Meet Sydney Stinson, who began her career in manufacturing 10 years ago. She studied business administration at Washington State University and started working as an administrative assistant for her family's CNC machine shop, Accurate CNC Services at 2321 W. Dakota Ave., Hayden. Today, she is the chief administrative officer and runs the business with her brother, hoping to carry on their family's legacy.

Outside of the family business, Sydney serves on the Kootenai County Young Professionals Board of Directors as the vice president. When she isn't working or volunteering, you can find her (or can you?!) camping deep in the mountains or along a river somewhere.

1) What's new and exciting with the Kootenai County Young Professionals at this time?

In the three years I have been a part of KCYP, we have experienced tremendous growth and it's incredible to see what we can do with more members, more opportunities and more nonprofits to support! Don't let the "young" trick you — we are all young at heart, right? We have members of all ages from many industries, giving members the opportunity to meet new people — people you maybe otherwise wouldn't cross paths with.

KCYP has a lot coming up in the next six months! We have some fun summer social events planned and you can learn more at kcyp.org/events. We'd love to see everyone there! We are also a few weeks out from opening Top 30 Under 40 nominations and six months out from our favorite event of the year, Elevate!

2) How and when did you become involved with KCYP, and what benefit does this group provide for our community?

I joined KCYP in 2020 after being approached to join the board and it has been an incredible experience. KCYP connects professionals with each other and with the community! We host a number of events every year and 80% of them have a philanthropic or volunteer focus (i.e.: gathering for coffee while painting a classroom at Tesh, hiking Tubbs and picking up garbage along the way or hosting a summer social where drink tickets come in the form of a donation to a local food pantry). Being a member of KCYP has taught me so much about our community!

3) How are you enjoying working with your family at Accurate CNC Services, and what do you do there?

Twenty years ago, my dad saw a CNC router and said to my mom, "We gotta get one of these" and the rest is history! Accurate CNC Services is a full-service CNC machine shop with a trusted vendor network to tackle any type of project. Our goal is to be your one-stop shop! I am fortunate to have a wonderful team that helps us grow and service industries from robotics to sign makers to custom tailgate covers! We are also in the process of starting up a freight company — Accurate Transport! We saw a need in our area and are determined to help fill it.

4) What's something people would be surprised to learn about you?

My absolute favorite thing to do is sit by the river with no cell service. Most people see me in social environments but I really enjoy solitude. The best time to decompress is when there is quiet and no dings or distractions from your cell phone. Then I’m rested and ready to tackle the week!

5) What advice do you have for other young professionals who want to succeed in their career paths?

Something I have learned from Jocko and the Echelon Front team is that "owning it all does not mean doing it all." You own your tasks but it's OK to rely on those around you. You don't get to be great alone!