POET EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT CONFIDENCE, CURIOSITY FUELED SAVANNAH WITHEE'S RISE FROM TEMP WORKER TO SHIFT SUPERVISOR For Savannah Withee, what started as a summer temp job has evolved into a key leadership role at POET Bioprocessing - Bingham Lake. Withee is a Shift Supervisor, leading a team of technicians that makes sure the facility is running smoothly, day or night. And at just 23 years old, Withee is both the youngest and the only female shift supervisor at the bioprocessing plant. Withee's rapid rise to leadership was not a path she had planned. Even though she grew up in Windom, Minnesota, just a short drive from Bingham Lake, she was not familiar with POET until hearing about it through a Women in STEM program as a student at the South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City, SD. When she came home that summer, she saw an opening for a temporary janitorial position at the facility, and that got her foot in the door. The following summer, she applied for another temp position, this time in a more hands-on role working with commodities. Rather than go back to school, she opted to start her career with POET. "I enjoyed the culture that I was around at POET, and they had an opening for a plant technician," she said. "I decided I was going to apply for that, and I worked my way up over the last three and a half years to become a supervisor." Moving into a leadership position as a young woman was daunting, and Withee credits General Manager Brandon Risetter and other leaders there with supporting her through the transition. "Just having that support, knowing I can count on the people who are above me, really helped boost my confidence in knowing that I really could do this," she said. Besides a good support network, Withee relies on a leadership style that includes respect, trusting her team, asking questions and authentically listening. "I think I truly listen to what the technicians need," she said. "Not everybody learns the same way. So you have to learn about your technicians to be able to figure out how to teach them properly and make sure that they have all the tools that they need to be successful." Withee has long-term goals that include being an operations manager and possibly a general manager someday. But one year into her current role, she is focused on the task in front of her. "Right now, I'm focusing on just learning everything I can about the process that we have," she said. POET SAVANNAH WITHE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT POET, VISIT POET.COM/BINGHAMLAKE. POET EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT CONFIDENCE , CURIOSITY FUELED SAVANNAH WITHEE'S RISE FROM TEMP WORKER TO SHIFT SUPERVISOR For Savannah Withee , what started as a summer temp job has evolved into a key leadership role at POET Bioprocessing - Bingham Lake . Withee is a Shift Supervisor , leading a team of technicians that makes sure the facility is running smoothly , day or night . And at just 23 years old , Withee is both the youngest and the only female shift supervisor at the bioprocessing plant . Withee's rapid rise to leadership was not a path she had planned . Even though she grew up in Windom , Minnesota , just a short drive from Bingham Lake , she was not familiar with POET until hearing about it through a Women in STEM program as a student at the South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City , SD . When she came home that summer , she saw an opening for a temporary janitorial position at the facility , and that got her foot in the door . The following summer , she applied for another temp position , this time in a more hands - on role working with commodities . Rather than go back to school , she opted to start her career with POET . " I enjoyed the culture that I was around at POET , and they had an opening for a plant technician , " she said . " I decided I was going to apply for that , and I worked my way up over the last three and a half years to become a supervisor . " Moving into a leadership position as a young woman was daunting , and Withee credits General Manager Brandon Risetter and other leaders there with supporting her through the transition . " Just having that support , knowing I can count on the people who are above me , really helped boost my confidence in knowing that I really could do this , " she said . Besides a good support network , Withee relies on a leadership style that includes respect , trusting her team , asking questions and authentically listening . " I think I truly listen to what the technicians need , " she said . " Not everybody learns the same way . So you have to learn about your technicians to be able to figure out how to teach them properly and make sure that they have all the tools that they need to be successful . " Withee has long - term goals that include being an operations manager and possibly a general manager someday . But one year into her current role , she is focused on the task in front of her . " Right now , I'm focusing on just learning everything I can about the process that we have , " she said . POET SAVANNAH WITHE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT POET , VISIT POET.COM/BINGHAMLAKE .