{"459471":{"#nid":"459471","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A journey from despair to inspiration","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EManufacturing plants are the economic lifeblood of many communities across Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut for Linda Williams, the plant she works for is more than a means for earning a living and providing for her family: It quite literally saved her life. Williams, who was once homeless and a victim of domestic abuse, was also an alcoholic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWilliams is the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership\u2019s October Face of Manufacturing, and credits her boss and coworkers at MeadWestvaco (now WestRock) in Atlanta for helping her overcome the darkest periods of her life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy boss recognized the situation and reached out to me. MWV gave me the time I needed to get better,\u201d said Williams, who is the plant\u2019s quality supervisor. \u201cThis company saved my life, and I will be eternally grateful.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EManufacturing is a key economic sector in Georgia. For the more than 365,000 Georgians who work in manufacturing, the Faces of Manufacturing series shows how the industry sustains communities and keeps them economically strong. And it also shows how, on a more personal level, they make a difference in peoples\u2019 lives, in ways that aren\u2019t so obvious.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWilliams, who has been sober for 15 years, said her coworkers\u2019 intervention to help her heal her life is not unlike the manufacturing process. \u201cEverything is inter-connected,\u201d she said. In any manufacturing process, everything needs to work for the entire process to run smoothly. If one part along the process is broken, everything else can be thrown off-kilter.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWilliams isn\u2019t the only person MVW has helped to overcome personal challenges, and the company\u2019s culture of supporting a team- and family-oriented environment sets it apart, she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe said she is proud to work in a manufacturing environment where success isn\u2019t only measured by the bottom line, but also by the personal triumphs of its individual employees.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday she shares her story \u2014 speaking openly and publicly about her struggles and how she overcame them \u2014 hoping to empower others who are going through similar challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey saw something in me worth saving,\u201d Williams said, adding it\u2019s her duty to share her journey with others to show there is hope to overcome whatever struggles they may be facing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI give people the tools and resources they need to move ahead,\u201d Williams said. \u201cAnd to realize there are other choices in life, and there is light at the end of the tunnel.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Each month the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership profiles Georgians who play a critical role in the industry."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThough she didn\u2019t know it at the time, when Linda Williams accepted a job at MeadWestvaco more than 15 years ago, it was a decision that would ultimately save her life.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Each month the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership profiles Georgians who are involved in manufacturing."}],"uid":"28137","created_gmt":"2015-10-15 15:02:47","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:19:47","author":"P\u00e9ralte Paul","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"459521":{"id":"459521","type":"image","title":"Linda Williams GaMEP Face of Manufacturing Oct2015","body":null,"created":"1449256361","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:41","changed":"1475895204","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:24","alt":"Linda Williams GaMEP Face of Manufacturing Oct2015","file":{"fid":"203570","name":"dsc_1110.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dsc_1110_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dsc_1110_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2045057,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dsc_1110_0.jpg?itok=P1UwYis6"}}},"media_ids":["459521"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/facesofmanufacturing.com\/","title":"Faces of Manufacturing"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"}],"keywords":[{"id":"121581","name":"Faces of Manufacturing"},{"id":"16331","name":"GaMEP"},{"id":"136201","name":"Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership"},{"id":"144731","name":"Linda Williams"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFor media inquiries contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaura Diamond\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFor more information about GaMEP contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKatie Takacs\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGaMEP Marketing Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:katie.takacs@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ekatie.takacs@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["peralte.paul@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}