to her. Teresa says, “it gave me a lot of actual exposure to things I was going to be  learning in the future and was extremely helpful because of the head start I received. She was  exposed to a diversity of mentorship styles and techniques that allowed her to realize what was  important for her in a job, and how she responded in different environments.  

When she came back as a project engineer in December of 2022, she focused more on design  based on the front end of projects than time spent in the lab. She is fascinated with designing 

and focusing on the beginning stages of engineering, and loves bridging the gap between what  books might tell you compared to what occurs in real life. 

“Having been both an intern, and now a young professional, I have seen how The Heritage  Group takes time to focus on professional and self-development of every single employee.” 

One of prouder moments was Teresa’s work on the battery recycling project. As a technical  project, she had to return to her textbooks and perform experiments she did in school. Teresa  found it extremely rewarding to use information that she had previously learned in school to  understand how projects were making a difference in the world around her.  

Teresa speaks on Heritage’s core value of betting on people and discusses her personal  experience with mentorship. “Having a strong mentor, or strong support system is vital both as  an intern and as a young professional. You are not going to know everything, and while  textbooks might be able to teach you a lot, it is incredibly important to have people guide you  throughout.” 

She urges everybody not to be afraid to ask questions and involved in as many meetings as  possible, even if they do not pertain to your expertise. Teresa has found that sitting in on these  meetings and having these conversations has allowed her to build relationships with others so  that you might be able to provide knowledge, and they might be able to reciprocate by assisting  you on certain projects.  

“The Heritage Group prides itself on collaboration and working together with others to build  each other up and succeed as both individuals, but also for Heritage to succeed as a whole.” 

Teresa continues to find joy in the small day-to-day interactions at Heritage. With each day  being special and unique, she always finds a conversation or interaction that boosts her mood  and that she is constantly grateful for. Teresa reflects on her time at heritage and believes that  having a mentor, a strong team, and a collaborative work environment has made learning and  working significantly more fun.

Savanna attended Ball State University, graduating in 2022 with a degree in Human Resource  Management and a minor in psychology. She was in the Society of Human Resource  Management Club, when Lexie Seward came and spoke about the Heritage Group. It  immediately spiked her interest in the Heritage Group.  

Savanna was guided to begin an exploratory internship in May of 2022 before she came on as a  full-time employee. “Easing into it with an internship really helped me get comfortable and get  to know a lot of people at the company without the pressure of a full-time job”.  

Savanna started her internship with Emily Hamrick (VP of Total Awards) as a compensation  intern. Her first responsibilities were to ensure that employees were being compensated  appropriately, avoiding both overpayment and underpayment, which was achieved by assessing  market values.  

The internship provided Savanna with valuable experiences and helped her establish closer  connections with the YP (Young professional) group, and managers. “I appreciated the patience  of my colleagues and managers during my internship. I came in with limited knowledge about  compensation, but it was an incredible learning opportunity for me, and I learned so much.  

After a summer of internship, Savanna began a full-time job working in a rotational program  within the HR department. “In HR there are various career paths to choose. With the rotational  program I can explore opportunities such as total rewards, talent acquisition, as well as DEI.  This rotational program has allowed me the opportunity to determine my passion and  maximize my opportunity within the company”. 

This summer (2023) Savanna picked up the additional role of being a mentor which she has  loved. This experience has allowed her to make more connections with interns and cultivate her  leadership skills.

Savanna implores future interns and YPO’s to explore many career opportunities if they have  the chance to do so. The rotational role allows you to, “not feel the pressure of having to pick  one thing and commit if you are not happy with it. I am so grateful I have been able to  experience all these career paths.” 

She reflects on one of her favorite memories being during her internship, where she was able  to make close friendships with other interns. On her last week as an intern, Savannah and a  couple of other interns made a PowerPoint, where everyone presented a different silly topic.  

“My time at Heritage has been phenomenal. I question how I got so lucky. I was always scared  that my first job out of college would be a horror story, but I have nothing but positive stories  and experiences to share. I am so incredibly grateful to the Heritage group for an amazing  internship, but also a wonderful start to my career.  

Savanna speaks on The Heritage Group betting on her when she first began her internship. She  had not chosen a specialty, and by giving her different opportunities and allowing her to  explore, they knew that she would create value in whatever specialty she had passion for.  

“Be passionate, go to as many events as you can, and make strong long-lasting connections  with people.”

The Heritage Group prides itself on a system of core values, two of which are betting on people  and building long lasting relationships. Megan Bowman, Assistant Plant Manager at US  Aggregates embodies both values. Megan attended Indiana University in Bloomington where  she studied Human Resources. Fresh out of college, Meg received a lead on a possible job from  a Facebook group while early in her career search. Megan quickly jumped on the opportunity  and earned a position with US Aggregates.  

She may not have realized it in the moment, but Megan would quickly be thrown into the thick  of things as she says “My manager Hope was going out on maternity leave, about a month after  I started. She did a great job of giving me the information needed to be successful at my job,  because my role at that point was to keep things moving in her absence.” Heritage took a bet  on Megan and trusted her to keep things running smoothly even after only being with the  company about a month. Megan shares how this “was an amazing learning opportunity for me.  I was fresh out of school; I did not know a thing about actual practicing HR. This situation was a  great opportunity to learn.” Megan was very thankful for the way “Hope provided all the  resources I could possibly need. She told me who I needed to reach out to for help in any  possible situation.” Getting thrown into the mix of things and learning through “trial and error”  really allowed Megan to grow in her new position.  

