PLASTIC FOOD PACKAGING SOLUTIONS • BENEFITS OF SMART PACKAGING
Meet Glenn Edward Bowling
Pictured Above: Glenn Bowling, his Fiancé Julie, and daughters Gracie and Aaliyah.
It is an honor to introduce Glenn Bowling, who has been an integral part of The Vantage Plastics Family of Companies for twenty-four years as of June 6th, 2024. Glenn started as a summer helper right out of high school. Glenn tells the story, “I came in for an interview with Paul Aultman, who asked me a few questions and gave me a short test. After about fifteen minutes, he told me to go home, put on some work shoes, and come back in, and they’d put me to work.” Those were the early days in the twenty-eight-year history of the company. At the end of the summer, Glenn was offered a full-time position, and the rest is history. After accepting the full-time position, Glenn spent five years as an operator of the thermoforming machines, at which time he was promoted to the position of Team Leader. He served in that position for six years until he was promoted to the position of Quality Manager. He has now served in this role for thirteen years. Given this background, Glenn has developed a deep reservoir of institutional knowledge and thermoforming plastics experience. Since Vantage Plastics is an ISO 9001: 2015 certified company Glenn oversees our audits and compliance with our defined processes. When a quality issue arises during the manufacturing process, Glenn, along with others from the team, has the experience to determine solutions that address the issue. In the rare cases when something gets through and ends up in the field with a customer, Glenn is tenacious in pursuit of getting it corrected and will do everything possible to make sure the customer is happy and served well.
When asked what he likes about working at Vantage Plastics, Glenn says, “I really like challenges and solving problems. We have so many new projects coming in that there are always new product solutions to develop. I really liked being a team leader. I love being with a company that makes miracles happen. It gives me immense pride knowing that we are achieving things that others can’t.”
Outside of work, Glenn leads an active life and has a rich story. He grew up in Ypsilanti until he was around eleven. After his dad, Ralph, took a new job, the family moved to Omer, Michigan, not far from Vantage Plastics. Glenn says, “We didn’t belong in the city, so moving to a rural area surrounded by nature was a great move.” Glenn, his father, and brother Ralph are avid outdoor enthusiasts. Glenn engages in deer hunting, walleye fishing, side by side trail riding, and especially likes bow hunting. In pursuit of his fishing passion, he has gotten a kayak and rigged it for walleye fishing. Most recently, he has also found he likes to build stuff. His latest project was a 25’ x 25’ deck for his pool. Glenn’s passion for fishing leads him to envision starting a charter fishing boat business someday after retirement.
In Glenn’s personal life, congratulations are due as he is engaged to be married to his soulmate, Julie Brown, after being together for five years. Julie works as a Deputy Clerk for Arenac County and recently completed a degree in business management with a specialty in Human Resources. Glenn has a sixteen-year-old daughter named Gracie, and Julie has a nine-year-old daughter named Aaliyah. A September twenty-first wedding is planned, followed by a week-long honeymoon in the Bahamas. When asked how they met, Glenn says, “Julie worked at the local hospital with a couple of my friends who suggested she should meet me. Eventually, we connected through Facebook. That led to talking on the phone before ever meeting. We probably spent hundreds of hours on the phone having totally honest, wide-open conversations. After a few weeks, we decided to meet. It felt like we had known each other forever, and we have been together ever since.” Glenn participated in Dale Carnegie training through Vantage Plastics and is an advocate for the training. He attributes this training to really helping him foster a deep relationship with his soon-to-be wife.
What many may not know about Glenn is that he is a very dedicated father and has raised his daughter Gracie as a single parent since she was about ten years old after her mother had passed. Gracie was born with a genetic eye issue and is significantly visually impaired. Gracie is a braille reader as a result of this impairment. Glenn’s dedication and strong character is seen through his strong involvement with Gracie’s education and school activities, even to the extent that he also learned to read braille. As a member of the Vantage Plastics Team, Glenn Bowling is clearly helping us fulfill the Vantage Plastics’ Mission of Forming Better Lives, Forming Solutions, and Forming Sustainable Futures.
Experience the thriving work environment at Vantage Plastics, where positivity and professionalism flourish. Our exceptional team is the cornerstone of our success, and we invite you to be a part of it. Don’t miss out—apply today and join the Vantage Plastics team!