Welcome to “Meet the Team,” Midland’s Lens on Who We Are Today
What emerged in the spring of 2020 and continues into 2021 is a new style of working that straddles the need to stay safe while allowing us to continue to do what we’ve done for the past 56 years.
It takes talented, dedicated people to do that — and we’d like you to meet them. They are the men and women who build and engineer your cabinetry, who walk you through the process and schedule appointments, who manage our accounting and sales departments, who install our products.
As part of our ongoing “Meet the Team” introductions, say hello today to Midland’s Controller, Vicky Sala.
How long have you worked at Midland?
19 Years
What inspired you to get into the woodworking profession? Where did you get your training?
I am an accountant and had just left a very large corporation. I didn’t choose to specifically enter the woodworking profession, but I was interested in working for a smaller, family-based business where I felt I could really make a difference.
What have you learned or done at Midland that was new or challenging?
Right after I started working at Midland, it was clear that we handled highly custom work. Each job is unique and each cabinet built in our shop is unique to the project. I was always proud and impressed that we turned out one-of-a-kind, high-quality work, and I used to tell everyone I knew, “Midland is so great, we can build round cabinets for a round room!” Well, one day a new project comes through the door and lo and behold they had a round foyer, and we were asked to build round cabinets!!! I was shocked and excited. I never doubted that we could do it but actually seeing it was spectacular.
Where are you from, originally? What do you like most about the SF Bay Area?
I am a Pacifica girl, and I am still a beach bum at heart! I still wonder how I ever dipped a toe in the water at Linda Mar Beach, but that’s where I grew up and that was definitely the thing to do. I graduated from Terra Nova High School when they still had open campus for lunch. The now world-famous Taco Bell on the beach was our only place to get a quick lunch back in high school. It was also our favorite hangout on late nights. And our Denny’s. Don’t get me started about Denny’s in Linda Mar Shopping Center.
If you have kids, what are some of the things you like to do together? Are there games or outings that you and your family enjoy?
We have two boys. Carmelo is 22 and Jeffrey is 19. We’ve always liked to take family vacations. We also have a family tradition of “blowing-up” the block on 4th of July. If you’re not at the Sala house on Independence Day, you’re missing out.
What’s your favorite movie? Or a favorite book or song?
My favorite movie is “While You Were Sleeping.” I love the cheesy, predictable romance movies with the happy endings. My favorite book is actually the “The Giving Tree.” I can’t pick just one favorite song, but I have picked out two songs that I hope to use for my mother–son dance at each of the boys’ weddings. For Carmelo, I chose “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts. For Jeffrey, I chose “Send ‘em On Down the Road” by Garth Brooks.
Where do you like to go on vacation, or where would you like to go on vacation someday? And why?
In keeping with my beach-bum roots, we love Hawaii. We have a timeshare on Oahu at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and we love to go there with the boys or friends and just hang out and relax. I would like to go to Italy, specifically the Amalfi Coast, and I want to see some US wonders like Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone. I’d also like to paddle down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.
What’s your favorite food? If you’re a cook, what’s your favorite dish?
My guilty pleasure is fried zucchini with a side of ranch. And if you ask my family, if I see it on a menu, I am ordering it, without question.
