Entrepreneurship gives Angelo an edge

Angelo Faenza left the locking industry to own and operate a country club and gained the skills he needed to take his career one step further when he returned.

When the opportunity arose for Angelo Faenza, Ang for short, who comes from a long line of family restaurateurs, to leave the locking industry in 1996 toown his own country club, he took it. And after more than a decade, Angelo came back to join ASSA ABLOY as manager of the then-start-up, PERSONA – a niche company that specializes in card access and related software  in the American and Canadian universities, part of the Electronic Door Security Sales Group (EDSSG).

“Running your own business gives you a whole different appreciation of profit and loss and how to treat your customers,” says Ang, who is the General Manager of PERSONA as well as the Director of Business Development for the university sector. “You learn how to make important business decisions; it was a remarkable experience that gave me the tools I needed to face any challenges ahead.”

And when Ang took on the role of General Manager, the challenges were plenty. He says: “I was supposed to take on a regional director role based on my past experience in the door and hardware side of the business with what was then Corbin Russwin and YSG. But PERSONA/EDSSG needed significant help. The idea was to have a person with more of a business background rather than a technical background to run the business, and that was why I was suggested as the right fit for the company.”

Today his role involves travelling throughout the US and Canada, working to develop PERSONA’s business and manage our  sales people, help build a new channel partners, work with OEM’s, visit with all the DSS offices, and help create demand  for our solutions,  to make sure what they are doing is aligned with ASSA ABLOY business strategy.

“I wake up in the morning and work as hard and smart as I can each day,” he says. “I truly believe you have to enjoy what you do to be successful. It is also very important to be challenged. As you master a skill, it is important to know that there is another opportunity ahead. ASSA ABLOY has given me these opportunities – there has never been a lack of challenges for me here.”

When Ang is not on the road working, he spends his time with his wife and daughter to find balance. He counts the stock market, world economies, world events, reading, as well as biking, hiking and traveling among his interests.