At Heritage there is a big emphasis on growth. “At the end of the day, moving out of your  comfort zone will quickly round out your development.” It is a goal here at Heritage to help  people grow and develop all the skills they need to thrive in their position and beyond. Megan  recently took a chance on herself and decided to take a new position at US Aggregates. Megan  previously had only worked in HR but she “started to realize, I do not actually know the details  of how to make the operation run out in the field. I only know things from the HR perspective.”  Which is why she decided to take a more “hands on” job and become an Assistant Plant  Manager. Megan talks about how taking this new position has pushed her to continue growing  here at Heritage.  

Even though her first year in the new position has been a tough one, Megan says, “I wouldn’t  change making the decision to come out here to work.” While Heritage does push for growth,  they did not throw Megan into the fire without providing Her with the necessary resources to  succeed. “I set a goal for myself; something that I want, and they are more than happy to assist 

me in reaching that.” Megan goes on to say that “I could dream up pretty much anything I  wanted, and I just feel such support from everyone in the company.” The core value of building  lasting relationships is heavily emphasized across the company.  

When asked, “what do you think has kept you at the company for this long? Megan said simply,  “It just feels like you are really a part of something.” Being a family-owned company,  relationship building is at the core of Heritage. There is a focus on getting people into positions  they are passionate about and providing them with the necessary resources to succeed in those  positions.

“The beauty of The Heritage Group is the collaboration that goes on between the companies  and the support that we get from each other. We are all good at something different, and when  we utilize the talents within all the groups and work together, we can achieve much greater  success.”  

For Linda Osborn, Director of Analytical Research for Heritage Research Group (HRG), work  conducted within the research lab is vital to the success of The Heritage Company (THG) and its  operating companies. According to Linda, the synergy between laboratory innovation and  strategic business decisions is the key to accomplishing remarkable outcomes. With her  involvement with asphalt fume research throughout her career, Linda has found immense  satisfaction as she has made a significant contribution to improving the health and well-being of  workers in the field. HRG continues to monitor the plants and workers to make sure they are  not exposed to unhealthy or dangerous toxins. Linda and the HRG team consistently seek to  understand and predict both existing and future problems, preparing for what lies ahead. 

“A lot of the work is behind the scenes, so if something breaks down, we are the first ones on  the scene to figure out why, and then come up with a solution so that it doesn’t happen again.  HRG has employees of diverse age groups and backgrounds, which plays a crucial role in  promoting creative thinking and problem-solving.”  

Throughout Linda’s career, she learned many life lessons, but one piece of advice she has for  interns and young professionals is “We are all good at something, but we can’t all be good at  everything. Devote your efforts to discovering and refining your strengths. Learn as much as  you can from those around you. Give 110%, and you will get back what you put in.” 

“I would not have had the opportunities I’ve had anywhere else. I have had the opportunity  to work with so many great people across the globe, and I have felt entrusted with incredibly  vital tasks. I feel like THG bet on me, and I have benefitted immensely from the opportunities I  have been given. THG places a strong emphasis on both personal and professional growth,  inspiring me to assist others in their development.”

Outside of work Linda loves to do outreach and is involved in the American Chemical  Society and the Science Education Foundation for Indiana (SEFI). Through SEFI, she is deeply  connected with Celebrate Science Indiana and the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair. 

Jake Wilson, originally from Crawfordsville, Indiana, graduated high school before attending Hanover College where he completed his first two years as a Spanish major. While taking a  semester off after his sophomore year, Jake began working for Heritage Environmental Services  (HES), sweeping floors as part of an onsite project at Nucor Steel. Jake eventually returned to college at IUPUI, earning a degree in Spanish and becoming the first college graduate in his  family.  

As a field service manager, Jake oversees all the crews that go to HES customer facilities to perform industrial maintenance. These jobs include water blasting, tank cleaning, demoing, and  other manual work at other plants.  

One thing Jake loves about HES is the process in which things are made. He has flexibility to  attend to different customer facilities and watch the production processes. He addresses one of  Heritage’s core values, and how HES exemplifies safety in everyday work: 

“The fact that Heritage mandates safety to be of the utmost importance is one thing I love  about this company. Whether you have been here for 20 years, or it is your first job, you have  the right and responsibility to stop working. If you do not feel comfortable doing something, or  you do not fully understand the objective, you can ask questions. Working in field services is  not a glory job. There’s pride in it, but you are working in all elements and conditions. Safety is  one of the core values at Heritage, and I think any employee, no matter how long they have worked here, would tell you that.” 

A piece of advice he has for future employees and interns is “do not be afraid to get your hands  dirty. The best way to learn is to lean in and go elbow to elbow with the lowest person. It will  give you incredible experiences and earn you respect from your peers. Take advantage of every  opportunity, and always go beyond and above.” 

