Lancaster Laboratories Environmental

Environmental NEWS - Spring 2010

People are the Chemistry

At Lancaster Laboratories, we believe that our people provide our strength. Their dedication to quality, professional competence and hard work is the key element in the company’s success. In this regular feature, we introduce you to some of the people who have helped make Lancaster Labs an industry leader.

With four out of eight siblings with computer science degrees, it’s no wonder Holly Trego adeptly manages Lancaster Labs’ Environmental Applications Development Department. As a kid, Holly used to tag along with her sister to Millersville University, where her sister was pursuing her computer science degree. Appreciating Holly’s interest in computers, the professors would allow her in to the labs, helping to foster her love of the science. Yet it was her talent that landed Holly an internship with Lancaster Labs and a full-time position in 1996. Since then she’s earned a master’s degree in computer science from Pennsylvania State University.

For clients, Holly and her team manage data from the moment it comes off the instrument, through LIMS, to customizing data packages to the final reporting system, all tailored to client requirements.

Holly, Terry and Teresa Trego

What does your current job entail?

I am the manager of the Environmental Applications Development Department and work with the developers to prioritize the various projects that are requested. We track the requested changes and prioritize them with the input from management staff throughout the company. I started with Lancaster Laboratories as a developer myself so I also help support several areas of the company with changes to the systems.

What is the scope of your department?

Environmental Applications Development consists of six developers who constantly update and improve our LIMS and supporting computer systems. With a total of 78 years of experience in our team at Lancaster Laboratories, we have a group that understands the Environmental departments very well. Our team has integrated just about all of the instruments directly into our LIMS system and allows data to flow from the instrument through to the process of verification and reporting. We also provide support for various areas such as Transportation, Bottles, Sample Login, Scheduling, Billing and Reporting, Electronic Data Deliverables and Data Packages to name a few. Our team has a significant impact on every area of the company and works to support the wide range of employees that use our systems.

How would you characterize your leadership style?

The staff that I manage has a wide range of experience, and I enjoy working in a collaborative manner with them. They often have important insight into how to best improve a process and work hard to understand the requirements of our clients (both internal and external). I enjoy meeting and discussing approaches that could be taken so that we can come up with solutions to the problems that are efficient and effective. I enjoy understanding the systems and how all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together so that I can point people in the right direction when changes need to be made.

And when you’re not working?

I am spending time with my husband, Terry, my daughter, Teresa, and our Brittany Spaniel, Julie. We enjoy spending time with family, friends and neighbors and like to be on the go. We enjoy traveling and are always planning our next big trip. This summer we are taking Teresa to Disney World and are planning a trip to the French Riviera. We recently took a trip to Northern France and had a great time in Paris, Normandy, Mt. Saint Michele and Reims. We have traveled to Italy, Germany, Austria and France. We would love to visit Ireland, Spain and England as well. We are also expecting a baby in September and look forward to the hectic lifestyle that will bring to our growing family.