The Owners' Manual | Issue 21 | Spring/Summer 2021

SAM HOJNOWSKI MERIDEN | ENGINEERING 12.14.20 What made you decide to come to BL Companies? It stood out to me that BL is employee owned and that everyone I talked to in the interviewing process emphasized that BL wants to build good employee owners and wants retention, rather than just to find someone to do the work. Tell us about yourself I graduated from the University of Vermont in 2020 and I now live in Somers, CT. My officemate is a Painted Turtle named Bernie who In my free time, I love to do anything active. I am an avid runner; I have run two marathons and hope to one day qualify for Boston. I also love rock climbing, though I am new at it. I also enjoy hiking and am always looking for trail suggestions. I also enjoy taking weekend trips to visit my boyfriend in New York City and my friends in Vermont. What is a good piece of advice you’ve received? The best advice I have received is that nobody notices your flaws as much as you do. What did you want to be when you grow up? When I was younger I wanted to be an actress on Broadway and a veterinarian. What is a favorite vacation or dream destination? My favorite vacation was when I is always begging for food. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

went to Spain (Madrid and Seville) right before the pandemic hit. I reflect on it a lot because it was the last time I got to travel and life was so different then. I had the best food of my life at a market in Madrid and saw some of the most gorgeous old buildings in Seville. What is one of your favorite quotes? “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” – Maya Angelou If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? I would learn to speak every language If you won the lottery, what’s your splurge? I would build my own gym – I hate having to wait for the squat rack ! Who inspires you and why? My late grandfather is always a source of inspiration for me. He was always reminding us to keep a “positive mental attitude”, he was always taking in new information and changing with the times, he was a great humanitarian, and he was the hardest worker – with no complaints!

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ev Moving from Burlingto I had such a great com friends in Burlington an at the beach and the in the same day, so it w leave even though I wa closer to my family an What do you miss most about being Playing outside and bugs! Do you have a TV binge/Movie/B recommending? Schitt’s Creek is uplifting, and memeab What is the nerdiest thing you do in I listen to a lot of politic and read a lot about p What is something you learned in since joining BL? I learned how to effe feedback!