Rachael Samalis Stands Tall at Clarios and in the Military

By Sue Mead

If you saw Rachael Samalis without her Clarios lab coat or military uniform, you’d likely never imagine the path this short‑statured 26‑year‑old woman has followed. At 17, she enlisted in the military and is currently serving as a logistics officer for the New Jersey National Guard. After studying supply chain management and earning her master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Rachael started her career at Clarios. Today, Rachael’s role is to ensure “that all our metals reach every Clarios plant in the U.S.” 

“There are bigger global groups that serve worldwide, but I focus on the U.S. and North America,” Rachael explained. “My priority is to make sure that metal of the highest quality makes it to the U.S. plants with punctuality and at the right time to ensure the most efficient production of our batteries.”

Experiencing KOH Through a Veteran’s Lens

When Dean Nemecek, Clarios’ talent acquisition program manager, military/veteran hiring and 26-year U.S. Army / Army National Guard veteran, invited Rachael to experience the famed King of the Hammers (KOH) with fellow Clarios veterans, Rachael jumped at the opportunity. 

Dean assembled a small group of Clarios veterans to take part in the very first Military Monday event at KOH. Clarios, the proud sponsor of Military Monday, invited 150 local service members to the inaugural event, which featured speeches, a military vehicle parade, and a flyover that capped off an induction ceremony for 25 new recruits.

“I think that really kicked off awareness of the veterans group we have at Clarios—something many people might not have known much about before,” Rachael said.

While Military Monday was a highlight, Rachael enjoyed getting to see racers throughout the desert harness the power and performance of Clarios products. “It took my appreciation of our batteries to a new level, knowing our products are trusted by this elite community just as much as they are by everyday drivers.”

Rachael also appreciated being able to share the experience with her fellow coworkers and veterans. “The teams I work with at Clarios and in the military are filled with integrity and drive. We’re proud of our work and service to people. For me to see the finished products in action, and talk with our customers at KOH, has been a great experience.”

Clarios’s OPTIMA brand has been onboard at KOH for a decade supporting this annual ritual and has been a sponsor for nine years, showcasing its high-performance batteries and the “athletes” that use them to win races. KOH is a captivating showcase of new and updated technologies that not only support racers but it’s also a test bed to improve durability, reliability and performance for products, like OPTIMA/Clarios batteries that also power everyday consumer vehicles, motorhomes, boats, and more.

*While Clarios has participated at the KOH by offering free electric vehicle charging and guided trail rides into the desert, this year a new Military Monday event provided an opportunity for the worldwide battery-maker to promote the company’s ethics and mission to esteem and work more closely with members of the military. 

“We sponsored Military Monday designed to highlight and honor our military," said Beth Powers, Clarios’s Human Resource Officer, who participated in the event.  A first for KOH, it took place on the 250th anniversary of the military and was “representative of the culture we have as a company and our ‘Win Together” campaign.”

“We hope Military Monday will now become one of several, as we have been making a real effort in the last couple of years to ensure that we have relationships with the military so they can find meaningful and good employment,” said Beth Powers, Clarios’s Human Resource Director. “We want to help ensure they’re not underemployed, which has been a classic problem for ex-military vets, because civilians often don’t understand their skills. We have really ramped up in the last couple of years because it’s important for us to find really good people —and the military have so many transferable skills. They are focused on safety and on process discipline.”

“They often have very technical skills because they have been trained as maintenance mechanics and in other technical areas, including computer and programming capabilities that fits well in an industrial environment like ours, where we’re manufacturing or designing batteries,” added Beth. “What’s also really important are the military values of loyalty, honor and commitment that fall in line with our values and principles…and to challenge the status quo and win together.”