In
Greg Andersen
Profile
Greg Andersen decided to study engineering because he was good in math and science in high school. He chose Industrial Engineering because of his business interests beyond traditional engineering. Greg’s father encouraged him to get a summer internship after his freshman year. Greg worked for Penn DOT initially and this helped reinforced his interest in IE over CE.
Greg’s senior mentor from IE 200 class worked closely with him to join some extracurricular activities at WVU and ultimately attain an IE internship. His internship with General Electric in Erie, PA led to a job offer when he graduated. Greg was selected for GE’s rotational leadership program. “Over two years, I had four diverse assignments in two businesses while getting extensive training from GE leaders.” Greg says.
When Greg completed the rotational program, he chose a career in technical sales. Greg worked in the Superabrasives unit of GE. “While we were a small part of GE, we had excellent leadership, delivered strong results, and produced a lot of future leaders in GE.” By the time Greg was 28 years old, Greg was General Manager of GE Micron Products in Florida.
Greg spent 10 years with GE. “I moved 7 times in my career at GE…I enjoyed seeing different parts of the country as well as several trips to Europe and Asia to meet with customers.” Greg wasn’t married at the time, so the moves were easier than they would otherwise have been.
Eventually Greg wanted to pursue opportunities outside GE where he could put some roots down in PA with his wife and family. Greg joined Harsco Corporation initially as Director of Strategic Planning/Business Development for the Industrial division. Greg later became the Director of Continuous Improvement for the entire corporation rolling out the initiative globally throughout all three divisions. After leading the Sales/Marketing function for the Minerals division, Greg is now the President of the Reed Minerals division headquartered out of Mechanicsburg, PA. Reed Minerals recycles coal ash from utilities to manufacture abrasive blasting media and roofing granules across 15 plants in the US.
When asked about the transition from GE to Harsco, Greg comments: “I like working in a smaller organization where I feel that I can make a real difference. I like being in a leadership position developing and executing a strategy with our leaders across the business. I enjoy being a mentor and seeing our employees develop as professionals and expand their responsibility. I also enjoy getting involved in the community working with our local school district and center for the arts and sciences. As I look back on my education and experiences in the WVU IE department – the mentoring and key learnings were clearly the foundation for my career and development.”
Bio
Greg Andersen is currently the General Manager of Reed Minerals, a division of the Harsco Corporation located in Mechanicsburg, PA. He grew up in the central Pennsylvania area graduating from Cumberland Valley High School and then gained a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. He worked twelve years for the General Electric Company in several different businesses (Aircraft Engines, Power, Industrial Materials, and Water) primarily in Sales, Marketing, and General Management positions across the United States. Greg returned back to Pennsylvania in 2007 joining the Harsco Corporation in Wormleysburg, PA. He has held global leadership positions in Strategic Planning, Continuous Improvement, Sales/Marketing, and in his current role as General Manager of the Reed Minerals division. Greg serves as a board member on both the Mechanicsburg School District Wildcat Foundation and Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. He is married to his wife Shannon with three children – Dylan (10), Lily (8), and Ella (4). Greg enjoys coaching and playing sports, music, photography and taking part in community service projects.
