Cassie Elliott is the Commercial Customer Service and Pre-Press Manager at Walsworth-Marceline. With a background in customer service and pre-press operations, she oversees customer account management, pre-production coordination and client onboarding. Her leadership focuses on team collaboration, problem-solving and maintaining high standards of quality and service. Cassie was recognized with the 2024 PIA Young Professional of the Year award for her contributions to the print industry.
Sure, so I’ve been with the company since January 2015. I started in customer service.
After college, I moved back home and was kind of in that phase where I didn’t really know what I wanted or career I wanted to pursue. I saw that Walsworth had a job opening in Commercial Customer Service. I’ve always had an outgoing personality and felt a customer-facing job would be right for me.
I’m thankful it’s turned into a great career.
I’m the Commercial Customer Service and Pre-Press Manager in Marceline.
Yes, I held part-time jobs throughout college, including working at a bank. But I basically started my professional career at Walsworth.
I started as a Planner in Commercial Customer Service. I planned jobs from start to finish through manufacturing. I eventually started getting my own customer accounts and worked my way up to a CSR role.
A few years after that, I got a promotion to Senior CSR. A few years later the Pre-press Supervisor position opened, and I wanted to advance my career, so I applied. I became the Pre-Press Supervisor in 2021 and was in that position for four years.
With Julie Huffmon’s retirement, I was promoted to my current role in December of 2024.
Julie was a great mentor. She helped me in so many ways. I mean, she had been my only boss from the start of my career, so it’s kind of weird not having her around anymore.
It was always nice throwing ideas over the wall to Julie, she would offer constructive feedback and encouragement. Julie always put me up to the challenge and supported me along the way. She had a positive impact on my career.
Not at all, I was an agriculture student in college. Growing up on a farm north of New Cambria (Missouri), I thought I would go that route. Printing or customer service never crossed my mind, but I really enjoy it.
Cassie and her husband Drew at a Chiefs football game
Not necessarily, but it does take someone with a positive mindset with good organizational skills, as well as being able to have conversations and communicate with others. Customer service can be unpredictable, having the ability to adapt to different situations and handle diverse personalities is important.
As the Pre-Press Supervisor, I missed all the customer interaction. I was more employee facing and had limited interaction with customers unless there were issues to be resolved. However, as a manager, I now have more opportunities to engage with our customers daily, assisting the CSRs. It has allowed me to reconnect with the customer-facing side of the business.
In my role, I frequently focus on identifying solutions for our customers and playing a key role in onboarding new customers, ensuring they feel welcomed and supported as they begin their journey with Walsworth.
I enjoy collaborating with the team and assisting our customers. Every day presents new challenges, which keeps the work dynamic and engaging. I feel receiving positive feedback from customers—whether it’s about how much they love their book or how appreciative they are of the customer service experience—it’s what I find so rewarding.
I never knew it took as many steps as it does to print a book. There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes that people don’t understand. It is exciting watching printed product get created from start to finish.
I grew up about 15 miles northeast of Marceline in a town called New Cambria.
Cassie with her husband Drew and two kids Aspen and Braxton
Yes, my husband Drew and I have two kids. A 7-year-old girl, Aspen, and a 9-year-old boy, Braxton. They both have birthdays coming up in April!
We spend a lot of spare time traveling to the kids sporting events. Braxton likes to play basketball, football, and golf. Aspen is still testing the waters on what she likes. If you asked her, she’d most likely tell you coloring is her extracurricular activity (laughs) and that she does not like sweating.
My husband also works with Walsworth. He is Pressroom/Cover Department Manager in Marceline.
We love to get out on the golf course. During the summer, you can usually find us pool side with the kids. We’re outside a lot. When I’m not here, you can usually catch me outside doing something.
We try to go on one vacation a year, but we don’t travel a whole lot. I’m kind of a mountains person and my husband’s more of an ocean person, so we try to alternate from year to year.
I love spending time at home, always having a DIY project that my husband tries not to have any part in (laughs).
Cassie and Drew’s kids at a Mizzou basketball game
I enjoy antique shopping and redoing furniture in my spare time.
(laughs) You know, I don’t do a whole lot of reading right now.
I enjoy watching the Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD series… but I don’t usually get a chance to watch my shows as sports channels take priority in our household.
Probably anything my husband cooks. (laughs)
He likes to grill, I would say he’s a BBQ connoisseur.
This is 90% Sugar… I don’t like black coffee.
Cassie and kids at a Chiefs football game
I was honored to be awarded the 2024 PIA Young Professional of the Year.
