Meet Jake Pollifrone

posted On Friday, March 6, 2026 in Blog

Q&As with Jake Pollifrone

Jake, you’ve been employed at AHT since December 2014. Tell us about your career path and what keeps you here.

I learned about AHT through a good friend of mine who was working here, and I applied for the production support position in 2014. I spent X years in that role learning about through hardening, tempering, carburizing, carbonitriding, etc. In 2023, I was promoted to production lead and then in 2025, I was promoted again to production supervisor. What's kept me here is the great atmosphere, and the PTO plan offered to employees is among the best I’ve ever heard of.

What does a typical day look like for you as 3rd Shift Production Supervisor in Waterloo, Iowa?

A typical day for me would be hosting a lean meeting and working with everyone on the shop floor as well as giving a helping hand when needed to the furnace operators. No two nights are ever exactly the same, which keeps things interesting.

AHT values family. Tell us about your family.

My wife and I will be celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary this year. We have one son who will be nine years old in March. We look forward to our family vacation at the lake every summer and enjoy being together.

AHT has a lot of different employee events. Tell us which event(s) are your favorite and why?

The top two, I would say, are going out to breakfast with the team for Employee Appreciation Week (pictured) and the annual tailgating grill-out & cornhole tournament. Not only is there good food involved at each event, but there is also great company to enjoy as well. It’s nice getting to visit with everyone at these events and connect outside of the normal work setting.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work?

Video games in the winter, for the most part. In the spring and summer, I enjoy spending time outdoors going disc golfing, golfing, or going fishing with my son.

What is one thing people may not know about you?

I am ambidextrous to a degree. I write left-handed but play most sports right-handed. Disc golf and bowling are the only two sports I can use both hands to play.

What is one thing people may not know about Advanced Heat Treat Corp.?

AHT invests a lot into training their new leaders by enrolling them in a LEAD certificate program, Leader Valley courses (pictured), or other professional workshops to provide them with the skills needed to lead a team effectively. Not only do the trainings help with productivity, but they also continue to assist in building our culture here.

One of AHT’s core values is passion. What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about cooking and barbecuing for my family and friends.

If a customer were to visit our Burton Ave facility… what are some unique aspects compared to the other facilities?

Apart from operating three shifts here, we also focus on more conventional heat treating methods. The Burton Ave. location in Waterloo, Iowa, is the only AHT facility that has a sole focus on the conventional heat treating methods.

Learn more about our conventional services here

Now, a series of quick random questions:

First Job: Detasseling
Favorite Food: BBQ or Italian
Least Favorite Food: Seafood
Best Concert: 2012 South By So What (music festival in Texas)
Something on Your Bucket List: Go to a Michelin Star restaurant

Have a Question for Jake? Contact Him at 319-232-5221 or Fill Out Our Contact Form.

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