Quality Products Laser Operator Earns High Achievement
Employees at Compass Precision operating companies have opportunities to shine immediately. Quality Products laser operator Alex Howell has proven that again.
Less than three months into his tenure, Compass Precision has named Alex its Employee of the Month for July 2025.
”Compass usually doesn’t consider employees with less than one year of service for its Employee of the Month award,” explained Quality Products VP & GM Dustin Jones. “But I convinced Gary [Holcomb, Compass CEO] that Alex deserved recognition right now. We are really happy with his performance.”
Alex is the 16th Quality Products employee to receive the Compass Employee of the Month honor and 64th employee overall since the start of the program in March 2020. Bruce Jones was the most recent recipient at Quality Products of the honor in December 2024.
Symbiotic relationships don’t typically form after just a few months. But that’s what Alex and Quality Products have essentially developed this year.
Prior to April 2025, Alex served as a laser operator at two other manufacturing companies in North Carolina. But he described his role at Quality Products as the first time he’s viewed his job as something more than just an opportunity to make money.
“In the past, I haven’t been invested in what I’ve done, as far as a career. At Quality Products, I feel engaged because I’m not just making something that’s never going to be seen again or it’s whatever,” Alex said. “I’m making something that if I mess this part up, if it doesn’t meet the parameters, that’s a big boo-boo.
“It’s very important. That makes it easier to get up in the morning, to know that what I do matters.”
Already a person with a strong work ethic, Quality Products is driving extra motivation in Alex. In turn, the operating company and its customers directly benefit.
Alex benefits on a daily basis too. He loves the operating company’s fast-paced environment, which he described as challenging but not too stressful.
He also really enjoys working for his bosses, Dustin Jones and Operations Manager Greg Donaldson.
In addition to operating a laser cutter, Alex helps his Quality Products co-workers wherever he can. That proactiveness is actually what led to his first opportunity on the laser cutter when he was working at Lukjan Metal Products.
“That’s where I took a chance. I was helping out, same as I do here. I try to help out wherever I am, and they said, ‘Hey, you want to try laser?’”
Alex was drawn to the opportunity because of the visual coolness of the machine. He saw the laser as a lightsaber shooting through metal.
But his job isn’t just cool now. Quality Products drives Alex to keep improving.
“I took a chance, and now I’m trying to make a career out of it.”
“We are thrilled with Alex,” said Bill Canning, Compass Vice President & COO. “He is headed toward a long and fulfilling career with Quality Products and Compass.”
Originally from Gastonia, NC, Alex said his wife, Cheyenne, also drives him to be the best version of himself. The couple, who have two daughters, Amelia (7) and Autumn (4), will celebrate their eight-year wedding anniversary this fall.
In his free time, Alex enjoys spending time with his family. They like outside activities on a local river and playing in parks.