Savannah native and Eagle alumnus John Brassard (‘23) spent his formative years in the same community he now serves through his work at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), where he uses his passion to improve the work environment for the company as a whole.
Brassard didn’t discover his passion for data until he was well into his economics degree at Georgia Southern University. He credits Omid Ardakani, Ph.D., associate professor of economics in the Parker College of Business, with introducing him to the work that became his career.
“Dr. Ardakani built up this idea of how data is not just data,” Brassard said. ”Data tells a story, and that story is what matters. I like seeing the stories that come from data. The degree I have from Georgia Southern prepared me for my current role, but beyond that, it taught me how to transform data into stories that answer big questions.”
In his position as an employee relations specialist, Brassard manages a feedback system that allows employees, known as Meta Pros, to share preferences and concerns. He then uses that data to provide recommendations to leadership. Team Spirit Day was a tangible representation of the impact data and Brassard’s work could have on workplace culture.
“It’s pretty cool to see how something so simple can be so impactful for a team,” Brassard said. “At the time, you could walk through the production shops and you’d see everyone in their jerseys. Since then, people from across departments have been asking if it’s something that we can do again, so it was a natural decision to redo that proposal and increase scale for our newer employees.”
Brassard learned the importance of teamwork through his time playing sports, including intramural sports at Georgia Southern.
“I played baseball, basketball and football in high school, so when I came to Georgia Southern and wasn’t playing anything, it was a big adjustment,” Brassard said. “Some friends encouraged me to join intramurals, and it brought me back to the feeling of having a team and having support.”
The support he received at Georgia Southern not only propelled him through his undergraduate degree, but also provided him the opportunity to secure a job before graduation.
“Hyundai was doing a job fair event on campus, and they were taking resumes during it,” Brassard said. “I got a call, did an interview, and with less than a month until graduation, they offered me a job. I started about a week after walking at commencement, and I’ve been here ever since.”
Brassard has seen incredible growth in his time at HMGMA. From the size of the team to the scale of events, he has had to remain flexible in his work and continue to adapt as news needs arise. He believes that openness and adaptability are the keys to success.
“Be open,” Brassard said. “I found my passion in data and reporting, but even a month before graduation, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it. Then I found my place. When you find what you enjoy, take it seriously and then make that your job. Because when you find that passion, you’ll always want to keep learning.”