If there is any single trait that defines Stephany Florian, it is first her presence. In her role as AffinEco office manager and executive assistant to the chief operating officer, she interacts daily with people throughout the company and with clients alike. She has learned a lot in her 13 years at AffinEco; there are few people as familiar with the day-to-day operations as she.
Florian came to AffinEco in 2007, first as a part-time cleaner. It did not take long for management to recognize her vast skills and shift her into an administrative role. Initially it was her fluency in both English and Spanish that proved her most valuable asset. Soon thereafter, Florian showed she brought much more to the table than that.
When asked what she does on a daily basis Florian chuckled and said, “You know, basically everything.” This includes aiding COO Aramis Cordal as well as a number of other managers. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, she saw her workload increase.
“It’s been quieter in the office with fewer people coming and going,” she said. “But the rest of the work has increased. It’s been very, very busy.”
On the day of the interview for this article, Florian was working from home for the very first time since COVID hit. That was in late November. She returned to the office the following day, demonstrating the strong work ethic that has made her a standout employee.
“Her dedication, outstanding work, and loyalty to the company is tremendous,” said Cordal. “She has been present at the office every day during these hard times and even working extra hours to make things happen.”
He added that Florian has been doing tasks above and beyond her job description during this time when it’s needed more than ever. She is happy to give back to a company that believed in her, as it has so many others who have advanced through the ranks internally.
“Once you are there, it doesn’t matter your title,” she said. “You know how things work, and they know how you work. They know if you can take on another duty or more responsibility. You can always move on to the next role, and they are happy to give you that opportunity.”
Despite the long hours and hard work, Florian wouldn’t have it any other way. She said she is thoroughly satisfied with the work she is doing and has no desire to go anywhere else.
“The people are just awesome, respectful, and fun to work with. They saw so much in me and gave me this opportunity to grow. I feel part of this company and completely valued as an employee,” she said. “We’ve become like a family now, which is good because I spend more time with them than I do at home.”