Some people prioritize plenty of rest to get through the day, while others meditate. Leslie Vernam is fueled by coffee, sports, and the adrenaline of a high-stakes game night. From parenting to Pinterest, HOBI’s employee spotlight shines on the woman who does it all.
Leslie grew up in Illinois and stayed rooted to the place where she was born and raised. She and her family reside deep in the Chicago suburbs—and currently deep in the trenches of wedding planning. After years of juggling the most difficult job there is as a full-time mom, while also nannying, she focused her well-developed organizational skills and hard-earned patience on ITAD logistics.
For nearly six years, Leslie has served as HOBI’s Logistics Specialist, facilitating the movement of equipment to the three locations by assisting clients and organizing transportation across the country. She also maintains detailed paper records and helps with any other miscellaneous office tasks that need to be accomplished. As part of the HOBI team, there is never a dull moment, and in Leslie’s own words, “no shortage of work to be done.”
Working in logistics can often be overwhelming, but in the ITAD industry, it can also be rewarding to see the progress of environmental protection as loads of IT equipment are brought in every week to be repurposed rather than ending up in landfills. Serving at HOBI’s Batavia location allows Leslie to remain close to home and enjoy the unique benefit of sharing lunch breaks with her husband, Rick, HOBI’s Director of Engineering, as together they make up a dedicated HOBI team duo.
Life doesn’t slow down for Leslie at home. Whether it’s evening walks, coffee dates, competitive game nights, or taking on Pinterest crafts, she surrounds herself with family and friends, often with a good audiobook playing in one ear. Even in her downtime, she likes to keep her hands and mind busy, either baking, running errands with her daughter, or watching sports, which sometimes proves more stressful.
Most recently, she and her husband have taken on the challenge of helping to plan their daughter Emmy’s wedding as she prepares to attend the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at North Central College. Leslie also passed her strong work ethic to her son Justin, who attends the University of Louisville, conducting medical research on spinal cord injury repair.
When not at HOBI, Leslie can be found spattered with flour and elbow-deep in a new baking adventure, taking evening strolls with her husband and friends, or rooting for her favorite team: the Chicago Bears.