Jake encourages everyone to take the time to learn a foreign language and experience another  culture. He has personally benefitted from his Spanish degree and believes that having a unique  perspective on other cultures and learning values that don’t align with yours can have  incredible workplace benefits. 

“Heritage is a family; they are my family. They have come around me and my family and  supported us in every single way I can imagine and have given me so many incredible  opportunities,” Jake noted as he reflected on his tenure with Heritage. 

Outside of work, Jake likes to spend as much time outdoors as possible. He is a huge fisherman,  an avid camper and loves spending time with his family supporting the Chicago Cubs.

Christopher, being a third generation Buckeye, attended Ohio State for his undergraduate  studies, where he pursued a degree in biological engineering with a minor in biomedical  engineering. Biological engineering encompasses the study of all life, so Christopher decided to  focus on biological engineering because it encompasses a wide range of anything from  microorganisms to human life. In his final year of college, he took a class on remediation and  learned how many different approaches there are to environmental issues which sparked a  long-term passion and interest in the environment. With a focus on the environmental aspect  of the field, Christopher’s career at Heritage Environmental Services (HES) as an environmental  engineer perfectly aligns all these interests.  

In pursuing additional studies at Purdue University, Christopher further cultivated his interest in  sustainability by studying environmental and ecological engineering. “The program at Purdue  was unique because it incorporated industrial ecology alongside traditional environmental  engineering,” Christopher said. The exposure to different perspectives made him realize that  sustainability cannot be limited to a single definition. To him, sustainability encompasses  various aspects ranging from profitability to ensuring the wellbeing of everything in the world.  Christopher realized that although many companies express interest in sustainability, they do  not often have dedicated positions focused on sustainability. Sustainability roles are often  integrated into more overarching positions. This is what originally got him interested in the  Heritage group, where sustainability is emphasized and evident through their environmental  services business.  

“Sustainability is truly at the heart of Heritage. It is very clear that what we are doing at  Heritage is especially important, you feel like you have an impact on your career field, as well as  the environment.’’ 

Christopher considers himself extremely fortunate to be selective when choosing a long-term  career. He acknowledges that not everyone has the same opportunities he was afforded and  understands the practicality of entering the workforce immediately. However, he encourages  

interns and young professionals to continue searching for positions that genuinely interest  them. He also emphasizes the importance of being open to change if they are not in a position  that sparks curiosity and passion.  

Christopher’s role at Heritage involves a wide range of responsibilities and tasks. He spends a  significant portion of his time on data analysis, project management, consulting, and  compliance. He is also responsible for calculating the company’s carbon footprint. Additionally, 

Christopher coordinates emergency response efforts for customers including chemical spills, oil  spills, firefighting and PFAS releases. 

“If you are a good fit for Heritage, they will find something that you both enjoy and that you will  succeed on. And they will bet on you to succeed. So that’s how Heritage bets on someone. They  find something for them that works, even if they do not get it 100% right on the first strike.”

Adam Alavi, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, did not take the traditional path to becoming  a project engineer at The Heritage Group. Growing up, sports were a big part of Adam’s life.  After finishing high school Adam traveled to Ottawa, Ontario to play hockey. While his dream of  playing at the higher level did not pan out, this did not stop Adam from making a successful  career for himself.  

After two years in the junior leagues, Adam took his drive and determination to Penn State  University where he majored in mechanical engineering. “I was always a big math and science  person, so I knew engineering was the route I wanted to take,” said Adam. At Penn State, he  became involved with multiple internship opportunities, ultimately receiving an internship with  The Heritage Group through his dad, Ali Alavi, the Chief Legal Officer at Heritage Environment  Services (HES). After interning for the summer Adam knew he wanted to go back to school and  receive his masters in nanoscale engineering. 

After earning his masters, Adam came back to Heritage and was able to jump right in. As a  project engineer, Adam works on a variety of projects, with upscaling as a main task of his role. “As engineers, we try to take what the smart PhD chemists do and scale it up into something  that we can use. Not just beakers pouring into one another but trying to develop it into  something that you turn multiple tons per year,” Adam shared. This scaling process is not  particularly easy, as it takes a lot of time and energy, but Adam talks about how the people at  Heritage make these long, difficult jobs worth the effort. “The people that work here are just  the nicest in the world and very supportive,” he declared. 

The Heritage Group has been a place Adam can put his skills to good use and be truly  innovative. He is currently working on a new air sparging project, a technique used to blow air  through a pipe underground to clean out specific chemicals in the contaminated ground. This  technique is a small part of Adam’s overarching PFAS (Per and Polyfluorinated Substances)  project. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is beginning to regulate PFAS, prompting  efforts, such as Adam’s current project, to find a solution for customers to dispose of these  substances before the regulations take effect. 

While Adam is still young in his career, he notes he has not personally had the opportunity to  bet on someone but has experienced being bet on. Even though Adam’s dad works for the  company, Adam has been very thankful that The Heritage Group has allowed him to prove  himself beyond more than his dad’s connection to the company. Adam wanted to show that he  is “more than just my dad’s offspring.” Heritage has allowed Adam to grow and generate his  own innovative ideas that benefit the company.