Some people know from an early age what they want to be when they “grow up.”  For Greenville resident Kristie Esposito this was not the case.  Although quite scholarly by nature, when the time came to start thinking about college, she had no clue what course of study to follow.  She entered East Carolina University in the fall of 1991 and immediately took a liking to psychology and sociology courses.  It was the “people” aspect of the discipline that peaked Kristie’s interest.  “I have always been a very social person” said Kristie.  “Be it a social gathering, a community event or a fundraiser, I love being around people.”  Her contributions to the community over the years include involvement in Meals on Wheels, Red Cross Blood Drives, the Pitt County Junior Miss Scholarship Program and fundraising for various organizations such as the Children’s Hospital of Eastern North Carolina, Muscular Dystrophy Association, United Way and Alzheimer’s Association.

After graduating from ECU in the summer of 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Sociology, Kristie worked for 2 years in the administrative sector of the home health care industry.  While she enjoyed the line of work, the career path was limited.  Thus, Kristie began the job search again.  A career fair landed her at NACCO Materials Handling Group.  She began as an Executive Assistant and worked her way up to become the Marketing Programs Coordinator for the Hyster brand.

While working with Hyster, Kristie rediscovered something that she had not seen since her elementary school years - an Apple computer.  Her role at Hyster required that she become more “cross platform” savvy.  “I had an IBM machine and an iMac on my desk.  As I learned more about the Mac, the IBM machine began to accumulate dust and I knew I could never go back to a PC”, Kristie said.  A training need put her in touch with people in the Information Technology industry and a couple of months later, a new job opportunity was knocking on her door.  In 2001, Kristie left NMHG/Hyster to take a sales position with an Apple Specialist. 

What transpired over the next 8 years finally gave Kristie the clarity that she sought in regard to her vocational calling.  Progressing from a sales position into upper management, she finally felt “at home” with her profession.  Earlier this year, Kristie and business partner Tim Hassett decided to take an entrepreneurial opportunity by the reins and started Appogee.  Appogee is an Apple Specialist, providing Apple and related products & solutions to the enterprise.  When asked about personal career satisfaction, Kristie says:      
I feel very fortunate.  I work with some of the most incredible people and the technological aspect of the industry certainly gives me constant intellectual stimulation.   I am able to provide high quality products and services that I believe in to individuals and businesses, all the while making those people’s jobs and lives easier.
Technology has become incorporated into every aspect of our lives and with Apple, that integration is easy.  You get a product that has incredible performance, is easy to use, suits your needs and looks great.  In addition, Apple has the highest rated technical support in the industry.  How can you go wrong?  The Apple product line is extraordinary.  With each new product announcement, I become more of a fan.


For more information on Appogee, please call 877-APPOGEE (277-4633) or visit them on the web at http://www.appogee.com.