1.  When did you realize you wanted to be in Sales and Marketing?

At age 12, I was very successful at selling TV Guide magazines every week.  I liked the money! At age 14 I became a newspaper delivery boy, then acquired 3 newspaper routes, hired 3 deliverers, and became a manager.  Now, I really liked the money!!

2.  How do you keep your sanity working at the SII Corporate HQ?

By trying to keep a sense of humor and enjoying breaks such as lunch.

3.  At what age did you realize you wanted to be a millionaire. 

See Question 1.

4.  If you could retire today, what city or state would you retire to?

We have purchased a home in Ocean City, MD, which will be our retirement home.  Our daughter’s family (2 grandchildren) live and work there. 

5.  When did you start saying “Life is a cabaret”, and why?

Can’t remember but it seems to relieve tensions when I spout those words of wisdom. 

6.  What are your thoughts on SII as a company?

Great people!  Great focus!  Owners want the company to succeed.  I see a bright future for SII. 

7.  SII recently began the process of (and is now certified in) working towards ISO9001.  What are your thoughts on SII’s current progression of ISO9001?

ISO9001 is needed at SII.  It establishes processes that will improve efficiencies and result in improved customer service.  The journey to ISO9001 has been rocky, as any journey with change will be, but once there, SII will be a better company.

8.  What is your golf handicap?

14 and improving.

9.  Has the Government market gotten much harder to compete in during the recession?

The difficulty and complexity of government procurements have increased substantially.  The larger companies are now bidding on smaller contracts.  Some companies are bidding very low costs in order to maintain cash flow through these difficult times.  You have to be very selective on which opportunities you want to invest resources in a bid process. 

10.  What do you predict our growth rate to be over the next 2 years?

2010 will be another slow year, but actually should pick up in the second half and continue into 2011 and 2012.  I believe SII has a good chance to grow 15% in 2010 and 30% in 2011. 

11.  What has been the secret to your success?

Depends on what you define as success!  I would say hard work, common sense, honesty, and something I learned at West Point – discipline. 

12.  2009 was a weak year.  What is your strategy for 2010?  How has this changed from your 2009 strategy?

2009 was an unusual year (see answer 9).  2010’s strategy is very simple: to WIN more business.  This will be accomplished by:

• Focus on Small Business opportunities
• Prime opportunities as much as possible
• Focus on headcount opportunities in Call Center/Help Desks
• Develop strong partnerships

This above strategy is similar to SII’s 2009 strategy, but with lessons learned this year, ISO 9001 processes, and improved cost controls, SII should experience a stronger competitive position. 

13.  When is SII going to close new business?

SII is constantly closing new business.  We are experiencing growth in many of our existing clients, adding new clients, and have proposals submitted which should add more customers to your existing base. 

14.  How have you seen the company evolve since you came on board?

I have seen a significant movement to a disciplined approach to all phases of our company’s business.  People have been assigned specific responsibilities and are being measured and accountable for their performance. 

15.  As the VP of Marketing and Sales, why do you work on business opportunities and proposals yourself?  Wouldn’t these normally be distributed or delegated to members of the Business Development department?

I enjoy getting involved with customers and winning new business.  I have assigned a very small sliver of the market place to myself, i.e., Non-Profit Agencies.  Federal and State governments, along with the commercial market segments have been assigned to the rest of the Business Development organization. 

16.  What do think is the secret to successful RFP response?

• Knowing the customer
• Understanding the customer requirements
• Understanding the evaluation criteria
• Low costs
• Great writing

17.  How can you always afford a corvette?

This is my 5th Corvette.  I have owned a Corvette since 1970.  Affording a Corvette is a completely different issue. 

18.  How do you always stay positive?

It’s part of my DNA

19.  Can I drive your Corvette?

NO!!!

Over 650,000 businesses in the United Sates had the opportunity to participate in diversitybusiness.com’s 10^th annual business survey. The awards are based on annual gross revenue and business profiles.  This award is the basis of diverstirybusiness.com’s annual "Top Business List" which is seen by over 15 million people and is used by Fortune 500 companies and large buying organizations to find new business partners.

The list is the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the United States economy – America’s privately held companies. This esteemed, elite list is coveted by the most successful companies in the U.S. The list has become the most recognized and respected compilation of companies that truly differentiate themselves in the market place in a time when doing so has never been more important.

