Meet Amber Martin, our Chief Administrator in Accounting, based out of our GWS-Florida facility in Tavares, FL. Amber has been with the company for 20 years now, starting straight out of high school!

Amber first started at GWS in 2004, following her graduation from High School. Her aunt and uncle knew the Schultz family, which previously owned GWS, and she was looking for a job to help pay for college. G.W. Schultz was hiring for admin help, and Amber joined as a part-time employee, mainly answering phones. Enjoying the work, she asked for more responsibilities and began taking orders and assisting in shipping. She learned labeling, packaging, and tool cleaning, and helped with production scheduling. Through her dedication and versatility, Amber became a vital part of the office.

Laurie Schultz, one of the previous owners, knew she wanted to retire and saw Amber’s hard working personality and eagerness to learn. She took Amber under her wing and taught her everything she knew. Amber contributes a lot of her skills to Laurie, saying that she coached her on how to run the business.

Since Amber has been with us for so long, she was around when GWS Tool Group came into being. She remembers the transition from a small local business in Florida to becoming GWS Tool Group with facilities all throughout North America. With our many acquisitions, Amber has been a key player in each of these. She implements the new Accounts Receivable process for each new location, and oversees the required training.

Amber plays a significant role in our acquisitions, but her impact on the overall company is even greater. She manages our Accounts Receivable (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP) for both our Florida Headquarters and Corporate accounts. Amber is responsible for purchasing for Corporate and GWS-Florida (excluding raw materials), and entering and reviewing customer information in our system among other necessary tasks to keep GWS running at its best! With her extensive experience, colleagues often come to her with questions, and she loves being a trusted resource and helping others. Having 12 facilities, Amber makes sure the question gets to the right person, at the right facility if she doesn’t know the answer.

After 20 years, Amber loves that GWS is always changing and encourages continuous learning. Every day brings something new, and there is always an opportunity to learn. She has witnessed and been part of the company’s transformation from a small business to a large corporation, so she appreciates how far the company has come throughout the years. Amber is grateful for the expansion and the chance to work with people from all our facilities. Starting as a part-time, entry-level employee and rising to a key position, Amber enjoys seeing others grow within GWS in the same way, moving from entry-level roles to advanced positions and careers. She is excited to see what is in store for GWS in the near future!

LIFE OUTSIDE GWS

Amber is a Tavares, Florida native! Born and raised, Amber went to elementary, middle, and high school in Tavares. Her whole family still lives in Lake County, about 20 minutes apart from each other.

Amber has 2 nephews and a niece who she loves to spend time with. Her and her husband, James, are often taking the kids to mini golf, bowling, arcades, you name it!

She wouldn’t be a true Florida native if she didn’t visit the beach often! Her favorite beaches are on the West coast of Florida, places like Treasure Island. These are where the whole family goes for weekend trips or for a relaxing week. On the other side of the state, at Daytona Beach, is where they’ll go for a quick trip!

If Amber isn’t at the beach, she’s still near the water! Her and husband love going on cruises, and they have one planned to the Dominican Republic and Grand Turks next year! At home, you can find her relaxing by her pool, or fishing at one of the many lakes around.

Interested In A Career At GWS Tool Group?

If you enjoy working with dedicated people like Amber, consider applying to GWS Tool Group. We are always looking for talented and driven individuals to work at our facilities in Florida, California, Illinois, Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Canada. Browse open jobs here.