Associate Spotlight: Michael Edelen

Michael Edelen

Customer Acquisition Manager

Born and Raised

Chicago, IL

A little bit about me

“When I tell people that I am the oldest of 10 children, they’re shocked. I’m definitely used to that reaction, it’s very common.” He says with a laugh

“But the way I grew up, I was always busy with something to do. Besides having a rather large family, I was a national contender in wrestling for 17 years. When I wasn’t wrestling, I was always involved with other extracurricular activities. I now realize that I will always crave that kind of schedule, something that will keep me busy and allow me to be competitive in order to really achieve my goals and dreams. My grandfather was a businessman, and given the fact that I am driven as well as competitive, I hope to reach the same success he did, if not better!”

What do people not know about you?

“ I am very passionate about food. I am always willing to try something new and I absolutely love to cook.”

Why SilverFern?

“I realized that when I interviewed with the company that I have the opportunity to grow professionally and learn valuable skills that ultimately will help me achieve my goals. Not to mention the positive work environment, it’s a great combination.”

What character trait do you admire?

“Focus. A person who is focused will achieve their desires…it’s just a matter of when.”

Associate Spotlight: Chris Green II

Chris Green II

Customer Acquisition Manager

Born and Raised

Dubuque, IA and grew up in Plainfield, IL

Idol

“So, I’m going to preface this by saying that I know that I grew up in Illinois…BUT I’m a Green Bay Packers fan. There was nothing more exciting than watching Brett Favre play football, he always looked like he was so passionate about the game and he played with an intensity that was incredible to watch. Favre holds so many records, both good and bad, but most importantly he holds those records because of his dedication to the sport and his team.

I often look at my life and try to apply his intensity, passion, and dedication to anything I try to accomplish. Brett Favre played through so many injuries and always put his best foot forward, regardless of his situation, he never gave himself an excuse. So, my goal is to attack my life, especially my career, with everything that I have in me. No excuses.”

What do people not know about you?

“ I have moved at least 15 times. Whether it was moving to a different state, moving away to school, or studying abroad a couple times—it’s given me the opportunity to communicate with different people be able to appreciate diversity.”

Why SilverFern?

“To put this simply, it was the atmosphere and the opportunity. Coming from the restaurant industry and a short stint in corporate sales, I was looking for a position that could become a career. I wanted some place where I could grow and also love going to work everyday.”

Did you find what you were looking for?

“It’s funny, because I used to think that you could be either happy or you could be working. When I first started here, everyone was open to helping me and was really welcoming. Now, I still enjoy working with this great group of individuals and I can’t wait to grow within the company. So, to answer your question, Yes I did find what I was looking for.”

Just Keep Swimming

This is the story of two frogs. One frog was fat and the other skinny. 

One day, while searching for food, they unintentionally jumped into a pail of milk. They couldn't get out, as the sides of the pail were too slippery, so they were swimming around trying to figure out how to make it through this horrible accident.

The fat frog said to the skinny frog, "Brother frog, there's no use paddling any more that we already have. We're just going to drown, so we might as well give up." The skinny frog replied, "Hold on brother, keep swimming. Somebody will get us out." And they continued swimming for hours.

After a while, the fat frog said, "Brother frog, there's no use. I'm becoming very tired now. I'm just going to stop paddling and drown. No one is coming to help us. We're doomed. There's no possible way out of here." But the skinny frog said, "Keep trying. Keep swimming. Something will happen, keep swimming." Another couple of hours passed.

The fat frog said, "I can't go on any longer. There's no sense in doing it because we're going to drown anyway. What's the use of swimming any longer?" And the fat frog stopped. He gave up. And he drowned in the milk. But the skinny frog kept on moving.

Ten minutes later, the skinny frog felt something solid beneath his feet. He had churned the milk into butter and he hopped out of the pail.

During many parts of our lives we feel almost like a frog in a pail of milk, unable to escape certain problems that arise and threaten our confidence in ourselves to get through that difficult time. Sometimes, we may not be able to see a solution to the problem right away, but we have to keep going and remain optimistic up until a solution is reached.