Meet Anna Swonger, our Shipping/Receiving Supervisor at our GWS-Arizona facility. Since 2008, Anna has been working at the Surprise, AZ location making sure our shipping and receiving departments run smoothly. In addition to ensuring our custom and standard tools get sent to our customers on time, she oversees the purchasing of everything that the production floor needs to keep manufacturing the perfect tool. 

An Industry Expert

Anna has been in the manufacturing industry for over 40 years! She has seen it all change and adapt, and held many positions throughout her many years. From helping with trade shows, sales, order entry, and even working with CNC machines, she’s been involved with many aspects of the manufacturing industry.. As she nears her 15 year anniversary with GWS, her expertise in the industry has been a positive influence in helping keep our Arizona facility on track.

When she first started at GWS, she was helping out in the shipping and receiving departments along with any office work that was needed. This turned into overseeing the purchasing of items for the production floor such as grinding wheels or tubes. She now includes in her responsibilities making sure the tools we produce are correctly etched and labeled, and ready to make their way to our many customers.

Keeping An Eye Out

When Anna thinks about her last 13 years at GWS, she says she has always loved the variety that comes with her position. The great people she works with every single day are what makes her look forward to coming to work. She has always felt at home in the manufacturing industry that she has spent four decades working in, so GWS has been a perfect fit. She enjoys seeing the finished cutting tools that we produce, and making sure we prioritize our customer’s needs daily to receive the tools on time. Even when rush orders come across her desk, Anna doesn’t sweat it! She proudly says that it’s all about the customer and giving the best service possible. She has a trained eye to catch things that may need to be fixed; accuracy is key to how she does her job every day. She performs detailed quality checks and ensures that packing slips are ready to go. 

Born To Ride

When Anna isn’t supervising the shipping and receiving departments at GWS-AZ, she always tries to keep busy. Whether it’s hanging out with her friends and family, watching her favorite movies or cooking a new recipe, she’s always on the go. That’s not just figuratively either, she loves to go camping, hiking, and absolutely loves the ocean. When she’s not planning her next beach trip with her two adult daughters, she loves riding on Harley Davidson motorcycles. The bike rally in Sturgis, South Dakota is one of her favorite places to visit, and she’s looking forward to planning a future trip to Yosemite National Park as well.

Although she calls Arizona her home, Anna didn’t grow up there. Her family originally had a farm in South Dakota, eventually making their way to Southern California later in life. While growing up on the farm, things were a little different than if she had grown up in a big city. At 10 years old, she was driving a car already, visiting friends from nearby farms! If that wasn’t enough of something her coworkers wouldn’t ever guess about her, she excitedly tells of a story of when she had been flying before in an acrobatic airplane! They did tricks like hammerhead stalls, barrel rolls, and many loops, and she even got to fly by herself!

Interested in a Career at GWS Tool Group?

If you enjoy working with dedicated people like Anna, consider applying to GWS Tool Group. We are always looking for talented and driven individuals to work at our facilities in Florida, Illinois, Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Canada. Browse open jobs here.