ACADIA PARISH — Jesse Richard is the Marketing Manager at John Pac Manufacturing Company, a role that reflects both his passion for technology and his diverse career path. When asked if the marketing department at John Pac is where "the magic happens," Jesse enthusiastically responded, “It is! We got people all over in the facility doing all kinds of different things.”
As the Marketing Manager, he oversees a team that works collaboratively to promote the company’s manufacturing solutions. However, Richard's journey to this position was anything but conventional, Jesse’s passion for technology began at a young age.
Richard says being born in Jennings with limited resources, he found ways to explore the world through technology. “The thing about technology is it’s easily accessible now. When I was growing up, there wasn’t a lot of things to do out in the country, so having a laptop, having internet allowed me to learn so much,” Jesse explained. This early exposure to technology sparked a curiosity that would later steer his career, even as he faced challenges along the way.
By the time he reached high school, Richard had set his sights on becoming a programmer. He pursued a college education with the aim of deepening his technical knowledge. However, his time in college didn’t go as planned. “I went to college, I liked what I was doing, but I didn’t feel like I was gonna make it or continue. It just didn’t grab my interest like I was hoping, so I took ‘time off,’ and time off equated to never going back,” he recalled.
Although he left college, Richard never stopped developing his technical skills, continuing to study technology on his own as a hobby. Richard's career took an unexpected turn when an office assistant position opened up at John Pac. After gaining experience in a variety of roles, he applied for the position and soon found himself working within the company. “At some point after about a year of being here, the marketing position became available. So I applied for it, the interview went well, and everything aligned,” Richard said.
Richard acknowledges that his career wasn’t a straight line, but that the detours have enriched his experience. “In a roundabout way, it led me back to the same place I wanted to be, but it was just a little bit longer path,” he said. Despite the unexpected twists and turns, he believes that every experience has contributed to his success.
Richard believes that success often requires time and persistence, especially when it feels like progress has stalled. “If you’re in a situation in your personal life or your work life where you feel like it’s not happening, and you can’t get to the next level, you just gotta keep showing up and be positive, and eventually something will shake,” he shared.
