The Inspirational & Supportive Leader | Nancy Fateen | Seizmic, Inc.

Adaptability is one of Nancy Fateen’s greatest strengths. Managing Seizmic with such a wide breadth of services, Nancy wears many different hats and can pivot at a moment’s notice to handle all matters with confidence and grace. She is solution-driven at her core and can always be counted on to find a fair and straightforward resolution. This emphasis on resourcefulness ensures the organization stays progressive and enterprising. “Focus on personal growth and self-awareness contribute to Nancy’s strong leadership abilities. These qualities make Nancy well-suited to identify leaders within the Seizmic family and inspire professional improvement,” says Sarah Gann, Continuous Improvement Coordinator, Seizmic, Inc.
Nancy’s father, Sal Fateen, started Seizmic in 1985. Even as a small child, she came into the office and walked around like she was the boss. “I have always been incredibly proud of my dad and the company he built. When I was younger, I never thought I would have what it takes to fill his shoes, but with his guidance and support I feel that I am well on my way to maintaining the Seizmic legacy,” says Nancy. “I have worked at Seizmic since I was 17 years old. I have held positions in several departments, learning as much as I could along the way, until stepping into the role of President in January 2023.”
But leadership did not come easy to Nancy as she used to think she needed to embrace masculinity to make her way in this male-dominated industry. It wasn’t until she started attending women’s retreats in 2018 that she realized the last thing a male-dominated industry needs is more masculine energy. “Attending Bliss Camp Retreats has taught me to embrace my femininity and view it as a strength rather than a weakness. Through self-reflection, self-awareness, and a desire to be a better, more inspirational leader, I have learned that strength and softness are not mutually exclusive,” she explains. “As a result, my tone has softened, I practice active listening, I stop what I am doing when someone walks into my office and offer them my undivided attention, I try to be encouraging and supportive, and I am thoughtful in my responses and feedback.”

Inspiration & Goals

Nancy’s father has been her greatest inspiration. He has been her mentor and guru, the person who taught her everything she knows about work and life. “I have the letters WWSD tattooed on the inside of my right wrist in his handwriting. It stands for What Would Sal Do? Even when I choose to do things my way, I rarely make a decision without first asking myself what he would do,” says Nancy. “He has taught me to be firm but not hard, to be unyielding in the effort to be better today than I was yesterday, to always know why I am doing something (the worst answer you could give him when he asks why you did something is “I don’t know”). He has unwavering honor and integrity and takes pride in everything he does. He is respected by all and gives that same respect back freely.”
For Nancy, her primary goal is to maintain her father’s legacy and create her own legacy in this organization and this industry. “I am a perpetual student, always eager to learn as much as I can about my industry, the challenges my departments face, and how we can always strive to be 1% better today than we were yesterday, both personally and professionally,” adds Nancy. With this determination, Nancy has been taking the company to new heights.

Building A Brand

Seizmic is the only engineering and consulting firm within the industry that has engineers licensed in 50 U.S. states. They provide analysis of equipment for most manufacturers, distributors, and users of material handling equipment across the country. Over the years, Seizmic has built an extensive network of expert resources to assist with handling every facet of the material handling process. These developments position Seizmic to supply the industry with the best service, products, and experience in material handling and warehousing.
“We pride ourselves on being an expert resource for our clients. If there is something you need done that we can’t/don’t do, we will refer you to someone in our network who can,” elucidates Nancy. “I think that by sub-dividing our services into four separate specialized entities (so far), we have managed to build expert teams that work interdependently with each of the other divisions, while remaining focused on mastering their own area of expertise. As for our biggest achievement, I would say surviving and thriving through economic downturns and pandemics while continually tracking growth and profitability and providing a career home for 60+ employees.”
To put things in perspective, Seizmic has a history of staying on the pulse of the material handling industry and evolving to serve its needs. Seizmic Engineering was incorporated in 1985; Structural Support Systems, its fabrication division, in 1995; Submittal Services, its permitting division, in 2005; and SMHE, the testing lab, in 2015. With 2025 on the horizon, wheels are already in motion to ensure that they keep this momentum going and continue to provide a one-stop resource for clients.