AGIA's Playground

Love is in the air!

On April 7, 2008, seven years after their first date, two AGIA employees were married in Santa Barbara! Chuck Torres and Rochelle Throckmorton were married amongst family and friends at the beautiful Santa Barbara Courthouse. Here is their story provided by Rochelle.

How did you and Chuck meet?

Carlos and I met when we were both managers working for Blockbuster. I was graduating high school and we became friends and then started dating. We used to go to Dodger games all the time together and really spent time getting to know each other that way. We LOVE baseball!!!! GO DODGERS!

What are you future plans?

Our future plans are to stay in this area and hopefully someday afford a house, and after a while start a family and continue doing what we are doing now. We love movies and both are very knowledgeable about the industry, it helps when we've got friends that do it for a living. We have a friend that just wrapped up Iron Man, Indiana Jones and is now doing Star Trek.

What do you enjoy most about working at AGIA?

We both love the people here. AGIA has been such a great company to work for and we have made so many life long friends that we hang out with outside of work all the time. We love getting together with our close friends and eating dinner and just having fun spending time together. It is hard to find really good friends that truly care and you and it has been very easy to find such great people here and we are both very thankful for that.

What is your "song"?

We don't really have a song, but we love listening to all different types of music, and we are both huge Beatles fans. Carlos never really liked them before until I introduced him to their music.

What are your favorite sports teams?

We love the Clippers, Dodgers, Cubs and Celtics.

What is your favorite memory of each other at AGIA?

We love going to any of the company events especially when we bring our dog Cocoa. Being able to see people that we don't usually get to see and catching up on everything is always a pleasure!

What are your favorite hobbies?

We enjoy going to Disneyland, taking our dog for walks, watching movies and playing basketball together. We love going to Hollywood, City Walk and going to Universal Studios and eating Doc Brown Chicken! YUM!

Alana, Human Resources Supervisor

What was your first job?

My first job was as a member of the Summer Cleaning Crew for North Palos School District 117 in Palos Hills, IL. I helped prepare the classrooms by cleaning the desks and lockers for the upcoming school year. The pay was minimal but I had evenings and weekends free. We would also play basketball or volleyball in the gymnasiums during our lunch break.

What was your childhood ambition?

My childhood ambition was to be a nurse or a teacher.

What is your fondest memory?

Summer weekends at my family's lake house in Wisconsin. We spent hours swimming, water skiing, and completing various projects my Dad created for us.

What is your favorite movie?

Ocean's 11 starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. A modern day gangster movie where a crew of associates stage the heist of three major Las Vegas casinos/ You have to see it a few times to catch everything!

What inspires you?

I am inspired by many of my colleagues. When you surround yourself with creative individuals who are truly  excited about a project, idea or their overall contribution to the organization, you can't help yourself but to join them.

What are you passionate about?

My most cherished possession is my family. My second passion is photography. I just wish I had more time to practice.

What do you enjoy most about AGIA?

Not only do I get to work with an amazing group of people, but I get to work with an amazing group on exciting initiatives that will move us ahead both personally and professionally.

What is the most challenging part of managing projects or people?

The biggest challenge is leading when others are not actively engaged and willing to give their best efforts.

What advice can you give junior associates who are focused on their career growth?

Create a professional vision of who and what you want to become professionally and communicate this with your manager or mentor. We need to take control and responsibility of our own development. When both the individual and the organization recognize the challenges and opportunities and take advantage of the them, then they both will be able to meet their goals and objectives.

What is your favorite AGIA value and why?

Integrity- When we act with integrity we base our actions in a way that is reponsible and accountable.

Wellness Spotlight, Mei-Ling, Human Resources Director

How do you define Health and Wellness?

I think Health and Wellness is about not just your physical well-being, but also your emotional and mental well-being. I think it's important to take care of all aspects of who you are- you mind, body and soul- and to take time to take care of yourself.

What type of exercise do you do?

My current exercise routine includes walking and yoga. I enjoy walking because it's something that I can do almost anywhere and it's easy to incorporate into my daily routine. I just put on my iPod and go! I have also been practicing yoga for the past couple of years and I have found many benefits to it. It's a great way to increase flexibility. core strength and mental focus. I also use dumbbells and a balance ball for additional strength training at home.

