Spotlight On: Emily Porath

Employees are our greatest asset and as part of our People First initiative, we want to recognize the people behind the power. Our employees are a major factor in Dairyland being a Great Place to Work and a sustainable and reliable power provider. The employee spotlight series features an employee each month, shining a spotlight on their interests and what it's like to be a part of the Dairyland team.

Employee Spotlight On
Emily Porath
Buyer II

What is your job and what do you like most about it?
I am a Buyer II and work out of the Admin Building in La Crosse. I have been with Dairyland for two and a half years and currently support purchasing for transmission after recently switching over from generation this summer. My favorite part about my job is the number of people I get to work with from all different departments and the things I learn from them. I've had the opportunity to tour JPM multiple times and learn how the items I purchase play into the overall operation of the plant, I've gotten to assist with the full physical cycle count at RockGen and I look forward to the future opportunities I will have within the company.

What led you to work in this field?
During college, I took a summer position as a part-time supply chain associate at Fastenal as it was one of the only results that populated on Indeed when I filtered on Monday-Friday. It ended up being one of the best jobs I've ever had, and I got a taste of how things worked in a supply chain. When I needed a more formal internship, I found a Supply Chain Internship at Dairyland. My boyfriend, now fiancé, had actually applied for the supply chain internship before me and when I found out, I kindly asked him to withdrawal his application since I was more interested in supply chain. He ended up becoming a Cost Analyst Intern at Dairyland instead. We still like to argue about who would have gotten the position if we had both interviewed. My internship turned into a part-time role to fulfill a gap when I was finishing my last semester of college. After graduation, the position became full-time. I didn't know my internship would turn into a full-time role, but I am very thankful it did because I thoroughly enjoy the work I do here.

Why do you think Dairyland is a great place to work?
My superiors encourage and support my continuous learning and development, my coworkers are friendly and the work is interesting. I am always impressed with how many interns get the opportunity to stay on full-time and am happy to be one of them.

What about life outside work? Tell us about your favorite things.
I spend a lot of time with family and friends. Some of my siblings are still in school and have various activities that pull me in different directions, and I recently gained a niece/goddaughter that I try to see as often as I can. I seek out activities that fulfill my competitive edge like sand volleyball leagues, pickleball games, euchre, and trivia.

What's your favorite quote?
YOLO - You Only Live Once

Where's your favorite local spot?
Big Al's in the summer for street corn pizza

Favorite movie?
Blended or Sing & Sing 2

What food could you not live without?
French Fries