Enjoying the Fruits of Her Labor Adds Spice to Work of Sharp Difference Maker Grace Hellmold

The key to continued success after 25 years on the job is to avoid complacency and take a fresh approach to one’s line of work. For Grace Hellmold, director of marketing communications and events for Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), the thrill of walking a project from concept through to the ultimate event makes every day new and adventurous.

Grace Hellmold, director of marketing communications and events, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America

“My greatest passion is probably event management, where I get to see the fruits of my labor pay off at the completion of a successful program,” said Hellmold, a 2017 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “There’s always a great feeling of accomplishment after months of preparation come to fruition.”

Indeed, Hellmold relishes the diversity and experience she’s able to bring to every aspect of her job. But a career in program management, communications and events was hardly a fait accompli. Hellmold had planned to be a French teacher and had no inkling about the world of office technology. However, when she was ready to enter the job market, foreign language programs were receiving less funding and the market proved to be tight. Hellmold “fell into” a job with a word processing manufacturer, which opened the doors for marketing, training and customer support. It was a case of c’est la vie, but the education world’s loss was SIICA’s gain.

Relationships have long been the key in Hellmold’s approach to her work. She has coordinated with numerous leadership teams during her career with SIICA and has established a good rapport with each team as well as the dealer community.

“My interactions both internally and externally allowed me to touch many areas of the business and apply my skills and expertise,” she noted.

Hellmold has long held an affinity for diligent individuals with strong work ethics. Mike Marusic, COO and executive vice president of marketing, has been one of her most ardent supporters during the course of the past 15 years. Hellmold admires his exceptional expertise in virtually every aspect of the business and notes Marusic is able to manage a sizeable portfolio of diverse business functions.

One of the greatest accomplishments Hellmold is most proud of is the National Dealer Meeting, which took place Nov. 28-Dec. 1 in Phoenix. She feels the meetings typified the importance of teamwork, as evidenced by the countless hours that were invested to execute one of the organization’s highest-rated meetings to date. Moving forward, Hellmold hopes to build upon that success through a series of projects in channel programs, communications and events to support customers’ needs to grow their business and expand into new areas.

But even with the wealth of experience and success stories under her belt, Hellmold knows the path to success is an ongoing quest as opposed to a destination. “It’s important to keep learning and expanding your knowledge base, no matter how many years you’ve been in the business,” she said. “Technology is changing at a rapid pace, and we need to be prepared for the next chapter in office technology.”

One of the keys to a well-rounded life, in her estimation, is the ability to strike a balance between work and personal life. The mother of two daughters and a grandmother to a 20-month-old grandson, Hellmold relishes every opportunity she can spend with her family. An ardent traveler, she enjoys trekking abroad to experience different cultures. In her spare time, she also loves tennis and plays regularly with a group during the season.

Erik Cagle
About the Author
Erik Cagle is the editorial director of ENX Magazine. He is an author, writer and editor who spent 18 years covering the commercial printing industry.