Ariele Fowler ’11 fell in love with Castine early on. Growing up in Oakland, Maine, Fowler spent summers at her family\u2019s camp in Penobscot. \u201cComing into town was a big deal and seeing the campus made a huge impression on me,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen the time came to apply to college, MMA just made sense. I applied early decision and didn\u2019t look anywhere else. I was pretty set on what I wanted to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her determination paid off.<\/p>\n
Fowler was accepted into the Ocean Studies department and excelled in the school\u2019s unique, hands-on environment. In 2011, she graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Marine Biology. With her degree in hand, Fowler quickly set her sights on a new goal. However, rather than pursuing a traditional science career path, Fowler decided to remain on campus to earn an M.S. in International Logistics Management.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe transition between the two was surprisingly easy,\u201d she remembers. \u201cThe thought processes involved in logistics and science are very similar. I learned how to think in my undergraduate program and then applied those logic skills to real-life situations during the graduate program.\u201d<\/p>\n
After graduating in 2012, Fowler joined the team at Combustion Components Associates, Inc., an environmental engineering company in Connecticut. \u201cWorking in a small, family-run company gave me the chance to gain experience at every level, dealing with inventory systems and shipping product,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome days I was shipping out tiny packages of replacement parts and some days I was negotiating giant duct systems through multiple states. It really gave me a nitty-gritty understanding of what I had learned in class.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many nuances to freight management,\u201d she says. \u201cYou really have to do the work in order to understand and improve the systems.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fowler has capitalized on that understanding and in 2016, transitioned into a new role at WIN Business Services, where she now serves as a Product Manager. \u201cWhen people come to me with a problem, I can help them solve it because I have had that problem before,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
\u201cWIN is a very collaborative work environment,\u201d Fowler says, noting her perspective is enhanced by what her colleagues can contribute. \u201cWe\u2019ve been able to leverage years of experience across the industry and because of that, we\u2019ve been able to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
WIN recently transitioned to a for-purchase software model, using cutting-edge technology to connect shippers and carriers. \u201cThe difference with our technology is that we\u2019re not a broker at all. We don\u2019t get involved with who is chosen as a carrier, we just want to make sure that our clients have options.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fowler credits her education at MMA with giving her a wide-ranging perspective and a depth of knowledge that she draws on every day. \u201cMy experiences allow me to think in broad terms about a variety of different business scenarios,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
In the coming months, Fowler and her team will continue to build out their product and expand their market footprint. As the company grows, Fowler continues to grow with it. \u201cI like to be in environments where I am always learning,\u201d she says. \u201cIt has been exciting to watch the company evolve and to have a hand in it.\u201d\u2588<\/span><\/p>\n \u2014By Emily Baer<\/em><\/p>\n Photo: courtesy of Ariele Fowler<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ariele Fowler ’11 fell in love with Castine early on. Growing up in Oakland, Maine, Fowler spent summers at her family\u2019s camp in Penobscot. \u201cComing into town was a big deal and seeing the campus made a huge impression on me,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen the time came to apply to college, MMA just made sense. I applied early decision and didn\u2019t look anywhere else. I was pretty set on what I wanted to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Her determination paid off.<\/p>\n Fowler was accepted into the Ocean Studies department and excelled in the school\u2019s unique, hands-on environment. In 2011, she graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Marine Biology. With her degree in hand, Fowler quickly set her sights on a new goal. However, rather than pursuing a traditional science career path, Fowler decided to remain on campus to earn an M.S. in International Logistics Management.<\/p>\n \u201cThe transition between the two was surprisingly easy,\u201d she remembers. \u201cThe thought processes involved in logistics and science are very similar. I learned how to think in my undergraduate program and then applied those logic skills to real-life situations during the graduate program.\u201d<\/p>\n After graduating in 2012, Fowler joined the team at Combustion Components Associates, Inc., an environmental engineering company in Connecticut. \u201cWorking in a small, family-run company gave me the chance to gain experience at every level, dealing with inventory systems and shipping product,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cSome days I was shipping out tiny packages of replacement parts and some days I was negotiating giant duct systems through multiple states. It really gave me a nitty-gritty understanding of what I had learned in class.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere are so many nuances to freight management,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n