CEO Corner
2008.11
Cynthia J. Pasky
Regular readers may remember that I closed last month's CEO Corner with a note to expect further announcements before the end of the year related to Strategic Staffing Solutions' continued commitment to growth and expansion.
At the time, some may have questioned whether, in light of current economic conditions both in Michigan and nationally, I was being overly optimistic. Well, I wasn't.
We have just completed the largest acquisition in our 18-year history - a move that has extended our reach all the way to the west coast. Specifically, S3 has acquired the IT Services division of National Technical Systems (NTS) with locations in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA; Minneapolis, MN; Columbia, SC and in Troy, MI.
The purchase is proof of my belief that if you are looking for opportunities you will find them, even while others around you may not. The fact that it came on the same week that national unemployment hit a 14-year high and other economic news was generally bad underscores the fundamental strength of S3 and our ability to continue our 18 years of growth even in the most challenging economic conditions.
The acquisition increases our global footprint to 23 locations in the U.S., stretching from Boston in the northeast to Florida to Texas to California, as well as in two European countries, Lithuania and England.
So, you see, if you know your market, deliver a quality product, develop strong relationships with your customers and learn from your experiences you can grow.
We know our customers, we know their industries and we go where we are needed. We are continually assessing and improving our internal operations, which ensures S3's stability to handle our rapid growth.
Another reason for our continued success and growth has been that we welcome new members to our family and make them feel at home. We understand that employees who are joining a new company because of an acquisition can feel unsure of their new surroundings. New policies, new procedures and new goals can be challenging. That's why we work hard to make our new employees feel welcome and we work as a team to create an environment committed to achievement, encouragement and pride.
That's been our secret for 18 years and it's still the way we do business.
