During her 11 years at Gaggle, Director of Sales Operations Jennie Eft has found herself growing along with the company. In fact, Jennie has grown into each of her roles—all of which were new to the company—before they were even developed. Jennie first started as Gaggle's E-Rate Coordinator, then became a Sales Operations Manager and Sales Manager before settling into her current role, where she is responsible for Gaggle’s day-to-day sales operations as well as assisting both the Sales team and our partners with the sales process.
Start date: March 9, 2009
We asked Jennie five questions to get to know a little more about her and her time with Gaggle. Here’s what she had to say:
What are three words to describe Gaggle?
What drew you to Gaggle?
I had never heard of Gaggle until a close friend started working here—she talked about the great culture and important mission, which really drew me in. She recommended that I apply for an open position she thought would be a good fit for me. She was right!
What have you gained from working at Gaggle?
I have gained some life-long friendships from working at Gaggle. I don't think many people can say that they truly enjoy working with all of their co-workers, but I can! Working at Gaggle has also helped me grow professionally into several new positions within the organization.
What is your proudest moment at Gaggle?
My proudest moment was when I became the first recipient of the Gaggle Core Value Award, which is voted on each year by all of the employees. That really meant a lot to me!
What is your favorite memory at Gaggle?
I have so many fond memories from the past 11 years that it really is difficult to choose just one. Some of my best memories are from the Gaggle summer retreats, when the entire company gets together and we have a day of fun team-building activities. I enjoy getting to interact with people from other departments from all over the country. One year that stands out is when we had a carnival in our office parking lot. There were all kinds of fun activities like bull riding, and then we had a great 80s cover band playing for us that night. This year’s retreat has been canceled because of the pandemic, so I will miss seeing everybody this summer. I work with a really fun group of people and can’t wait until it’s safe to get together again!
Over a decade after she joined the Gaggle family, Jennie is glad she took the plunge and applied for the position her friend recommended. She’s proud of both her professional growth and the exceptional service Gaggle provides. “As Gaggle has helped me move myself forward professionally, the people here have also helped me stay with the organization rather than going elsewhere,” said Jennie. “I feel so fortunate to work for a company filled with amazing people and, on top of that, get to make a difference in the lives of millions of students across the country!”