Women in print

Move over guys: Domino’s Van Apeldoorn promoted to Lead Installation Engineer

There are still many challenges unique to women in our male-dominated industry. Thankfully, career opportunities in commercial printing today are no longer reserved for men only. Plus, our educational institutions are seeing more and more women graduate and enter the workforce. But the fact remains that attracting women to our industry is still difficult due to preconceived biases. Today, companies finally realize the hard work, dedication, expertise and value that women bring to the job. One such OEM is Domino Digital Printing of Gurnee, Illinois. It continues to grow and promote talent to support its increasing customer base. The latest example of this was the recent promotion of Jessie Van Apeldoorn to Digital Printing Lead Installation Engineer. Here’s her story:

Jessie Van Apeldoorn

Approaching her seventh year with Domino, Van Apeldoorn has consistently proven to be a great asset to the company and its customers. “Jessie has successfully taken on every challenge and continually asks for new challenges,” said Eric Van Patten, Domino’s Projects and Installation Manager. “She’s mastered the N610i installation and service to our customers, providing outstanding results. Jessie has also helped implement procedures that are being utilized worldwide.” Most recently, she’s taken on the role of mentor for the company’s newest Installation Engineers. “Jessie embraces the opportunity to share her knowledge, installation techniques and standardization. Her leadership and enthusiasm are fantastic,” Van Patten added.

Jessie’s unique journey

“I’m beyond proud to be part of the Domino team,” she said. “Domino has always made me feel like my voice is heard, and that I can achieve all my career goals. The relationships I’ve built with our customers are very meaningful and have given me the drive to be better every day. My father was a mechanic. When I was growing up in Clinton, IL, I watched him fix everything under the sun. I didn’t know it at the time, but just watching him repair cars, tractors, motorcycles and everyday household items sparked and inspired my curiosity and talent for working with industrial printing presses. My engineering journey started as a computer specialist in an elementary school. I fell in love with fixing computers, printers, and helping people with their technology needs. In 2006, I moved into the technology industry as a technician working on desktops, laptops, servers, and laser printers. I found my strengths in being able to take a machine apart and put it back together in a systematic pattern. In 2014, I joined Domino North America as a Digital Printing Installation Engineer. And I enjoy getting to know and helping customers just as much as working on a digital press. In 2017, my peers chose me as the Digital Printing Engineer of the Year – an award that I consider one of the highest accomplishments of my career. Being a

press engineer as a female is not the normal path followed. I didn’t grow up wanting to be an engineer. It wasn’t something encouraged in high school for females. But I was lucky to have fallen in this path and found supportive men and women who inspired and believed in me – even when I sometimes didn’t. I found my passion and am grateful for all the help and encouragement along the way. During the pandemic, I got engaged to my fiancée Kat Gaines and we bought a house in St. Louis, Missouri. My fiancée owns an events-planning company there. We are getting married in November in Tucson, Arizona. Together we have four kids, one dog, and two cats that keep us very busy. When we’re not working, we love traveling to new places. And, I also love doing projects around the house.

Staff Writers FAMILY MATTERS. From left are Victoria (with her hand on Maddie’s shoulder), Kat Gaines, Landon, Tabby and Jessie. Birdie Sue is the handsome Labrador. Masters of their domain (inset) are: ‘Prince’ Percy (above) and ‘Professor’ Woody Van Gaines.