Employee Spotlight: Ian Schwartz

Name: Ian Schwartz 

Hometown: Norwalk, CT 

Joined: October, 2019 

Department(s): Operations 

Spoken Languages: English 

What excites you about being part of the Cherre family?
You know when you are on a bicycle, going down a hill but in a gear that is too low and your feet are moving really fast? It is sort of a wild ride but also the most exhilarating moment?  That is Cherre and it is what makes the company so incredibly wonderful – a place that is speeding ahead towards a phenomenal achievement while taking you for the most fantastic journey filled with deep personal connections, development and experience.  

At Cherre, we are all snow leopards – what are you working on and what makes you unique? 
I am lucky to have found a unique role at Cherre that allows me to work cross functionally throughout the entire company.  Currently, I tackle projects across recruiting, human resources, information security, operations and (when open) facility management.  My overall goal is to ensure that the Cherre community has whatever it needs to function properly and achieve the mission.  I’ll do just about anything (just find me on slack, email or my cell phone) to ensure the team has what it needs to be successful.  

How do you give back to the community to change our world for the better? 
As an EMT, I have given many years of service to different communities in a volunteer capacity.  It has been my way of making people’s dark moments a little bit brighter.  Most recently, I was able to assist with the COVID response by helping vaccinate people in NYC.  After so much terrible pain, isolation and change in our lives, it was amazing to be able to be part of the beginning of return to normalcy.  

What keeps you curious and engaged to grow personally/professionally?   
I don’t think I have ever really been good at standing still and I think this has been a driving force behind my motivation to always tackle something new. At Cherre, my role affords me the ability to have new learnings every day and professional growth is endless.  Personally, I am always trying to push myself to keep things fresh by enjoying new experiences.  It is this curiosity of what is still new to see, do and learn in this world that keeps me engaged with so many different things.  

What do you like to do outside of work?  
I tend to be a bit of an endurance enthusiast mixed with a lover of the outdoors.  You can typically find me out on a daily run, planning a hike or a weekend excursion to somewhere truly peaceful with my dog Hudson and amazing wife! 

What is the last book you read/movie you watched?
I recently watched the documentary “The Last Blockbuster” on Netflix.  It was a real trip down memory lane, bringing me back to many familiar moments of my childhood in which my parents would take me with friends to the store on Friday nights to pick out some videos for the weekend.  The last store is in Bend, OR where I currently am for the summer.  It was cool to watch the documentary and be able to visit the location – it is exactly like the old stores of my youth.  Sometimes you just need one of these playful moments to remember how fun life is! 

If your life were being turned into a movie, who would play you or narrate your story?
Rich Roll of the Rich Roll Podcast – guru of life and champion of endurance athletics.  A real badass dude who knows how to live and share passion with others.  He is a great storyteller and awesome listener.  I think he would make my life sound cool and if nothing else would at least get my movie sponsored by some sweet gear! 🙂