Photo By Daniel DeAngelis | Zoe Finke, Project Support Division (Code 530) Piermaster, performs spot-checks in...... read more read more
Hailing from Tucson, Arizona, Project Support Division (Code 530) Piermaster, Zoe Finke spent seven years on active duty in the U.S. Navy. Serving as an Aviation Structural Mechanic on the F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft in Lemoore, California Finke deployed aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in 2006 before honorably separating from the Navy in 2012.
Serving the Navy once again, Finke moved to Virginia as a civilian employee in 2015 working as a Human Resources Specialist in the Norfolk, Virginia Personnel Support Detachment (PSD). From there she transferred to Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic (FRCMA) Detachment Norfolk, as an Inventory Management Specialist for the Support Equipment and Facilities Branch. Finke's background outside of her time in the Navy had been in the inventory management field. She earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Brandman University in 2014, and received her Master Degree in Business Administration from University of Phoenix in 2016.
Finke said, “Early in 2020, I heard Norfolk Naval Shipyard's (NNSY) Supply Department (Code 500) was being stood up and I saw my opportunity to join the shipyard team. I applied, and was hired in July 2020 as a planner for Code 530, better known as the Job Readiness Cell (JRC). My time as a planner was spent directly supporting the USS Pasadena (SSN 725) project. In late 2021, I applied and was selected to be a Piermaster for the JRC. As a Piermaster, I am responsible for managing the storage and relocation of ripped out material removed from naval vessels during their availability periods at NNSY. My next project will be the upcoming USS John Warner (SSN 785) availability, which I am told is the first Virginia-Class availability of its kind here at NNSY and will bring with it many logistics challenges – I am looking forward to helping the USS John Warner team succeed.”
Time management is a priority for Finke in managing a very strenuous daily schedule as Piermaster, while also holding the responsibility for managing all of Code 530's vehicles and forklifts. The vehicle and forklift management responsibility has her continuously updating, tracking statuses, coordinating any maintenance, vehicle logs, gas mileage, and receipts from fuel for 20 vehicles, 14 forklifts and three swivel-mast forklifts, allowing Code 530 to operate and store material on shelving up to 20 feet high in supply cages, called “material envelopes.”
Code 530 Facilities/Asset Visibility Planner Colt Brinkman stated, “Zoe was hired into Code 530 as an Inventory Management Specialist (JRC planner). She was quickly able to learn the NNSY organizational structure, build relationships with project and shop personnel and learn NNSY's processes. Her ability to get up to speed quickly enabled her to excel in her job as planner. She has been instrumental in the standup of Code 530's JRC and development of new NNSY processes to include the Material Needs Review (MNR) process, which is a process designed to ensure the mechanics have everything they need to support non-stop execution of work. Her expert knowledge of shipyard, project and supply processes, coupled with her impeccable work ethic and leadership skills, resulted in her being promoted to the Piermaster position. Zoe is an exceptional leader due to her ability to trust her employees. She ensures once tasking is handed out, that she follows a ‘trust but verify’ method of following up on the work. Furthermore, Zoe goes out of her way to prioritize and assist fellow coworkers with unique opportunities that she is aware of, as well as making mentorship apart of her daily schedule.”
Additionally, Finke maintains time outside of work for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Next Generation (NEXTGEN) Leadership Development Program. The NEXTGEN program is the first tier of the NAVSEA Leadership Continuum. The continuum allows employees to focus on leadership development, through various stages of their careers, in preparation for future opportunities within the organization. NEXTGEN promotes leadership skills through a blend of courses (classroom and online) involving assessments, experiential learning and individual development opportunities. Finke has proven her dedication to NNSY and the ONE MISSION - ONE TEAM mentality. She does this while balancing her home life as a wife, mother of three young boys, photography enthusiast, roller-skater and lover of the outdoors. Finke stated, “I have a great appreciation for the ONE MISSION – ONE TEAM mindset, because I see it driving culture change in our shipyard. A switch from the mindset that our jobs are unimportant to one where everyone matters is inclusive, and exactly what we need. Everyone at NNSY needs to feel like their work, their opinion, and them showing up each day matters! Hearing about our team successes on a regular basis through the shipyard commander's all-hands email updates spreads a contagious type of positivity."
| Date Taken: | 03.14.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2022 09:36 |
| Story ID: | 416488 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 133 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Shipyard Spotlight: Zoe Finke – Project Support Planner to Piermaster, by Jason Scarborough, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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