Salvatore Calcaterra: from Superhero to administration wizard

Salvatore how long have you been working for Schiatti?

It’s almost 25 years…

Answers almost incredulous.

What’s your job?

Together with two other colleagues, I mainly deal with accounting and administration.

Furthermore, by myself, I manage the staff and take care of the company’s IT, but far from me to call myself “IT Manager”!

How’s your daily routine?

It’s plenty of common “office stuff”: invoices registration, book entries, tax compliances, archive, HR ecc. In addition I try to solve all dailies little tech issues like “the application is stuck, the printer doesn’t print or the telephone doesn’t phone…”

Did you always work in glass industry?

Speaking about work, I was born and raised at the Schiatti. Of Course, time, experience and new technologies gradually changed my routine. From growing up, I’ve expanded my knowledge a lot and even now I try to keep up with the tools to do the same things, but always better and with the most possible “user friendly” approach.

Tell us about the working episode which gave you more satisfaction.

It’s not a real goal or a credit received, but it’s a thing that I always focus on as “modus operandi”.

When I started working, in 1995, the typewriter was one of the main working equipment in any office and my senior colleague, which had been perfectly doing her job for 30 years with that, had a very strong aversion for personal computers and tend to use it as least as possible.

One day, I insisted in showing her the ease with which she could do the same things, but in a faster and more efficient way without mistakes or lacks. From that day the typewriter became an old ornament and her willing in learning something new every day was for me a great stimulus.

In short, this reminds me to not underestimate or reject a priori other people’s ideas without realizing its full potential!

What do you love more about your job?

I like to make ends meet and try to make everyone’s work less stressful.

Is there something you want to change instead?

Actually nothing. The accounting, fortunately and unfortunately leaves a little room for imagination.

There are precise rules to follow, fixed deadlines, codified methods… The Heaven!

Moreover Schiatti’s environment is in my opinion the best you can possibly find: there is no classic business classification with heads of office and responsible for all things, exasperating dress codes or strict directives to attend; we all have plenty of scope, of course, respecting the rules, colleagues, rights and duties of every workplace.

Well, you can say that you “feel at home”.

What if you you weren’t in accounting or “IT”?

When I was young I wanted to be a superhero… but absence of heat vision and flying abilities, would have forced me to withdraw with programming and new technologies.

And what about sports?

Despite the creaky phisical, the growing age and the outraged physiotherapist, I try to practice Crossfit as better as I possibly can. But I’m also very fond of american football.

What are your passions?

Everything that, unfortunately is considered “nerdy”: fantasy, rpg, star wars, binge-watching.

But also reading in every form: comics, manga, tv series, books, videogames and gadgets; counting light sabers, lego set and action figures, my home looks like a ‘90s memorabilia shop.

Last but not least, what are your priorities in life?

I answer with a quote from Bret “The Hitman” Hart (because in a good interview, you always need good a quote!):Try always to be the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be”!