Internationally recognized certification confirms SII’s commitment to providing contact center solutions, including people, processes, and technology.

SII has been recommended for ISO9001 certification by Alliance International Registrar, LLC.  In 14 days, SII will be certified as ISO 9001, having demonstrated our best business practices and processes for near term and long term growth. 

The internationally recognized ISO 9001 is a management standard requiring the implementation and practice of professional procedures and operations. There are currently over a million organizations across 170 countries who have met the standard. Becoming accredited is a major milestone for the company, as noted by Chief Executive Officer, Don Rottman. 

SII’s ISO 9001 covered all facets of SII business processes, including HR, Sales and Marketing, Technology, Implementation, and Operations.  ISO 9001 has allowed SII to thoroughly outline and document all of it’s existing procedures, to serve as quantifiable measurements to corporate leadership. 

"SII’s corporate team has successfully implemented an effective contact center business model based on the requirements of the ISO 9001:2000 standard," said Eric Fukuchi, President of SII. "Our team has shown an unwavering determination in developing and implementing a system which provides for continuous improvements in how we provide contact center services, increased customer satisfaction, and a dedicated, systematic approach to how we conduct business."

About SII

Systems Integration, Inc. (SII) is a leading Call Center provider. SII has been in business since 1990, becoming SBA 8(a) certified in 1994, and successfully graduating the program in 2003. SII has a proven track record and solid reputation for providing not only focused, dedicated Contact Center professionals, but remaining a leader in integrating the newest technologies while protecting legacy systems in order to remain competitive.  SII uses technology to achieve a competitive advantage through improved price/performance, better feature/functionality, improved decision making, improved productivity, and reduced operating costs.

For Immediate Release
26 August 2009

FOROUZAN (PERRY) EBRAHIMI-QAJAR EARNS PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIAL

LANDOVER, MD, USA – Forouzan (Perry) Ebrahimi-Qajar of Olney, MD has earned the Project Management Institute’s most recognized and respected global credential — the Project Management Professional or PMP®.

To obtain a PMP credential, an individual must satisfy education (35 hours) and experience (no less than 4500 hours) requirements, agree to adhere to a professional code of conduct and pass the PMP examination. The PMP Certification Program supports the global community of project management practitioners and is designed to objectively assess and measure professional knowledge. The PMP designation following a professional’s name demonstrates to employers and others that the PMP credential holder possesses a solid foundation of experience and education in project management. The PMI Certification Program is the first professional certification program of its kind to receive the ISO 9001 certification, a globally recognized mark of a quality management system.

Forouzan (Perry) Ebrahimi-Qajar is a member of the Montgomery County of PMI, and is employed as the Director of Operations for Systems Integration, Inc.  Perry has over twenty years of diverse Information Technology project management experience, including ten years as Director of M.I.S. with responsibility for integrating information technology with business process, and seven years as Director of Web Development for the world largest provider of live-action family entertainment shows, Feld Entertainment Inc. (the holding company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice and Disney Live).  In 2006 Perry joined Systems Integration, Inc. as a Senior Project Manager and products specialist, and since then he has been managed implementation of the critical business and government projects, utilizing analytical problem solving techniques to formulate practical solutions, leading to successful completion of those projects. In 2009 Perry has been promoted to the position of the Director of Operation and while he is managing projects he will continue serving SII’s customers in his new role.

About PMI
The Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI) is the leading membership association for the project management profession and the largest association dedicated to project management in the world. As the leading advocate for the profession, PMI is actively engaged in setting professional standards, providing a professional career path for project managers and maintaining a family of professional credentials: Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®), Project Management Professional (PMP®), Program Management Professional (PgMP)® and PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)SM. The PMP is the only project management credential that is globally transferable. PMI provides members with access to the knowledge, skills, educational support and networking opportunities needed to drive business results through project management, program management and portfolio management. The Institute is highly regarded for its extensive research capabilities and its program to accredit colleges and universities and Registered Education Providers to teach PMI approved project management courses. PMI was founded in 1969. Please visit PMI.org for more information.

Do you ever get frustrated being the “straight man” of the SII group?

