Alumni Spotlight – Eric Paules ‘89

For Eric Paules, high school is all about finding out what you want to do, and he’s passionate on the subject. “Test yourself. Explore your options. Try everything,” he says. “Discover what gets you excited so that when you wake up in the morning, you have something to look forward to.”

As a student, Eric followed his own advice and tried a little of everything. He was member of Class Council, active in the choral program, and an intra-mural tennis player. As a vocal performer, he participated in chorus and several ensemble groups. He also took on some roles in the English department plays and when the school revived the spring musical tradition in 1985, he decided to give it a try. He remembers roles in Cinderella, Oliver, and The Wizard of Oz, but it was work backstage that he enjoyed the most. He became intrigued with imagining and creating theatrical sets.

In the classroom, Eric also tried a little of everything, enrolling in honors and advanced placement classes wherever he could. He was a consistent honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society, earning an academic letter. He developed a special interest in computers and applying his imagination to the things they could do. He gives teacher Darryl Engler credit for encouraging his interest. “Without a doubt, Mr. Engler was the major influence in my career choice,” Eric remembers. “He was always challenging us and was an inspiration.”

After his SHS graduation in 1989, Eric attended Elizabethtown College, majoring first in Business and then in Business Information Systems. He renewed his interest in performing and became active in E-town’s choral program. He worked for the admissions department during the summers and at the college snack bar, where he eventually became a student manager. He was also a resident advisor.

After his college graduation in 1993, he was torn as to a career choice. He felt a pull toward the family business, Crescent Industries, a plastics firm in New Freedom. His grandfather had founded the business after WWII, and his father was the president. It was home and it was comfortable, so he gave it a try.

But again, Eric wanted to test himself and after five years moved to the Erie area to work for the Osram Sylvania Cor-poration. “You never know your capabilities until you try something,” he says. He was then swept up in the “dot.com” boom and began designing software for silicon chip fabricators. In 2001 he moved to Hershey to work for a government consulting firm.

By then Eric was married with a young family. The family business needed a technology upgrade to remain competitive in in the medical device market where it had established a niche. He came home in 2003.

As Vice-President of Operations, Eric was a major factor in making Crescent a full-service, employee owned, single-source provider, an exception in the industry.

He became active in community affairs, serving as Vice President of the New Freedom Borough Council and on the board of directors for River Valley Ranch and several other non-profit and industry groups.

He has a special excitement for his service as the technical director in the Susquehannock Theatre program, an avocation rekindled by his son’s participation in the school musical a few years back.

Eric and his wife Karen have three children attending Southern schools – Ethan, Brendan, and Lauren. Ethan, who graduates in 2015, will be a third-generation alum.

Thanks to Eric Paules Class of 1989 for making us Warrior Proud!