As the company’s go-to for all things contract-related, Angelia Stanley is a force within the team at New River Electrical.
Meant to Be at NRE
“When I was a teen, I wanted to be a lawyer,” says Angelia, the Director of Contracts Management. “It’s a blessing that I’m now in a position where I’m working with legalities every day.”
Angelia’s story began in October of 2002 when she replied to an advertisement in the local newspaper for the position of “Secretary” at a place called New River Electrical. In 2007, Angelia was promoted to Executive Assistant, while also earning her Construction Document Technologist (CDT) Certification. In 2008, she earned her Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA) Certification and was promoted to Contract Administrator one year later. In 2022, Angelia earned her way to the position of Director of Contracts Management.
Coming from the engineering industry, Angelia brought with her an understanding of contract terminology, submitting bids, and maintaining detailed job files. Learning from her mentors Buddy Furr and Johnny Lanning about contracts is what originally piqued her interest. Shadowing them allowed Angelia to explore the contract avenue in her educational and professional pursuits. To this day, she remains extremely grateful for the opportunities provided by her mentors. “The position fits my personality and my interests,” she mentions. “Once I identified contracts as my passion, the rest came naturally.”
No Two Days the Same
Contract management may sound simple, but there are a lot of moving pieces that make every day different for Angelia. “It’s never boring!” she mentions. The Contracts Department at NRE processes anywhere between 90 to 125 contracts per month. This includes contract reviews for Terms & Conditions contained within Request for Proposals (RFPs) and other customer contracts, Non-Disclosure Agreements, Subcontracts, Master Services Agreements, Work Orders, and Purchase Orders; just to name a few. Although the team is extremely busy due to a 48% average increase in contracts this year, Angelia mentions that she is very fortunate to have an excellent team who are hard-working, detail-oriented, accurate, and thorough.
When asked what her favorite thing about the job is, Angelia explained, “I can’t pick just one thing. It’s a good feeling to know that I am doing all I can to help protect NRE and our customers from liabilities while also being honest and fair with the other parties to the contract.” Buddy Furr gave her a nugget of knowledge saying “In business, the best way for friends to stay friends is a good contract.” Angelia explains that if you have a good contract that all parties agree upon, you know who is responsible for what, and there are no hard feelings when things don’t go exactly as planned.
“When you finish the day, you realize that you’ve helped people by giving them what they need for their projects,” Angelia mentions. “It’s a challenge, but I’ve got an amazing team that’s willing to put in the hard work and extra time.”
The Culture Clause
This year, the contract management team has processed approximately 100 contracts a month of all types. Due to the sheer volume of work, it makes sense that some days may be longer than others. “I love it and that’s why I do it,” Angelia says. “It’s rewarding because you’re helping people.” That’s the thing about Angelia, she puts in the hard work to help others, and that includes her team.
Everybody experiences difficult and busy moments in their professional life, but it’s the team you work with that helps get you through it. “I’ve got an excellent team who work very hard. I’m extremely fortunate to have had the people I’ve had work–” she pauses. “I hate to say ‘work under me’ because I just don’t see it that way.” Angelia goes on to describe the way she sees her team, “We all work together and go the extra mile to get things done. My team deserves all the praise in the world.”
“I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others,” Angelia mentions. “It’s so rewarding to watch our younger employees find their niche and grow into their positions, especially the ones I helped train.” That’s one of the unique traits Angelia possesses, she wants to see her NRE family members succeed because they’re just that to her; family. She mentions that a lot of young talent is coming up through the company and it’s forever rewarding to watch them find their way, watch the lightbulb go off in their mind, and see them grow professionally and as individuals.
Everyone who has ever worked for Angelia has sat down with her to have a uniquely candid conversation. “I tell them I don’t know how to be a boss or a supervisor, but I do know how to be a mom because that’s the best thing to ever happen to me. I feel the best way to do my job is to train you to leave the nest and lead, to do things on your own. It’s worked for me because my heart is in it. It’s not a boss and employee relationship, it’s a family thing; I’m going to do everything I can to help you succeed.”
Everybody’s Working for the Weekend
When she’s not working overtime on contracting tasks or training employees to do their best, Angelia loves to spend her time outside. “I love spending time with my son, his girlfriend, and my German Shephard,” she mentions. “I enjoy anything that involves water, too!” If it involves the ocean, lakes, rivers, or even water balloons – Angelia feels at home. She frequents the James River, Claytor Lake, the OBX, local creeks, and even a swimming hole in the woods near her home!
Since work and her work ethic is such a big part of Angelia’s life, it makes sense that it rubs off on her son. “I am extremely proud of my son, watching him become independent, seeing his worth ethic and his value system – it’s so rewarding.”
We are very fortunate to have Angelia Stanley as a member of our team. As an employee-owned company, Angelia truly sets the standard for what it means to be a team player and mentor.