What are your top 3 artists on your play list?

I love to workout to all types of music- from 70's classic rock to 80's dance music to 90's alternative rock. The artists that are on heavy rotation on my iPod are Oasis, INXS, U2 and Foo Fighters.

What is your favorite healthy snack or meal?

I keep my refrigerator stocked with low-fat yogurt for a mid-morning snack. I'll add fresh fruit or granola to the yogurt for something extra. I also love Pellegrino sparkling water with a little bit of cranberry juice instead of drinking soda.

How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle?

I try to fit in some type of physical activity in my daily routine. I try to fit in at least 30 minutes of walking or exercise every day. Whenever I'm traveling, I also pack my walking shoes so that I can be sure to fit in my daily walk. Rather than thinking of exercise as being "work", I see it as time for me to take care of myself. I also try to maintain as much work/life balance as I can. I make sure that my weekends are filled with activities, hobbies and people that keep me happy and fulfilled. I also enjoy going to the local Farmer's Market every week to stock up on fresh produce and flowers.

What do you think of the Wellness Works website?

I think the Wellness Works website is a great toll to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. I really liked all the different tools, resources and articles that are available through the website- and it's very easy to use!

What do you think of AGIA's overall wellness initiative?

I am really excited about the wellness initiative! It really demonstrates our company's continued commitment to our associates. The programs and benefits of the wellness initiative recognize the importance of work/life balance and provide resources and tolls to help associates reach their health and wellness goals.

What do you think AGIA could do to encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle?

I think AGIA can encourage people to live and maintain healthy lifestyles by continuing to provide associates and their families the tools, resources and programs that can help them reach their wellness goals. I think that also listening and asking for feedback can help us to identify other programs and resources that can enhance our wellness initiative.

Clare- Human Resources Recruiter

On January 7, 2008, AGIA employee, Clare Briglio, went to Uganda, Africa to help volunteer at an orphanage. She spent 10 days in Uganda, helping the children at an orphanage in the city of Jinja and the surrounding areas. Here is part of her story.

Traveling to Uganda was an amazing experience. I had never seen such poverty and it was quite overwhelming. I was amazed with the beauty of the people. They were incredibly warm and very friendly to Americans. They knew we were there to help, but their sincerity was truly genuine. Aside from the obvious lessons of feeling like we have so much in America and we have so much to be grateful for, I learned what a large difference we can make when we contribute what we have to others.

The countries in Africa need more than just food and clothing and shelter. These countries need infrastructure, stable governments, clean water, school systems, paved roads and a lot more. We have the ability, not as Americans, but as human beings to make a large impact in the world. Whether it is in Africa, India or locally, there are people that need our help. Remind yourself of what you are passionate about or discover what you are passionate about! This is one of the keys that will unlock ways that you can impact not just cities but also nations. We are called to do great things. It is through understanding what is inside of each of us, the gifts we have been given and the strengths that we have, that we can really make an impact on the world.

Maybe you love to encourage others or teaching or administration. Maybe you enjoy giving gifts to others, preparing food or creating art. There are ways that you can use your gifts to effect change. That is what we were born to do and that is where you will find true fulfillment.

Africa changed my life because I let myself give what is inside me. It changed my perspective on so many things and I now have a clearer understanding of what I want to do with my life. I will be forever grateful to the people that I met over there and the lessons that have changed my life. 

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about bringing justice to the poor and oppressed. I am also passionate about beauty and creating beautiful environments wherever I go. I want to encourage others to pursue their dreams and discover what makes them unique. When I counsel others on their life goals and encourage them in the direction they want to go it is the best experience! It is exciting to see the outcome but also to enjoy watching them on their journey.

My greatest passion is Administration. I love to direct and lead projects and people. I find my greatest fulfillment in these activities because that is where my strength lies. It makes work fun!

What are your hobbies?

I love to travel, spend time with family, wine tasting, volunteering at a local non-profit counseling center , interpreting dreams and walking with my husband and dog. I also LOVE watching old British mystery movies that I am sure no one has ever heard of, riding horses, running and playing the piano.