I am not really sure what you mean by “straight man”, but I am very serious about the company and do not find it humorous when someone does not take their job seriously. It is ok to joke but in the end I expect everyone to take their job seriously and to perform.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult did you consider it going from technical writer to President of SII?

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate the difficulty of starting and succeeding in business a “20”.

I have never worked as a technical writer, but, as an educated person, I have always been able to write. After graduation from college, I worked as an applications programmer, systems/network programmer, and technical consultant. After meeting Don Rottman in 1985, we took advantage of an opportunity to start our own business in 1990. Regarding SII, it is very difficult to start and succeed in business (a “20” on a scale of 1 to 10). You need many skills to succeed including education, the ability to think and learn, assimilate information, creativity, flexibility, determination, and luck. It is very important to build a management team with individuals who can work together and have complementary and synergistic skills.

What do you do in your daily capacity as President of Systems Integration, Inc.?

I do everything required to make SII succeed as a company. In the beginning, Don Rottman and I did everything ourselves. Today, we have senior managers to run all aspects of the company. However, Don and I have a big investment in time and money in SII and we will do everything necessary to make the business succeed. This includes helping sales/proposals/marketing to win new business; helping project management and project delivery staff to complete project activities; helping human resources to recruit, hire, and fire; administering the 401(k) plan; working with the corporate attorney on legal matters; working on contractual matters; working on air conditioning issues; and many other fun activities.

What is your vision of SII five years from now? What do you see as the biggest obstacle towards obtaining that goal?

I hope that in five years SII has grown as a company in our chosen area of business – contact center and help desk technology and operations – with many more projects to deliver, many more satisfied customers, and many more employees who are capable and willing to successfully deliver the projects. It is critical that we successfully deliver on our existing projects to be able to win new business in the future.

When the Government awards contracts, it looks for companies with a good work/life balance. What makes SII the “employer of choice” for its staff?

Your statement is not entirely correct. The Government does not award contracts based on the work/life balance of its employees. The Government awards contracts typically based on the company’s relevant experience, past performance history, and price. However, to succeed as a company, particularly in the services business, a company must have a workforce that is capable and self-motivated to perform. Therefore, we have always tried to hire individuals with the right combination of education, skills, attitude, and ability to grow in their jobs; pay a good salary; treat everyone with respect; recognize and reward individual accomplishments; and promote from within. We expect commitment from our employees and will, in turn, look after the employee’s best interests.

How do you save money? Is it true that you hide money under a mattress?

I save money by not spending money on frivolous or unnecessary things. For example, I do not have a big house or drive a fancy car. I have no debt. The money I save is managed by a professional money management firm. Money cannot increase in value in a mattress.

What job functions as being President of SII do you like? What don’t you like?

I like working with people who are capable, motivated, have a high standard of excellence, and can work with others to achieve a common goal. Above all, everyone must respect their fellow employees. I do not like working with prima donnas, incompetent or lazy people, people who do not follow the rules, people who cannot get along with others, and people who do not/cannot respect differences.

What is your biggest concern about SII?

My biggest potential concern is an unsatisfied customer. To date, this has not been a problem. SII has always delivered on its projects. That is why we have an outstanding past performance history. We are fortunate to have a workforce of capable and motivated managers and individuals.

What is your favorite thing to do with money?

Save, invest, and grow the money.

What is your management style? What do you consider your strongest leadership attribute to be?

My management style tends to be laid back. I expect everyone to know and do their job. I expect competence and 100% dedication. I believe in defining job responsibilities and letting people do their jobs. If the individual performs, reward the individual and/or consider for possible future promotion. If the individual does not perform, the manager should meet with the individual, discuss the problems/issues and develop a plan to correct including training if required.

My strongest leadership attribute is to lead by doing. I do not like just telling people what to do and going home. When I get involved to address a problem, I like to fully understand the problem and participate with others to solve the problem. I believe in the team approach with everyone participating and contributing.

As President of SII, do you have an “open door” policy for your employees?

Yes, however, if you have a problem/issue, talk to your immediate supervisor first. Please follow the chain of command. Your supervisor/manager will get Human Resources and Executive Management involved as required.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what one comfort item would you take with you?

First, I would never get stranded on a desert island. Second, I have no problems with living on an island. I was born on a small island in the Pacific. I have no problems living on an island as long as the island has an airport, good beaches, and comfort facilities to support a resort lifestyle.

