May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the U.S. and throughout the month, get to know a few of our team members who identify as AAPI. In case you missed it, click here to read about Jason O., a Commute Branch Manager in Hawaii.
Next get to know Shelley Roither, Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Shelley works at Corporate Headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri.
When you reflect on your heritage, what do you think of?
When I reflect on my heritage, I realize how much of a role it played in who I am and how I’m built.
My mother’s parents fled communist China, and emigrated to the U.S., settling here in St. Louis. My mother was one of 11 siblings, and because of their migrant status, their early lives were challenging socially and economically.
For Asians, migrants or not, the experience of poverty is a very powerful motivator, and education is viewed as the ticket to success and the way to escape poverty. My grandparents insisted all their children attend school, and anything less than excellent academic performance was simply neither an option nor tolerated.
Those cultural influences carried on through my mother to me. She demanded high commitment and excellence from and of me while growing up.
Today, as I reflect, I am humbled and appreciative of her instilling the value of education in me early (and often!). It’s played a huge role in who I am and my willingness and drive to continue to challenge myself to grow and stretch.
What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to you?
It means taking the time (which none of us has, right?) to reflect on how your culture, upbringing, and experiences shape who you are and your outlook and perspectives on life, work, and family. We often rush through our daily lives without thinking of the challenges our families faced decades ago—and how strong and resilient they were. It also allows me to reflect, with much gratitude, on my grandparents’ willingness to leave everything they had to forge a better life for their family. I am forever grateful.
How does Enterprise encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work?
Enterprise’s culture of celebrating inclusivity and diversity makes it a welcoming environment into which you can bring your whole self to work each and every day. We celebrate and respect our differences in a variety of ways—through flexibility, special events and activities, and community support, as well as the work of our local DEI Councils.
What excites you about the future at Enterprise?
Two things—our intention to be the world’s most trusted mobility provider, and our people! There is nothing we can’t accomplish—together—and we have the best team there is!
