Locations: Waukesha,
Milwaukee and Scottsdale, Ariz.,
plus nationwide satellites
Website: AskHRS.com
Industry: HR/OD management solutions & research
Family: Husband, John, and two grown children, Matt and Jenna
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?
“We refreshed our logo and website at our 25th anniversary to reinforce history of success while staying current and forging ahead. In 1983, we offered certain programs ahead of market demand and quite frankly, way too early. Now our longstanding validations are difficult for new competitors to emulate.”
What’s new at your company?
“New validations and more exciting recognition. New partnerships deepen our resources. Our clients had been flying in key employees from all over the world for assessment and development, including leadership advancement, exercises. Now we offer improved global technology and satellite office convenience for clients. Our metro Milwaukee key team still maintains program control.”
Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?
“Absolutely! We grow consistently through client referral and loyalty of those clients we help grow and prosper. We will continue to add team members and most certainly technology to improve our delivery and service capabilities.”
What will be your company’s main challenges in the next year?
“Because we excel with talent acquisition, those who don’t know us sometimes misinterpret us as a staffing firm even though our focus, methodology and entire service mix are distinctively different. We offer fantastic leadership development exercises, yet until proven otherwise, prospects fear we won’t create any more transformation or buy-in than the typical classroom offering. Employers love our legal compliance answer desk but don’t know it until they try it.”
What’s the hottest trend in your industry?
“HR and organizational development are hot trends in themselves. Third party objectivity is most certainly gaining new market appreciation. Also on the rise is employee assessment. Our assessment center offers uniquely job-specific predictive measurements with actionable job-correlated information, validated over more than 25 years. Because seeing is believing, we offer complimentary introductions and demos.”
Do you have a business mantra?
“Several. Here are a few … Expect nothing but strive for everything. Overprepare and then go with the flow. My favorite … Identify problems quickly, as they are opportunities for improvement.”
From a business standpoint, who do you look up to?
“People who do their best, work hard and overcome adversity. I look up to those who attain results and judge their success by the ‘pillow test’ at the end of the day.”
What was the best advice you ever received?
“If you want a better approach to problem solving, ask the opinion of someone likely to disagree with you.”
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you in your career?
“A sense of humor is an important trade tool, and this field is certainly never boring! On a recent biz trip to China I paid a young lady to punch me for nearly an hour. I thought I was embracing culture. Apparently I was overzealous. Ask me!”