What’s the most important characteristic you look for in your employees?

Ability to do their current job responsibilities, ability to learn new skills and grow in their job, self-motivated to perform to high standards, discipline to follow rules/procedures and proven methods, and ability to work with others.

If you won the lottery today, would you stay on board with SII?

First, I do not believe in playing the lottery. Second, I believe in SII and would stay on board as long as I am needed and motivated to work.

What do you enjoy most about SII as a company?

It has been 18 years since Don Rottman and I founded the company in 1990. Over the years I have enjoyed working hard and seeing the company grow. I have enjoyed the journey and working with people who have contributed to SII’s growth while achieving their personal objectives. SII has succeeded because of its employees. Many of the company’s best employees are still here today.

Were you really born in Hawaii? On which island?

Yes, I was born in Hawaii on the very small island of Molokai. Even today, there are approximately only 7,000 people who live on the island. I did not wear shoes until age 10. We moved to Oahu in 1963 and to Los Angeles in 1965 because my parent wanted to provide their children with better educational opportunities.

What does Don do when no one else is watching?

I am not sure I understand the question. Don Rottman is never alone except when eating lunch because he is always meeting with people or on the phone. Don cares a lot about the company and its employees and wants to make sure everyone has what they need to do their job and wants to make sure that we provide the customers what they need. Even when lying on the beach at Ocean City, Don is on his Blackberry checking emails and calling to make sure everything is going ok.

Do you anticipate SII staying in business for the long term?

Yes. SII is 18 years old and has developed an outstanding past performance history, which is critical to winning new business in the government and commercial sectors. SII has a solid management team in place and is well positioned to retain its existing contracts and win new business.

Where are you from? Where did you grow up?

Another employee asked a similar question. I have copied the answer. I was born in Hawaii on the very small island of Molokai. Even today, there are approximately only 7,000 people who live on the island. I did not wear shoes until age 10. We moved to the Island of Oahu in 1963 and to Los Angeles, CA in 1965 because my parent wanted to provide their children with better educational opportunities. I moved to the Washington DC area in 1977 after graduating from college at UCLA. I met my wife (from NJ) in Washington DC and was not able (or allowed) to return to the West Coast.

What kind of car are you driving now?

I do not believe in cars. Cars only depreciate. I have always tried to drive the family’s oldest car to try and use up the car.

What is the status of the TSA Contact Center contract that is up for recompete?

TSA has extended our TSA Contact Center contract through October 31, 2009. TSA anticipates releasing an RFP in the next several months. SII is preparing for the proposal response and will submit an outstanding proposal. We are highly confident on winning the re-compete because of the outstanding job that the TCC staff has done since 2002.

How was your recent trip to Japan?

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Japan. I am third generation Japanese-American. I enjoyed the Japanese people and visiting the cultural and historical sites. The Japanese people are perhaps the most polite and orderly people in the world. Japanese society is very homogenous and therefore there is very little social conflict between majority/minority groups. The country is very safe and clean. I encourage everyone to visit their ancestral homeland(s) and other cultures that are different than your own. Traveling to foreign lands provides a perspective on the world and appreciation for the good and bad of America. I try to take a yearly vacation with my wife and kids to spend time together. I believe in family vacations.

How did you and Don decide to become business partners?

I used to work for Don at Systemhouse. In 1990 Don and I formed SII and took over a Systemhouse project in Indianapolis, IN when Systemhouse’s parent company went bankrupt.

What do you think about smiling more in the office?

OK, but you have to tell me a funny joke. I am not a smiley person in general unless there is a reason to smile. In the office, I am busy trying to get things done and therefore am not in a smiley mode most of the times.

What do you think of Paul’s Photoshop picture in the SII Review?

If an individual does not like their picture, the picture should not be included in the SII Review. I would recommend that each individual be asked to supply their own picture if they do not like the picture taken by the newsletter staff.

What do you like about owning SII? What do you dislike?

Other employees have asked similar questions. I have copied the answers. It has been 18 years since Don Rottman and I founded the company in 1990. Over the years I have enjoyed working hard and seeing the company grow. I have enjoyed the journey and working with people who have contributed to SII’s growth while achieving their personal objectives. SII has succeeded because of its employees. Many of the company’s best employees are still here today. I dislike working with prima donnas, incompetent or lazy people, people who do not follow the rules, people who cannot get along with others, and people who do not/cannot respect differences.

