Kalas is a company filled with associates who feel like family and bring positive energy to our days as we achieve great things together. Every now and then there is an associate who rises above and positively sets the tone for nearly the entire organization. This past quarter, Antonio Colon has done just that.
Antonio has added a sense of family, joy and friendliness to Kalas since he started. Antonio has been at Kalas for 10 years and his direct coworkers would be quick to tell you he leads with a spirit of friendliness and ambition. This year Antonio’s encouragement and positive energy shone even brighter as he began a personal wellness journey which he used as a catalyst to support others. Since the start of the year, Antonio’s journey to wellness has visibly rubbed off on many associates he is in contact with.
Early in 2019 something clicked for Antonio. He had reached a weight that he wasn’t content with. Internally he wanted to be an inspiration and fuel other people to greater health and personal growth. He realized it was necessary for him to find health for himself first in order to have a chance at helping others. That was his turning point. A mental switch happened for Antonio where he decided it was time to stop the denial he says he’d lived with. He admitted his job could be stressful and that he hadn’t been honest with himself about it. He was ready to accept the truth of his reality and start to care for his body and spirit in the midst of stress. Since that time, Antonio has lost over 100 pounds and has a current goal to lose 100 more. Every morning, Antonio wakes at 3:43am and heads to the gym for a swim. He tracks his eating and feels a great sense of accomplishment and strength in his progress.
Throughout his weightloss journey, he’s shared his milestones with all of Kalas. For Antonio, achieving his health goals is much more than a personal journey of self-betterment. It is a beacon and pillar for helping others find and take their next steps towards personal wellness. In the plant where he works he’s already inspired others to abstain from their “crutches” such as unhealthy treats, to cut back on and even quit smoking, and to get active – all in only a few months. And he’s not done! He’s set up some small areas to find for a workout break in Lancaster. He is inspired to create some fun challenges for fitness with his team, has started shooting hoops with coworkers during lunch and is thinking up new creative ideas to keep himself and his coworkers motivated. It’s inspiring and changing our associates’ lives for the better!
It is no wonder Antonio has been recognized as our Kalas Associate Living Our Values for this Quarter. We are grateful for the powerful ways Antonio has chosen to live Kalas’ Core Values and implement our guiding behaviors. When asked what’s most inspiring him to continually live with Kalas values, he shares that it all comes down to the family atmosphere of Kalas. He finds everyone is willing and ready to participate in the community and support one another. Like his personal wellness journey, he sees others wanting to impact each other with how they live and behave during their work at Kalas. He’s excited for the coworkers whose lives he’s seen start to change most recently. The Kalas value Antonio favors the most is Humility. Living with humility is one of his personal guiding principles. It is very important to him to treat others with respect in the same way he would want to be treated. It’s the key to his family values and way of being at home and at work.
Antonio has been a part of Kalas for 10 years now. This past Spring he transitioned into a new role of Director of Business Development and is thrilled at the opportunity to drive our “One Kalas Approach” seeking new longterm partnerships with businesses we could best serve. Previously he had served as our Market Segment Manager in sales for several years and more recently as a plant manager. All of his previous roles gave him the opportunity to work closely with many Kalas associates buidling his quality relationships with a large part of our Kalas family. To sum up his favorite part of working at Kalas he answered: “The people. We have a good team. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We achieve a lot of good things. We’re joyful and yet serious about execution.” We agree Antonio. It’s a great family to be a part of here at Kalas and your character is a great example of why that it is.
In Antonio’s past time he loves to swim and spend quality time with his 14 year old daughter, Ava. Currently he enjoys cooking and having dance parties in his kitchen to Spanish music. It brings him great joy to watch Ava learn the language. His wife, Kim, and Ava both love horses. Together they spend a lot of time at horse shows and in preparation for events.
Thank you, Antonio, for all you give to Kalas – your spirit, your encouragement, your laughter, your commitment, your hard work and your love for all within the Kalas family. It wouldn’t be the same without you!
Join us in thanking Antonio for living with such strong character and inspiring us all to do the same!
