Meet our veterans: Stephen Barclay
January 30, 2025 | Stephen Barclay
At Solventum, we proudly support our veteran and active duty military members who have selflessly served across all U.S. branches. Their unique experiences and rich variety of perspectives are instrumental in helping us solve complex healthcare challenges for our customers.
We invite you to join us in this blog series to get to know some of our Solventum employees who have military experience.
Name: Stephen Barclay
Solventum title/Role: Business director, analytics
Military branch: United States Marine Corps (USMC)
Rank: Corporal
Length of service: 3 years
1. Share your military background. What motivated you to join and why did you choose the Marines?
I was undecided on my education and career path after high school. Many of my family members had served in various branches of the service, so it seemed like a great place to start. I had always admired the USMC, and I was told at the time that it was difficult and most don’t make it. Ultimately, I wanted to prove to myself that I could make it through boot camp and become a Marine.
2. How has your experience shaped you?
For me, I was not as focused, motivated or driven before going into the USMC. What I learned is that you can do more than you think you can with an “adapt and overcome” mindset. I also tend to have a very short-term memory for things that are difficult (if you ask my wife).
3. What are some lessons or skills learned that you apply to your everyday life?
I learned to always see the positive in difficult situations and how to navigate complex projects by breaking them down into smaller tasks versus getting overwhelmed. I also learned the value of challenging myself and expanding my knowledge into areas I’m not familiar with.
At Solventum, my experience in the military has shaped my overall mindset and approach to navigating each day, different projects and team collaboration. A recent project leveraged all the skills I’ve gained in the military and working at Solventum the last 20+ years, plus more. I jokingly mentioned to my team that boot camp was easier than this project. In the end we were able to navigate the issues, overcome multiple obstacles and ultimately succeed.
4. Anything else you’d like to share?
Serving in the military was one of the best experiences of my life. It provided purpose and structure and showed me that you can accomplish anything you want to in life. It also helped shaped me as the person and leader that I am today which has enabled me to succeed both professionally and personally. Not to mention you get a 10% military discount at Home Depot and Lowes for home projects, which I do a lot of!
Stephen’s story is just one of many unique experiences our veteran employees bring to work each day. Make sure you’re subscribed to receive updates from Solventum Inside Angle and stay tuned for more!
Stephen Barclay is a business director, analytics, at Solventum.