If you would be anyone, for an entire day, with no consequences, who would it be?

I do not know. There are many people in the world that I admire for different reasons. I met President Obama in Chicago in November 2008 and, like everyone else, have great hope for what he can achieve. However, I would not like the responsibility of making decisions that affect the lives of millions of people in the US and around the world and future generations. I am satisfied with just being myself.

Do you consider yourself to be introverted or extroverted?

I am an introvert. I am quiet even at home with my wife. I find it very difficult to talk, talk, and talk when I have nothing to say. I talk to communicate. I do not like opinionated people who constantly talk about themselves but do not ask questions of others. Extroverts are no better than introverts. Everyone is different. We need to respect each other and not make judgments about other people just because they are different than ourselves.

If you could be any kind of tree, which would it be?

Sigh! I have never thought about this question before. Since humans are at the top of the food chain, I would not be pleased if I were reincarnated as a tree. I suppose being a tree is better than being grass.

As the President of a small business, what do you do to give back to improve or contribute to your local community?

Currently, I do not participate in any community organizations. When I retire, I would like to spend part of my time volunteering for an organization like AmeriCorps that does national and community service. I fully support President Obama’s calls on Americans to volunteer.

Does SII have a lawyer who reviews all of our contracts before they are ratified?

Yes, SII has a corporate attorney. However, we do use the corporate attorney for all contracts, only if there is a potential legal issue or concern that we need a legal review and recommendation.

Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?

Yes, recently I got a speeding ticket on Route 100 in Columbia, MD after returning home at night. Route 100 has median crossings that the Maryland State Police use to catch speeders. If I am returning home at night after the rush hour, I now use Route 32 since there are no median crossings. Prior to the recent speeding ticket, I have not gotten a speeding ticket for many, many years.

What is your favorite candy from the bowl in the front office? Is it always available?

I do not eat candy from either the bowl in the front office or Simone’s office. However, thank you for being considerate and making the candy available for others.

What do you think is the best attribute of SII as a company?

SII is an employee-focused company. As a small business, we need to work closely together. Because we are a small business, everyone has an impact on the company and everyone has visibility to executive management. If you have problems/issues, we will work directly with you to resolve the problem/issue. If you are talented and ambitious, we will work with you to identify opportunities for growth and promotion. We strongly believe in promotion from within. At SII you are more than a cog in a big, money-making machine. We have always valued our employees as our most valuable resource and this will never change.

Christa’s title was changed to Senior Customer Service Representative for the TCC’s Email Department where she was assigned the task of generating email responses and solving complex emails that required further assistance from the TSA Headquarters’ Office.

As Christa became known for her detailed sufficient work ethic, she was then promoted to being the TCC’s Q/A Specialist to assist in the quality control aspect of the TSA contract. Christa now oversees the TCC Phone and Email Departments’ quality assurance operations making sure all customer service representatives provide the best customer service and produce a detailed accurate work ethic through out the TCC contract.

Christa Cannaday

Quality Assurance Specialist

It is with excitement and sadness that I bid farewell as I relocate to Dallas, Texas to be closer to my family. 

Hands down, this has been the best job I have ever had.  Space does not permit me to elaborate nor am I grandstanding on my way out the door.  I am speaking my truth.  Some work environments are measured by the title, others by the leadership, and then others by the people you get to meet and know.  In this case, I had the opportunity to serve on an important project and be a part of something larger than myself.  Out of the 6,787,369,919 people that populate the planet, only 70 of us work for the TSA Contact Center.  This is spectacular, given TSA’s important mission–and I consider myself blessed to have been able to serve side by side with you all.

For me, customer service is an art and a joy and working with the best in the business has been a rare gift.   SII is a company dedicated to customer service and it shows.  Because of SII’s contract with TSA, we are required to be at the TSA Contact Center on holidays, weekends, evenings, and around the clock.  As a result, we became a tight knit family, and an unstoppable team.  We got through many tough weeks, months, and years together as we directed people from all over the world, explained policies that were unpopular, and became the voice of reason in the midst of hysteria. 

