The Owners' Manual Newsletter | Issue 23 | Winter 2022

Samantha Sottile Melville | Energy July 2021 (January 2021 as an Intern)

Tell us about yourself! I went to school at Stonybrook University for electrical engineering. I live with my family on Long Island consisting of my mother, father and brother.

What is one of your favorite quotes? “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day.” – Walt Disney

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Gymnastics.

What made you decide to come to BL Companies? Meeting with Michele Smith and Paul Curcio at my college job fair.

If you won the lottery, what’s your splurge? A house for my sister’s family.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? I enjoy being with my family and friends. My sister lives in Buffalo with her husband and kids so I like to go visit when I can, and spend time with them when they are visiting me. My family tends to watch a lot of shows and movies together as well, the most recent are Hawkeye and Lost in Space. I also enjoy reading, literally anything, from fantasy, sci-fi, poems, memoirs, etc. What is a good piece of advice you’ve received? Remember to be kind to yourself, and others. Do you have a talent or hobby? I enjoy being active by participating in Ballroom dancing and Tae Kwon Do practices. I also love soccer and any type of dancing. I also do a lot of writing, either poems or random short stories. What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a teacher. What is a favorite vacation or dream destination? Disney World is my go-to vacation, my dream destination is Japan, where I plan on going in a couple of years! You never know what others are going through, and you are your worst critic.

Who inspires you and why? My parents who, despite both having full time jobs in utility companies, were able to take time to be with my siblings and I as kids, taking us to our soccer games, school plays, and always doing their best to be there for us and support us. Who’s your celebrity look alike? I have been told Kate Winslet, but I don’t see it haha. Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad but it turned out to be good? What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? Being formally diagnosed with mental illness. By learning about what I had and getting the proper help, I was able to improve a lot of things about my life. The hardest thing I had to do and am still doing, is re-wiring my brain to create a healthier headspace for myself to be in. I have also been able to help many others who suffer from similar issues, and have made deep, genuine connections that I did not realize would positively affect my life as much as they have. What do you miss most about being a kid? Being able to wake up early and be fully energized haha.