Tenured Employee Spotlight: Gwenevere Otto

Years of Service: 18

Title: Quality Manager

If you’ve worked with Gwenevere Otto, you’ve probably seen a mix of two things: steady professionalism and genuine curiosity. Over 18 years at Rinchem, she’s built a career that’s moved across functions and challenged her in new ways…by choice.

What started as an accounting role grew into a career that’s spanned both finance and operations-focused leadership. Over the years, her roles have included:
Payroll Administrator → General Ledger Accountant → Accounting Supervisor → Order Fulfillment Manager → Customer Experience Manager → Quality Manager

That range gives her a unique lens into how the business works—connecting behind-the-scenes process, customer expectations, and operational execution.

When asked what she’s learned at Rinchem that she’ll carry with her, Gwenevere didn’t hesitate: growth happens when you willingly step outside what’s comfortable.

She describes it simply: the fastest way to develop is to take on challenges that feel like a stretch…especially the ones that force you to learn something new, build new relationships, and think differently than you did before. It’s a mindset that shows up in her career path and in the way she talks about her proudest moments.

Gwenevere has plenty of wins she could point to, but when she talks about what she’s most proud of, she goes straight to people. After eight years in accounting, she stepped into a new chapter in 2016: helping build and develop new teams, then transitioning them to another leader once they were set up for success.

For Gwenevere, the real reward has been seeing people from those teams grow into bigger roles, whether that’s within Rinchem or in opportunities beyond it. She’s proud of the talent in those groups, the commitment they bring, and the momentum they’ve created over time. She describes it as a genuine joy to have played a small part in others reaching new heights.

It never stays the same.

Ask Gwenevere what she enjoys most about Rinchem, and you’ll hear a theme that fits her entire story: change. She says no year at Rinchem has felt like the one before. Conditions shift, priorities evolve, and new opportunities to learn show up constantly. For her, that “ever-evolving nature” isn’t exhausting, it’s energizing. It’s part of what keeps the work interesting and what keeps her learning.

Q: What’s a hobby you’re passionate about?
A: Through-hiking. She’s done multiple long-distance hikes in the U.S. and abroad -including hiking across Ireland in nine days.

Q: What’s something most people don’t know you do?
A: Weaving. She studies traditional weaving techniques on a “walking loom” and also weaves on a floor loom in her home office.

Q: What are you listening to lately?
A: R.L. Burnside (especially “Someday Baby”) and the podcasts How Did This Get Made and Bananas.