My Quest Story – Martha Baer

I have been with Quest Diagnostics since 1993, celebrating my 31 years with the company this past July. My entire career has been in Logistics. I began my career as a courier, working for what then was Nichols Institute. For the next several years, we experienced transitions to Corning Clinical Laboratories and ultimately to Quest Diagnostics.

The big change came when Quest Diagnostics bought Smith Kline Beecham Clinical Laboratories. We went from working out of a space about the size of a four-car garage to the much larger lab in Kansas City, MO. This acquisition allowed many opportunities for upward growth. My position changed from courier to stock clerk in their huge warehouse. I quickly moved up to become the Group Lead, working for Ken Johnson. My period of upward mobility with Quest Diagnostics had taken off.                 

After years of both personal and professional growth, Quest Diagnostics acquired LabOne clinical reference laboratories, which was in Lenexa, KS. The first few years in Lenexa were some of the most challenging and rewarding in my career. I had a great deal of responsibility before, during, and after our entire staff moved there. I became the route administrator for the region, logistics supervisor over Joplin and Springfield, MO, and ultimately transitioned to my current title of Network Planner and Route Optimization Specialist for the Greater Midwest Region.

My time with Quest Diagnostics has been quite remarkable. I have met people from all levels of society, traveled places I thought I would never see, made many close friendships, and learned so much about leadership, collaboration, and teamwork. I have enjoyed some of the best years of my life working for Quest Diagnostics. I would not change these past 31 years with the company for anything.