Join us in welcoming Anthony Anzalone to the team for the summer as our Environmental Technician Intern. We are excited to have him on the team.
We asked Anthony a couple of questions to get to know him better.
What led you to Encorus?
I found that there were several factors that led me to Encorus, but one that particularly stood out to me was the evident commitment and care Encorus shows for its employees. Something that felt really important to me during my job search was finding a working environment that allows for growth and development, which is a value I feel Encorus heavily prioritizes. One of the questions I asked during my interview was “What do you like about working here?” and I feel that the response I was given showed me exactly the type of company I wanted to work for.
What are you most excited about as you start in your new position?
I’m really excited about getting the chance to do work on-site! I am a very hands-on person as well as learner, and being able to actually go out to a work site and represent Encorus is something I’m very enthusiastic about.
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I switched between a lot of job ideas growing up. I don’t think I ever settled on one thing, but there were times when I wanted to be an architect, a fireman, or, when I was really young, I wanted to be a comedian (but I would always pronounce it “Canadian”).
What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?
Whenever I get the chance, I love to spend my days off hiking, camping, or taking photos. I’ve been doing nature photography since I was a kid, and I never really stopped. I think that having done that since childhood fostered a big love for nature within me, which is probably why I still enjoy doing things like hiking or camping so much to this day.
Do you have any pets?
I have one pet, which is a rabbit I named Oreo. I’ve had him for about eight years now, which means he’s getting pretty old. Even though he is old, he doesn’t act like it, and he’ll run and play as if he were still only a baby.
What is one thing you want people to know about you?
I am always up for an adventure! I say yes to almost any opportunity because I love to do new things. Saying yes has allowed me to have some pretty cool experiences, like skydiving three days after my 18th birthday or last-minute hiking a mountain in the winter. I am always ready to go do something.
What is your favorite book or movie?
My favorite book would probably be Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.
What was your favorite thing to do as a kid?
I was born and raised in Buffalo, so as a kid, I was no stranger to snow and snow days. Some of my favorite things to do as a kid would be when school was cancelled, go over to my friend’s houses, make snow forts, and have snowball fights. It really didn’t take much to keep me entertained at all, but I remember snow days were some of the most fun.
Who was your favorite teacher in high school, and why?
I had one teacher, Mrs. Donovan, who taught earth science. I not only really enjoyed her class because I found it interesting, but she also always went out of her way to ensure no students fell behind or struggled with the material. She genuinely cared about how the students were doing, not just academically but also personally. She made sure to check in on students and I really respected that she treated everyone as an individual rather than as a collective classroom or just a grade to give out.
If you could invite anyone who has ever existed to a dinner party, who would you invite?
I think that I would invite just some random family from thousands of years ago. We all know the famous, rich, powerful people throughout history, but not the ordinary people who just lived their lives like you and me. I’d like to sit, talk, and learn from them, and know their stories too.
If you had to choose one food to take to a deserted island, what would it be?
Probably chicken. There are so many different ways to prepare it that I don’t think I’d get sick of it. It’s also one of my go to’s for dinner already, so not too much would change on my end.
