From Indonesia to Iowa to UPS

Up and Comers

by Mary Welch

May 1, 2008

Monika Nelwan just wanted an education. What she ended up with was a finance degree, a whole new life – and a strong case of culture shock. Nelwan was born in Indonesia, and her parents were both professionals.

They wanted her to have an education, and they looked to the United States for her college. And that is how Nelwan ended up in Iowa. “I went to Iowa State for a degree in finance,” she says. “ My goal was to go to the U.S. for college and then go home. That was my goal. I have to admit that going to Iowa was a huge change for me. I didn’t expect it. It was very different coming from Indonesia. There’s not a lot of Asians in Iowa. Definite culture shock.”

She graduated in 1998, but the Asian economy was on a downslide, so she decided to stay in Iowa and try to find a job. “I went to UPS, and they were very helpful in working with me so I could get a green card. It’s so involved – the paperwork, the cost – it’s not easy getting a green card, and the company really helped me in every aspect. I was very grateful.”

While working for UPS as a finance specialist in Des Moines, she earned her master’s in finance from Drake University and settled into her new life. After a couple of rotations within the company, she moved to Atlanta in 2006, accepting a position as finance manager in which she is responsible for analyzing small package operating costs and community financial results.

There isn’t as much culture shock here. “Atlanta is great, and there are opportunities for all sorts of people,” she says. “Atlanta is very much like UPS – diversity is welcomed and valued. That isn’t the case in other companies, smaller companies, from what I’ve heard from friends.”

Nelwan has become very involved in the National Association of Asian-American Professionals, a professional organization whose purpose is more business than social. The association works to promote career advancement and leadership development through networking, Asian multiculturalism, and support for diversity and community service. The Atlanta chapter was founded in 1997 and currently has a membership of more than 330.

“NAAAP is a training ground for a lot of young people, especially young people still in college or in their 20s or 30s who want to do more to further their involvement in the community and advance in their careers,” she says. “It’s definitely devoted to professional development, which is different than other culturally based groups. We meet and may have a speaker, like someone from Dale Carnegie. We have a subgroup called SWIM, Successful Women in Motion, that helps woman in their careers and deal with cultural issues. We have meetings to develop business and sales leads, and we’re very involved in the community.” Currently, she serves as NAAAP’s treasurer. She became involved with the organization through a co-worker at UPS. “I had just moved to Atlanta, and of course, coming from Iowa, I had never heard of NAAAP or even knew there would be groups for Asians. But I had met someone at UPS, a vice president of security, and he asked me if I’d like to join, and then I became very involved.”

And quickly. She went to work on the planning committee for the group’s 2007 national convention in Atlanta, which brought more than 1,000 members to town. “It was a lot of hard work for about a year,” she says, “but it was definitely worth it.”

Nelwan also is involved in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. A cousin was diagnosed in 2005 with leukemia, and Nelwan decided to participate in a marathon. “I never had been in one before; in fact, I’m not very good in sports, but I’m always up for a challenge. So I started training for it and finished a marathon and then kept coming back.” Currently, she is a coach-mentor for Team in Training and help others train for marathons.

“Part of succeeding in marathons is to be pretty focused. You have to be goal-orientated,” she says. “Another reason to do marathons is because of the people. It’s a lot of fun achieving a goal with
others. I can’t run by myself, but the joy is doing it with others. The organization helps a lot.”

As for the future, Nelwan sees herself continuing to help other young professionals in NAAAP as well as continuing her career at UPS. “One of my objectives is to take on more responsibility at work and also to make sure that I’m ready for any challenges that come my way. I’m open to rotation, and with that comes more opportunity.” For now, she’s committed to Atlanta, but “there’s always a possibility of even moving back to Asia with UPS. There is a regional office in Singapore. You never know. I just want to continue my career at UPS.”

That seems likely to happen. “Monika is a valuable member of the U.S. domestic finance team,” says Ray Howard, controller for the U.S. domestic team of UPS. “She is very skilled in utilizing technology to provide financial reporting and analysis for the U.S. domestic controller coordinator. Monika is an outstanding finance manager. Co-workers admire her professionalism, character and work ethic.”

To Nelwan, it comes down to a strong work ethic and caring about building a diverse community, both within her company and her community. “I am a person who is constantly looking for ways to help my community grow, and through NAAAP, I’m able to do that. I like the cultural opportunities I have in Atlanta and at UPS. I just want to give back. That’s who I am.”