May 14, 2023
Work Life
Celebrating Mother's Day
The story of how Nick Sanchez became a race car driver starts with his mom, Shanie Sanchez, and a Google search. From the time Nick was a small child, he wanted to drive anything with four wheels and an engine: the family's John Deere, ATV, golf cart, etc. So, as Nick tells it, Shanie got on Google and searched, “How to become a race car driver?” because that’s just who she is. If her son, or daughters, want to do something, Shainie is going to figure out a way.
When go-karting popped up among the search results, Shanie found Nick’s first local go-kart team. He was 12 years old.
The rest is history. Nick is now 21 years old and driving the No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet for Rev Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with hopes of one day driving for the top circuit.
When Nick won the pole to open the season at Daytona International Speedway, Shanie was right there on the grid jumping up and down and overjoyed to see her son perform at such an iconic venue.
“He is truly just an amazing person,” said Shanie. “He is the best son anyone can ask for and an amazing brother, grandson, and friend. He is one of those people that you want to be around. Never in my wildest dreams could I have ever imagined Nick racing in NASCAR’s National Series and only a step away from the highest level. Someone pinch me.”
Moments like those are a testament to the hard work Nick and Shanie have put into chasing this dream. When Shanie learned about Rev Racing six years ago, she arranged everything for Nick, down to making sure his application video was flawless.
“A lot of this is thanks to her and her drive and determination to keep finding opportunities for me,” said Nick. “She found ways to advance my career when I didn’t really know what my next step was.”
This Mother’s Day, Gainbridge and Group 1001 are proud to spotlight Shanie and moms of employees at Group 1001. Just like Shanie, Melissa Brodsky’s mom helped her find a profession she would love. Melissa is an Associate Director of Digital Copywriting at Group 1001. Her mom turned a hobby, antique collecting, into a successful business and urged Melissa in college while she was fumbling through major after major to find a hobby and make it something more. Melissa always loved to write and turned that into a career thanks to her mom.
“My mom was full of great advice,” said Melissa. “She would always tell me to ask, the worst thing that can happen is you’ll be told no. Those words have made me pretty fearless because I’m not afraid of a no. I learned to use my voice.”
Sianna Ramdial also has her mom to thank. Sianna is an Executive Program Manager at Group 1001 working very closely with the top executives at the company. Sianna watched her mom be a “relentless leader” growing up and that instilled the trait she needed to succeed.
“She dreams big, believes in herself, and never gives up,” explained Sianna about her mom. “Her hard work and faith have led her to overcome the impossible, and her compassion for others is unmatched. Like my mother, I strive to be a positive role model for my child so he can feel as confident and loved as I felt growing up!”
Moms are not only great at inspiring us to excel in our careers, but also have a knack for offering sound advice. Megan Weaver, an Associate Director of Agency Administration at Group 1001, learned sound financial advice from her mom, a now retired CPA and financial advisor, that she keeps close to this day.
“One of her favorite sayings has always been, the poor stay poor because they live like they are rich and the rich stay rich because they live like they are poor. Because of my mother’s incredible and loving influence, our entire family strives each and every day to live by her.”
Before every race, Shanie comes up to Nick and gives him four pieces of motherly advice.
Don’t wreck
Don’t go fast
Hope you do good
Hope you’re safe
But it’s the advice away from the track that has meant most to Nick and has fueled his success.
“She would always tell me to keep knocking on doors to find opportunities and luckily I got to watch her do that and just instill those same practices in me,” explained Nick. “She’s a go-getter and doesn’t wait for anyone to do anything and I think that approach in racing is very important.”
As a proud mom, there is always one thing Shanie does before every race: make sure her phone is charged so if Nick wins big and drives into victory lane, she can take lots of photos and videos.
And because of his mother, it won’t be long before Nick is in the winner’s circle in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Shanie is beaming with pride snapping away on her cell phone.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!
Feb 8, 2024
Work Life
Corporate
Celebrating Black History Month
Every February, the United States honors the contributions, sacrifices, and achievements of Black Americans who have helped shape the nation. We’ve asked several Group 1001 employees how they celebrate Black History Month and what it means to them.
Black History Month originally started as National Negro History Week in...
Dec 4, 2023
Community
Work Life
Group 1001 Employees Make a Difference: Celebrating International Volunteer Day
International Volunteer Day is Tuesday, December 5, celebrating solidarity through volunteering. The day focuses on driving positive change through volunteering. With an inspired focus on giving back, Group 1001 is always actively seeking to contribute to the communities in which we operate. Our priority is to have a p...