But life is about minute by minute changes and the only thing we can do is be grateful for whatever time we get with the people we care about.  So instead of focusing on how much I am going to miss everyone here, I am going to remember how much we shared and learned together and hope that our paths cross again.

Until then, I will cherish the times we had together.  I enjoyed our camaraderie.  Every day was different and fresh and we had to be quick, bold, and persistent.  Some days we laughed, other days we cried, and then too we disagreed.  But that’s what makes relationships real.  All of our individual imperfections mean nothing compared to our collective talent.  At the end of the day, we did an outstanding job and no one can ever take that from us.  I will never forget all the many special people who showed me kindness, understanding, patience, and taught me how to be a success at the TCC.   Thank you all for everything.  Keep Doing What Works and Be Anxious For Nothing!

Until we meet again…Farewell.

First of all, it would be football.  The position would be quarterback.  Growing up, I was a quarterback when I had the ability to play.  Quarterbacks are leaders, and I like to be a leader.   I’m a Leo.  I like to I would be a quarterback definitely.  Who would I be?  I’d probably be Flacco, who is the quarterback of the reasons.  Two reasons.  First of all I’m a diehard Ravens fan.  Secondly, I think he is the best youngest quarterback, potentially the best youngest quarterback in football.  I wouldn’t want to be a Joe Namath, or anyone who’s retired, even though my idol is Johnny Unitas.  If I want to be someday, I want to be somebody who has the potential, who could get out there and do things ahead of him, not behind him.  So there’s a lot of great quarterbacks out there, but I think Joe Flacco is the youngest and most potential to do it.  If my family weren’t to read this, because I would be disowned, Ben Roethlisberger is another one, but we hate the Steelers, so I got to be very carefull.  I hope nobody reads this from my family or I will be kicked out. 

17.  After the .com crash, did you really sell your Condo to meet payroll one month?  This shows dedication to the company. 

Well, no.  I wish I could say I did.  I think a lot of people would like to hear that.  But I will tell you that in earlier parts of the company, in starting the company and so forth, there were things that not only myself, but Eric had to do.  For instance, when we were starting the company, and we grew, Eric and I didn’t take  a salary for 13 months.  So we lived on no income, and it got very very tight.  We were very concerned.  There’ve been other times where we’ve had to step up to the plate with personal finances.  If I had to put my condo up to keep the company afloat, I would, but no I never did (in the past).  But I did go without a salary and other times had to step up to the plate. 

18.  What prompted you to get into this business?

Well, as many as you who know me.  I was a Federal bureaucrat.  I started with the Federal government as a GS-11 Cobalt programmer.  I worked on several presidential commissions and so forth, and at the end of Ronald Reagan’s term, he offered me a Schedule C.  I was 43 years old, and it was not where I wanted to go.  He was leaving office.  So I felt as though I had no choice.  SO I went back to the private sector.  Started with a friend of mine, he had a very small company, and I got very interested in the future and how voice and data were going to be put together.  Worked with him for a while, and then decided that he was not going in a direction that I wanted to.  So I went with a company called System House, which was a billion dollar Canadian company, and they went Chapter 11 and folded.  I retired for 10 months, and I absolutely hated it.  I like to work.  I like to be active.  So I called Eric and we started this company up.  We like the area.  We could see the future in the early 90’s, of voice and data.  That’s how we got involved in this business, and always stayed focus.  We’ve been asked to leave that focus, with things like Y2K, but that’s not what we do.  We’re focused and our business is Help Desks and Call Centers.  So that’s how I got involved. 

19.  What do you consider a good job career-wise?  Other than your current job as CEO, what type of job opportunity would you envision for yourself?

I’d like to sell umbrella’s and rent beach chairs on some beach someday.  That’s about all else I  would want to do.  I can’t see myself doing anything else other than wanting to be involved with SII.  After this, that’s it. Like I said, maybe rent beach chairs on an exciting beach somewhere. 

20.  Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Sitting here!  I would hope that I wouldn’t be here as much.  As many hours and so forth.  I think another question talks about growth and commitment.  I see myself as being here ten years.  I would like to have another CEO.  I would like to have someone else actually running the company, but I would be overseeing it as a board member.  I still would like to work several days a week.  I don’t know exactly what that means, but I would work several days a week and still be involved in SII. 

