5 Questions With Electro-Mechanical Assembler George Mazahreh
What do fine jewelry and cameras have in common? It may seem like they couldn’t be more different, but Electro-Mechanical Assembler I George Mazahreh explains why his 20+ years of experience working with precious gems is the perfect foundation for his role assembling SynergyUHD4™ camera heads at Arthrex California Technology (ACT) in our latest 5 Questions interview:
What does a typical day at Arthrex look like for you?
Every day there is something new to learn. Working at Arthrex never feels like a routine and I’ve found that it energizes me. I’m always excited to come in, see my friends and start my day. There’s such a nice atmosphere here, it’s like a family. Arthrex is a nice place to learn, develop new skills and be myself.
I work on the camera line at ACT assembling SynergyUHD4 camera heads. It’s not an easy job, but I spent more than 20 years working as a stone setter with diamonds and other precious gems. I used small tools to do very detailed work under a microscope, which is the hardest part to get used to. So combining that knowledge with camera head assembly has been really fun.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
My manager and supervisor help me continuously improve and learn new things. Soon, I’ll start cross-training, which means that today I’m building one thing and next month I will learn something new. It’s a non-stop learning experience and I’m constantly refreshed with new information.
What has been a highlight during your time at Arthrex?
There have been so many positive things since I started 10 months ago. The quality of the people who work here is inspiring. It’s just a nice, polite, good group of people. Even down to the building itself—it’s clean, organized and secure. During my interviews I was told, “We will do our best; we ask that you do your best and together we will continue making this a good place to work.”
I like the culture here. When you walk around, you see everyone smiling and we all say ‘hi’ to each other. Part of that is all the activities we do together, like the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk, the annual softball game, the Fall Festival (our company picnic) and our holiday party. We don’t just work, get paid and go home. Our work and community activities come together and create this positive energy between employees. I’m proud to wear my Arthrex shirt around town.
What is the best advice you’ve received throughout your career?
Our Senior VP of Global Imaging and Resection holds quarterly town hall meetings to explain initiatives, pass on information and give advice. He’s great! I enjoy hearing him speak and every time he’s here, he greets everyone and makes us all feel equally important.
He says, “You are empowered to do your best in this company. Everyone has something to contribute. We’re all part of one family.”
What do you do in your downtime?
Well, because I worked in stone setting for so long, it’s now my after-work hobby. I have a small workshop that I like to do projects in, setting diamonds and gold. I used to do that for celebrities, professional football players and some other significant people. I worked in Paris for several high-end retailers. It’s really a part of me now, so I enjoy doing it every day.
I’m also in a group that meets a few times a month to observe the stars. Santa Barbara is a great place for it. If you go into the mountains on a clear night, you can see all the stars with just a simple telescope.
I love salsa dancing, visiting Santa Barbara’s wineries and reading, too. Our library is right in downtown Santa Barbara on State Street and it’s beautiful. You would be surprised how much there is to do here!
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