When walking through the doors of FSG San Antonio and into the carefully crafted showroom, one immediately feels at ease and as if they’re amongst family. The sense of community present at FSG San Antonio is the result of the individuals within it, who, while remaining hungry for success, fully exhibit the concept that success cannot transpire without being built upon a strong foundation.
Once you’ve passed the showroom, the first person you will likely come across is Elda Carranco, FSG San Antonio’s Office Supervisor. With a benevolent smile and welcoming presence, she is continuously a major driving force behind that which makes the San Antonio branch’s culture so unique.
“Wisdom is honest, free from fraud or deception, genuine and real, reputable and respectable, straightforward and sincere, honorable and praiseworthy. It’s a combination of understanding intellectually and emotionally.”
FSG CONSTITUTION
This year marks Elda’s eighteenth year with the company. When thinking of FSG San Antonio in particular, she is likely the first who comes to mind for most who are familiar with the branch. When you meet her, you immediately sense who she is; confident, wise, loyal, genuine, and personable are just a few of the countless community-oriented characteristics that form Elda’s undeniably unique personality.
After talking with Elda for a bit and getting to know her, it is evident that there is a purpose behind every move she makes. When she has a vision, she will do everything in her power to see it come to fruition. All of these things are rooted in her understanding of the strength of a family unit, a community.
Elda and her husband, Jorge Carranco, spend their time traveling when the stressors of the city become too much. She and Jorge frequently travel to their hometown of Zaragoza, Coahuila, Mexico, which reminds Elda of the importance of slowing down to admire the surrounding environment while appreciating the company alongside her.
Elda and Jorge married in 1978 and moved to San Antonio soon thereafter. She views the relationship between herself and her husband as she would a team, determined to accomplish anything they set their sights on. Together, they have two sons, Jorge and Eric, and are blessed with two grandchildren, Christopher Jamez and Ava.
Prior to joining FSG, Elda was employed at Levi-Strauss for 22 years. Her branch manager was a religious man who knew every employee by name as he took it upon himself to instill a familial culture within the company. Each morning, he would shake hands with every employee in the production line and greet them by name. Elda mentioned she admired him for his dedication to his employees. Levi-Strauss represented the major principles she stood for; community, hard work, and success.
In 2002, the company moved its production to Mexico and unfortunately closed its factories based here in the US. Levi-Strauss supported its employees during this transition, providing them with assistance to either open their own company or return to school to earn their business degrees. Elda chose the latter option, graduating with her Associate’s Degree in Business Administration, and less than two months later, FSG hired her in June of 2004.
Elda’s first desk was positioned right beside the front door at the San Antonio branch, which made for a perfect opportunity to greet everyone each morning, eventually getting to know everyone by name. Elda noticed that most people ignored her initial pleasantries, so she persisted until they acknowledged her, and eventually, it became an office ritual to greet Elda each morning. She, as the front line, was determined to make sure that a negative beginning to the day would never start upon entering the branch.
Upon joining FSG, Elda recognized that the San Antonio team mentality was not present in every aspect of the business that it could’ve been, so she enacted change where she could. In order to be successful, Elda has always held a focus on elevating the quality of teamwork. She believes that adaptation is key in that pursuit. Approaching change with hesitancy is normal, but delving into the unknown is sometimes required in order to advance in life. She has undeniably ingrained these mantras in the San Antonio branch throughout her tenure.
Elda views herself as a resource to everyone. If she can figure out a way to take even the smallest of workloads off your shoulders, then she will. She sees herself as the office’s representative for the employees in the field. They all know that when they need something, Elda knows how to and will help. Her big heart leaves her pushing to assist others more, and she prays for everyone when she cannot find the means to help them herself. Throughout her life, especially during times of uncertainty, Elda has turned to her religion. A person that serves as a constant source of guidance to others also finds her personal strength through prayer. As a trusted source of wisdom, Elda’s experience and outlook make her an invaluable member of the FSG team.
At FSG, we place a high value on celebrating delicate and important moments within our employees’ lives. If you have a story you’d like to see on FSG Resources, please share it! Email Madeleine Wills at [email protected] with stories, ideas, or questions!