Yvonne Cangelosi joined SPEX Industries in 1987 in a sales and marketing role. By the time the company was acquired by Illinois-based Cole-Parmer in February 2020, Cangelosi had worked in the company’s stockroom, shipping and production operations, been named executive vice president and ultimately president of the Metuchen-based chemical manufacturer.

“It has been an amazing, amazing journey,” Cangelosi said as she reflected on her career.

When SPEX first hired her, Cangelosi, who has a background in business and sales, didn’t know what to expect. She was given a position in the chemicals department (though she did not have a background in chemistry) as a sales and marketing representative. The job was a good one, but she would later take a job elsewhere looking for new challenges.

In 1997, SPEX came to her offering Cangelosi a new role. “(They) wrote the offer on a sticky note,” Cangelosi recalled fondly of the unconventional offer letter. She still has the sticky note.

As she took on ever increasing responsibility at SPEX, Cangelosi enjoyed working with her team and helping those around her grow. “I’m big on culture. I’m big on leadership, understanding everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and how you develop a great team.”

She also joined the Monmouth County chapter of the Women President’s Organization (WPO), a group focused on supporting women in business.

“I was in a very male-dominated space. Thankfully the four men I worked with trusted me and gave me a chance,” she said of the SPEX leadership.

That combination of trust from her team and the support of groups like the WPO helped Cangelosi forge her path in business and helped her learn some lessons along the way. “I didn’t ask for more early in my career,” she said of changing she might do differently today. “Sometimes you have to ask.”

After SPEX was acquired by the company now called Antylia Scientific, Cangelosi was given a new role as vice president of SPEX life sciences division.

“It is a good company and I continue to learn from them,” she said.

Cangelosi crossed paths with the New Jersey Business Action Center team as SPEX looked to grow its exporting opportunities. With the help of the New Jersey State Trade Expansion Program grants, SPEX developed relationships with customers across the globe including in Dubai, China and Brazil.

Like SPEX, Cangelosi has evolved in her career and she encourages other women in business to do the same.

“Don’t ever give up,” she said as she urged women to take advantage of all the resources available to them. “Don’t ever give up.”