Juan Ceballos is a dedicated Anaheim employee who has been with the company for over 15 years and works in the Environmental, Health and Safety Department (EHS). Juan started off as a Blender, and later gained interest in company safety rules and regulations. Juan decided to pursue a degree in the field and worked hard to accomplish his goal. As part of our July monthly employee feature, we wanted to share Juan’s story with his co-workers and friends.

Juan was born in Orange, California in 1985. He has two older sisters and a younger sister. He was raised in Anaheim, California and spent all his childhood in the area. His family later moved to Riverside, California where Juan went to high school. Juan graduated from Ramona High School in 2002. After high school, Juan went straight into the workforce. He started working for Walmart and was there for a few years. Juan’s father and sister had a long work commute, and it became difficult for the family so the family decided to move back to Anaheim in order to be closer to work. By 2006, Juan got his first production job at Firmenich, where he worked the graveyard shift. Firmenich produced encapsulated flavors for Coke, Pepsi, Kraft, and other companies. A year later, Juan decided to look for another job because he didn’t want to work nights. Juan started researching local companies in the food and beverage industry.

Juan heard about Nor-Cal Beverage from some of his coworkers. He found out it was located down the street from where he worked. In 2007, Juan decided to apply for a swing shift Blender position and was hired full time. Juan loved what he did at Nor-Cal and became involved in special projects. Juan was part of the Safety Committee and helped in other areas of the facility when they were short-staffed. “Being part of the Safety Committee made me realize my interest in EHS and seeking a career in the field.”, he said. In 2013, Juan decided to go back to school and attended Fullerton College. Juan worked full-time and was a full-time student. Juan said it was a difficult time for him because he was always busy with work and schoolwork. Juan managed to receive his Associate Degree in Health Sciences three and a half years later. By 2017, Juan transferred to California State University, Fullerton and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences with a concentration in EHS. “I was blessed because I received grants and the Nor-Cal Beverage Scholarship. I didn’t have to worry about getting any loans,” he said.

Upon graduating, there was an open position at Nor-Cal for an EHS Coordinator. Juan was interviewed for the position but was turned down because he lacked experience in the field. Juan decided to find another job and left Nor-Cal Beverage in February 2021. Juan started applying elsewhere and got a job at AMVAC Chemical Corporation in the City of Commerce, CA. He worked as a Safety Technician and did inspections, employee orientation, and other tasks. Juan was with the company for a year until the EHS Coordinator position opened again at Nor-Cal. Juan felt like he was more capable this time around because he had some experience under his belt. He was interviewed for the position and got the job.

Juan mentioned he decided to come back to Nor-Cal because he felt comfortable while working for the company. Juan said management was always supportive when he worked as a Blender, and he liked the people he worked with. “I felt comfortable and felt like I had support at Nor-Cal,” he said. Juan said he got along with everyone and liked working for the company, which motivated him to come back. Juan said he enjoys working in his department because they are always busy. “In EHS, there is always something to do here,” he said. Juan also mentioned that it keeps him occupied, and his day goes by fast. “If I am not on the floor, I am filing documents or making sure training is up to date, there is always something to do,” he said.  

Besides working hard and being dedicated to his job, Juan has many interests. He likes to participate in numerous activities in his free time including watching movies, travelling, going to concerts, and watching sports. “I am a huge baseball fan; I love the Dodgers,” he said. When he is not learning or doing anything safety related, he is watching baseball.

Nor-Cal Beverage is fortunate to have inspiring and hardworking employees like Juan Ceballos. They support their team and are proud of what they do. Thank you, Juan, for your continued support and dedication to the company.