True Life: Andrea Moglia

Inside the Office:

Andrea Moglia is Vanguard Direct’s controller. For nearly four years, Andrea has overseen all finance and accounting operations. With around ten people in her department alone, Andrea manages everything from billing and receiving to accounts payable and inventory.

As a self-proclaimed math nerd, Andrea revels in the opportunity to work as a controller. “Every day is different. One day I’ll be working with sales, the next I’m setting up a new customer, and the day after that I’m reviewing invoices for payment.” More than anything else, however, Andrea is responsible for the month-to-date and year-to-date finance statements. These valuable pieces of paper give an insider’s view of Vanguard’s revenue, cost of goods and operating expenses, and gross profit.

Outside the Office:

If numbers are boring to you, Andrea’s personal life is far more intriguing. When it comes to nightlife, and in particular the restaurant scene, there isn’t a Vanguardian who knows more places than Ms. Moglia. As a daughter of Italian immigrants, food is in her blood. She makes it a point to check out every Michelin star–rated restaurant and is consistently “in the know” when a celebrity chef opens the newest hot spot. Be sure to ask for a recommendation—she’ll probably come back to you with a whole list.

And it doesn’t stop there. Andrea’s other culinary love is pastries. She once saw a cake on the cover of Martha Stewart’s magazine and decided right then and there to make it. She hasn’t stopped baking since. “It’s therapeutic! I love the challenge. And the fact that baking is a science of appropriate numbers—it lines up with my skill set.” And skills are exactly what she has. She’s taken a thirteen-week program at the Institute of Culinary Education and has catered well over twenty parties. She’s also traveled to every continent except Asia and attributes a lot of her culinary passion to the influences of those countries. Cookies are her specialty; I encourage you to make friends.

Favorite Vanguard Moment:

When you come from a family as large as Andrea’s (she has 20 first cousins), it’s pretty easy to get a little competitive. Just this summer her family hosted an adult “Field Day” in which six teams competed in eight activities that included tug-of-war, a three-legged race, and beer pong. It’s no surprise then that one of Andrea’s favorite moments was this summer’s victory at the Vanguard Scavenger Hunt.

“I’d call it a redemption story,” she said. “After a frustrating loss two years ago (in which, well, some of the clues weren’t 100% accurate), I—I mean, we—needed to dominate.” And dominate she—I mean, they—did. They came in ahead of the second place team by an hour! She may like her sweets, but the sweet taste of victory is what really really drives her.

Long story short, whether it’s playing at her best, baking at her best, eating at the best, or working at her best, Andrea will not be stopped.

Author: Eric Swenson