BURLINGTON, Ky. — The start of Branden Rowan and his team's day sounds something like "Good morning, how's everybody doing?"
Rowan has made history by being the first Black Amazon Air Network Control Center general manager.
Whether it's an air or ground package, Rowan's team tracks all the Amazon delivering hiccups — like weather or mechanical issues — and adjusts.
"Right now we're zoomed in on the US because that's where we have the most flights right now," Rowan shared. "We also monitor our air traffic in India, Europe and Canada as well, making sure we keep delivering for our customers."
He and his team have a lot of tools to help them monitor deliveries here in the US and worldwide. One big one is that the lighting in the entire space is blue.
"Because we're 24/7, one thing they did when they built this space is put in these dim blue lights in, which helps manage circadian rhythms and help reduce fatigue, especially when you're working those overnight shifts," Rowan said.
A big green light for Rowan has been the encouraged diversity in this place.
"I've been in companies where diversity has been a big topic but never it really felt like it got the traction," he expressed.
Rowan said being a man of color allows him to bring something unique to the table and create an atmosphere that encourages a wide range of perspectives.
"Different people are going to react to different situations or have a different perspective on a problem and I need to be able to encourage that because I'm going to get the best answer from my team," he shared.
Diversity, Rowen said, is the engine that keeps everything moving forward.
"Everyone has obstacles in their path or in their career," Rowan said. "I think for me the biggest thing just to remember is, remember what your North Star is."
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