Today, join us for an inside look at CC Pace present day as we continue our three part blog series about our past, present and future in celebration of our 35th Anniversary. When it comes to learning more about CC Pace’s culture and what makes us unique, we’re not just talking about free coffee and whether or not you can wear jeans to work on Fridays (which you can). We gathered three employees from different business units within the company to give us their perspective of CC Pace.
Meet Seth Greenwood, Technical Recruiter in our Staffing division. Seth is a 2012 graduate of James Madison University and has been with CC Pace for 2 years.
How did you first hear about CC Pace?
I applied online through a job posting on Monster.com. Rechelle Card, Senior Technical Recruiter at CC Pace, then contacted me regarding the position. When we spoke, she piqued my interest in CC Pace by telling me about the clients they support and the opportunities for placements. The company I was working for at the time had a much smaller client base, so CC Pace sounded very attractive to me. I was seeking a greater exposure to both commercial and government clients and CC Pace clearly fit that model.
What at CC Pace motivates you about your job?
I truly enjoy helping people find their next place of employment. I also appreciate that CC Pace’s mission is different than many other staffing companies in the Washington DC area. We are very quality-centric here with an emphasis on finding the right person for the job; it’s not just a numbers game.
Do you feel CC Pace offers a good work-life balance?
Yes, in the sense that, while you’re expected to perform, you do not have extremely aggressive quotas and rapid turnover that is common in other staffing companies. I can go home at the end of the day and enjoy my personal time relatively stress-free. We also have flexibility with our personal schedules.
Seth, for these next three questions just tell us the first things that comes to your mind:
Describe CC Pace’s President Mike Gordon in three words?
Leader, affable, approachable
What are your three favorite things about CC Pace’s location?
- Being located in Fairfax Corner, we have a number of dining choices
- Plenty of parking
- Close proximity to Fair Oaks Mall
Describe CC Pace’s culture in three words?
Collaborative, Fun, Casual
Meet Cindy Bloomer, Managing Consultant and Agile Coach for our Enterprise Solutions practice. Cindy has been with CC Pace for 7 years. Based out of her home office in Salisbury, North Carolina, she spends the majority of her time at client sites as an instructor for in-house Agile Training and Coaching engagements.
What do you love best about the culture here? Why?
The work environment is very fun, supportive and engaging. We have many entertaining social events, activities, and company meetings throughout the year. These occasions give the employees a chance to reconnect since many of us may be on projects at client sites for extended periods of time. CC Pace also offers employees great support when dealing with personal issues or medical problems, and allows you to take the time you need to deal with the situation – and that says a lot!
How do you feel you have a voice in the direction of your future at CC Pace?
We work hard and have opportunities for growth via engagements that are challenging and rewarding. We often have a say in which assignments we get, and who we work with on a project. Everyone is assigned a “development manager” to help develop our skills, and I routinely interact with mine. CC Pace is very open and transparent internally. Personally, I participate in business planning and strategy for my business unit. I get to see and hear about our corporate state and business plans at our all hands company meetings.
While working at CC Pace, what is your favorite memory so far?
We had a party at the office where we played a series of games. Some games we broke into teams and some were played individually, even our leader Mike Gordon played along. There was one game in particular that was hysterical, I cannot recall all the details, but I do remember it involved Oreos! That was a great event where everyone companywide was able to interact with one another.
Cindy, for these next three questions just tell us the first thing that comes to your mind:
What are three words that Sum up your overall experience thus far at CC Pace?
Satisfying, Engaging, Supportive
What are three things you have learned while working at CC Pace?
- Recently, I took Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) courses and was able to get my SPC (SAFe Program Consultant) Certification. I’ve also been learning more about Kanban.
- By gaining experience as an instructor, I’ve learned many techniques and increased my comfort level speaking in front of a group. Now, public speaking is at a point where it’s just second nature.
- Working with colleagues at CC Pace has opened my eyes to various tactics for solving problems and approaching tasks. By observing and working with colleagues, I’m constantly being exposed to new ways to accomplish the same things using a different approach.
Name three characteristics of CC Pace you credit to the company’s success?
Relationship oriented, Family-like culture, Adaptable
Meet Keith Kemph, Senior Consultant in our Financial Services division. Keith has been with CC Pace for 3 years. He is a seasoned management consultant who collaborates with our clients on numerous types of projects that include Business Transformation, Process Improvement, Reorganization, Vendor Selection Strategy, Program Management and much more.
How do you rate CC Pace’s expertise in your industry?
Unparalleled. Bottom line, our financial services consultants are actually mortgage banking experts. The average consultant has been in the mortgage banking industry for twenty three years. As mortgage banking experts we are unmatched in our ability to efficiently design, build, implement and execute on projects. We measure success by successfully completing projects, driving results and ROI. As evidenced by 80% of our projects coming from prior clients, for the last 35 years.
Working remotely, what steps do you and your CC Pace team take to stay connected?
Great question for someone who lives in Denver, Colorado works on-site at our clients’ office (currently Columbus, Ohio) and whose corporate office is in Fairfax, Virginia. Bottom line, it’s tricky. I have to rely on three key things; weekly team calls, daily emails and several visits to corporate each year. I only wish it was as easy as it sounds on the surface (lol).
How do you feel that the work you are doing is aligned with your professional goals and interests? Frankly, I feel like the luckiest guy on earth! While most people ‘fall’ into consulting, I have always known I wanted to be a consultant. I’ve always had a desire to help solve a company’s biggest and most complex challenges in order to help increase efficiencies, reduce costs and improve their bottom line. Pace’s boutique approach ensures that we remain client and quality focused while rich with knowledge and experience that I continue to learn from. All of which is in direct alignment with my professional goals.
Keith, for these next three questions just tell us the first three things that comes to your mind:
Tell us three things that attracted you to CC Pace?
Simply said: Experience, Reliability and Integrity.
What three things would you want a prospective client to know about CC Pace?
- We are all about solving our client’s greatest challenges, project, or issue, efficiently and effectively.
- We are truly our client’s partner. It’s easy to say you’re a partner, but to truly be an effective business partner it requires listening intently to our client needs, asking the right questions, collaborating with them to design and implement effective solutions.
- The most important aspect of or culture, is the relationship. Regardless if you’re a colleague or a client we place significant value on having a relationship with everyone we engage. Through these relationships we build a level of trust that allows us to truly accomplish astonishing results.
Describe CC Pace in three words?
Focused, fun and friendly.