Nov 8, 2023
Work Life
Corporate
Celebrate National STEM Day with Group 1001 Employees
Today is National STEM Day celebrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics skills! At Group 1001, hundreds of our employees have STEM degrees that have led them to rewarding and important careers.
STEM Day was created because studies revealed that U.S. students were not keeping up with other countries in ...
Oct 2, 2023
Work Life
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Each year, we celebrate National Hispanic American Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. At Group 1001, we appreciate our diversity and strive t...
Sep 18, 2023
Work Life
Community
Sponsorship
Indy Women in Tech’s Jessica Maginn Awarded Fundraiser of the Year
Congratulations to Jessica Maginn, Marketing Communications Coordinator for Indy Women in Tech (IWiT), for being named Fundraiser of the Year by OneCause’s Raise Awards!
This award acknowledges “the rock stars among us, who aspire and inspire us each and every day. These individuals live out the organization’s mission, ...
Sep 14, 2023
Community
Work Life
Group 1001 Women Help Build Home for Family
Ten women from Group 1001 joined together for one goal: to help build the foundation for a deserving family’s home in Lebanon, Ind.
In August, Habitat for Humanity of Boone County visited the Zionsville office to speak about its mission and volunteer opportunities as part of the company’s 1001 Hours of Impact. Group 10...
Sep 13, 2023
Community
Work Life
1001 Hours of Impact Campaign Exceeds 1500 Volunteer Hours
On July 19 Group 1001 launched 1001 Hours of Impact to engage and unite employees in an ongoing corporate initiative through volunteering and impactful team events. In just six weeks, our employees went above and beyond to secure more than 1500 volunteer hours!
More than 215 employees in 11 different states volunteered...
Sep 7, 2023
Corporate
Sponsorship
Community
Work Life
Indy Women in Tech Summit Shares Strategies for Success
The Indy Women in Tech (IWiT) Summit took place Wednesday, August 30 in Indianapolis. Twenty-two employees from Group 1001 (including volunteers) attended the Summit, thanks to complimentary tickets from IWiT. More than 190 attendees in total enjoyed the session. The Summit was part of Rally, a three-day global innovat...
Aug 21, 2023
Work Life
Corporate
Community
Waltham Office Completes Successful Back-to-School Backpack Drive
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe, Former Pro Tennis Player
This quote describes the recent volunteer activity undertaken in Waltham as employees donated supplies, assembled and filled backpacks, loaded trucks, and delivered 255 fully-stocked backpacks to families in need with el...
Aug 21, 2023
Work Life
Community
Employees Are Making an Impact by Volunteering
Our employees are making an incredible impact in their communities through volunteering. Outside 1001 Hours of Impact, many have dedicated their time, energy, and passion to various causes close to their heart. Whether it was lending a helping hand at local shelters, participating in environmental clean-ups, or support...
Aug 17, 2023
Work Life
Sponsorship
Community
1001 Hours of Impact - Gleaners Food Bank Recap
Group 1001 employees have achieved 850+ hours across the company for 1001 Hours of Impact!
August 9 and 11, 100 employees joined over two days for a combined 284 hours to make a difference for food-insecure Hoosiers across 21 counties. We partnered with Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana for its drive-thru food distribution...
Aug 17, 2023
Work Life
Corporate
Group 1001’s Gu Xie Is Leading the Organization to Be Data Centric in Decision Making
Gu Xie, Head of Data Engineering for Group 1001, is already making huge waves as he approaches one year on the job, leading the transformation of the organization to become data-centric. Gu built an innovative platform from the ground up, focused on new capabilities and data to enable analytic outcomes and empower team...
Aug 2, 2023
Work Life
Group 1001 Employees Are Helping Their Communities
Our employees are making an incredible impact in their communities through volunteering. Outside 1001 Hours of Impact, many have dedicated their time, energy, and passion to various causes close to their heart. Whether it was lending a helping hand at local shelters, participating in environmental clean-ups, or support...
Jun 18, 2023
Work Life
Celebrating Father's Day
When Michael Nichols was a little kid growing up in Daytona Beach, Florida, the sport of NASCAR was something he picked up by osmosis. He didn’t just take in the sport because he lives 10 miles from Daytona International Speedway, he was consumed by it. So, like any father would, Mike Nichols leaned into his son’s pass...
May 30, 2023
Work Life
Brothers Serve in Army Reserves and Work Together at Group 1001
Military Appreciation Month
As we celebrate Military Appreciation Month, two brothers deserve recognition for serving the United States Army and Group 1001. Josh Satterfield, Senior Manager for Clear Spring Life & Annuity Company (CSLAC) and Delaware Life, and brother Isaac Satterfield, Team Lead for Delaware Life, ...
