From Mail Clerk to Senior Financial Analyst

We’ve all heard the story about the mail room clerk rising to become the chief executive of a big corporation. At Home Depot, it’s doable.

It’s not uncommon to find senior leaders who started as cashiers. Chris Rosson, now a senior financial analyst, began his career as a mail room clerk in 2000. The company values and takes care of its associates, and that has afforded Chris the opportunity to further his education at Chattahoochee Technical College.

In his second semester as an accounting major, Chris was nominated by his instructor, Nate Akins, to represent Georgia’s largest technical college, Chattahoochee Technical, for its Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL).

Out of the approximately 11,000 students at Chattahoochee Technical College, 33 were nominated for the award this year. As the winner, Rosson will go on to compete at the regional level for a chance to win the state competition and a prize package that includes a new car. GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s other technical colleges as well as the two Board of Regents colleges with technical education divisions.

Rosson delivered a speech titled “Benefits of a Technical Education,” followed by a question and answer session in front of a panel of judges both from the college and local community. Nominees and finalists were evaluated on their leadership abilities, academic achievement, knowledge of technical education and educational and career goals.

“He was very passionate about not just memorizing the material, but understanding it and how it applied to his job at the Home Depot,” Akins said. “It was also his demonstration of his determination to succeed in the class and help others succeed as well. He has made a relentless effort to take what he learns and immediately apply it to the workplace and build a better life for his family.”

Now at age 34, Rosson has plans to eventually pursue his bachelor’s degree and a master’s in accounting.

“Technical Education has been the bridge between my past and my future,” Rosson said in a speech.

Rosson has high hopes to win the state competition in the coming weeks.

He is a married father of two children and enjoys sports.

We’re cheering for you, Chris!