Meet the Staff: Carmen Chacon Office Manager
Meet The Staff: Carmen is a dedicated and enthusiastic Office Manager at BSK Associates. Born in Fresno, CA, Carmen has a rich history with BSK, starting as a temp-to-hire in December 2014. Carmen thrives on the variety her role offers and values the connections she builds with colleagues, clients, and vendors. Outside of work, she enjoys painting, crocheting, playing the piano, and has a love for travel and history. Join us as we learn more about Carmen’s journey, her contributions to BSK, and some fun personal anecdotes that highlight her vibrant personality.
Interviewer: Hi Carmen! Can you tell me a little about where you are from. Where is your hometown and where did you go to school?
Carmen: I was born in Fresno, CA but I have lived in Huron and Kerman for a short period of my childhood, as my father at the time did field labor work laying irrigation pipe out in the vast fields in what I call la-la land (middle of nowhere). You moved to where the work was at those times; eventually the family was situated in Fresno for good. Anytime I see corn fields, I reminisce of my childhood as one of the houses I grew up in, in Kerman, was right next to a corn field. I went to Turner Elementary School, Kings Canyon Junior High School, Roosevelt High School (Rough Rider), Fresno City College and Clovis Community College.
Interviewer: How long have you worked for BSK and what do you do for the organization?
Carmen: I started as a “temp-to-hire” in December 2014 and became a permanent full-time employee on March 25, 2015; I’m on my tenth year with BSK. Woo-hoo! I came on board as the Office Administrator for the Fresno Engineering Department and was promoted to Office Manager in February 2023. I’m responsible for supporting the Fresno ENV, GEO, CSD and CORPORATE departments and the other BSK locations when needed. I assist with the finalizing of reports, proposals, and other documents as needed, provide customer service support, provide field staff with project documents, accounts payable, process vendor invoices, supply maintenance, fleet management and much more… I serve as a resource to senior managers and project managers in administering project activities as needed. All-in-all…I manage the Fresno office to make sure it runs smoothly not just for myself, but for everyone involved!
Interviewer: What do you enjoy most about your job?
Carmen: I love the variety this position offers me, there’s never a dull moment. I’m a people person, I enjoy working with the staff, vendors and clients whether it be in person or on the phone. Most of all, I get more joy of knowing I can help a fellow co-worker get through their project in a day’s work. I also enjoy getting to know all our clients and vendors not only on a business level but personal level as well. I always make an effort to learn their names, as working with people on a “first name” basis; makes a world of difference.
Interviewer: Can you tell us your favorite on the job story?
Carmen: I would have to say arranging the office move from our Locust address to Laverne. Grant it… I didn’t do it alone, but it was quite a challenge, and I am very proud to have had a part of that transition.
Interviewer: Thank you so much for answering all these questions today. Can we leave off by you relaying some fun facts about yourself?
Carmen: I will be celebrating my 40th year anniversary in June with my husband Raul. I have two children, my son Anthony, and my daughter Marie. I love being a grandmother, I have four grandchildren. I love many forms of art (i.e. painting, crocheting, crafting, movie theaters, museums, history and piano). I’ve travelled to Costa Rica where my husband is from and Italy (Rome & Venice), which was the trip of a lifetime, there is so much history there. I took eight years of piano lessons all the way up to my college years. I’m going to date myself, I took 6 years of shorthand, which I still use today and enjoy. When people see me writing in shorthand, they think I’m writing in some form of Arabic…it’s like a second language to me.
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