21.  What do you think of the current economic climate and how does this impact growth of the company? 

I think the current economy will turn around someday.  I don’t think it will turn around tomorrow, but over the next eighteen months, if the stimulus package every really comes out, and everyone I talked to has not seen that money yet, but when it starts to be released, I think that jobs will be there, and when jobs are there the economy will get better because people will be spending, and hopefully the housing market will be there.  What impact does it have on growth in the company?  It’s been tough.  It’s been a tough year so far.  It’s been a tough quarter.  I must know 20 companies that have completely folded in the last five months.  Every day you pick up the paper or you turn on the internet and someone else is in chapter 11.  Some major retailer went out this morning.  Chapter 11.  So, it’s been tough.  There’s not a lot of money coming out.  And we’re now competing against the big guys.  The Lockheed Martins, the CSC’s, the IBM’s.  They wouldn’t go after projects of $100,000 or half a million.  Now they go after them, because there’s not a lot of the 100 million or 10 million.  So it’s not that we’re in their space.  They’re in our space.  So it’s got even hard and more competitive.  Like I said earlier in this interview, last year we’ve gotten the best year we’ve ever had in the history of this company, and I’m anticipating a better year this year.  But, it’s not easy. 

22.  When are we going to have a real corporate organization chart, with responsibilities and well-defined accountability. 

We can put that together.  We have one, that’s defined.  I thought that was distributed.  We will add that to the next edition of the SII Review, and break it down by Projects and Project Mangers.  That is available, and it has been produced. 

23.  Can I get a ride in your new car? 

Only if you want to take me to lunch?  And pay, naturally.

24.  How did you meet your wife, Kay? 

Kay was a childhood sweetheart.  She was friends with my best friend.  She had a surprise birthday party, and my best friend was invited.  I wasn’t, but he asked me to go along anyways.  I met Kay at a surprise birthday party.  First time I seen her I feel in love with her.  I’m still in love with her.  She’s my best friend.  She’s definitely my sweetheart.  She’s the person that I’m going to be on that beach with, renting those umbrellas and chairs.  I enjoy her more than any person in this world.  We have our fiftieth (anniversary) coming up this year.  And she’s still my best friend.  I just can’t wait to see her in the evening.  We spend at least an hour every night, just sitting there talking.  No TV, no radio, no nothing.  Maybe sometimes we might put an old Sinatra on, or Tony Bennett.  She’s my buddy, and like I said, it will be our fiftieth, and I’m expecting another fifty with her. 

25.  Can you bring in one of your famous bowls of chili?

Yeah.  I’ve already challenged Daryl to a cook-off, and he wants to hold off until the Christmas party.  I think he’s a little scared of me, to be honest with you.  He’s famous for his baked beans.   But I told him mine are much better.  So yes, I surely can do that. 

26.  Can you visit the people in AFPCA operations a little more often? 

It has always been our intent. I use to come in quarterly. I had a badge. I could get in.  The DoD has made it extremely difficult for us to get in. I will absolutely make an extra attempt to do this at least quarterly. I will coordinate this with Bikila Gileta, however, I have to go through and get it approved by Lockheed Martin, and it becomes very difficult to get in without a good reason. Security has changed so greatly since 9/11.

27.  Will I sponsor social events such as pizza luncheons, at AFPCA?

Yeah, I have told Bikila, as I have other contracts.  Luncheons/Quarterly meetings is something that we do encourage the Project Managers to do. 

28.  Can we as a corporate office have monthly meetings? 

Yeah.  We can.  We used to do it.  We had pizza.  Nothing was really discussed.  It started dwindling off with people not wanting to come.  I would consider doing that.  In fact, I am looking at scheduling one for the end of the month to kick off our ISO 9000 process.

29.  Why did you decide to start your own business?  What was the prime motivation. 

Prime motivation, was that I was a Federal bureaucrat. I was one of the first SES. I was offered a schedule C by President Ronald Reagan. I was 48 years old. My children were grown, and it was just Kay and I. We weren’t financially set but we were ok. Couldn’t go anywhere else in the Federal Government. Went with a private company called System House. Was their first President in the U.S. They went Chapter 11. I retired at 51 years old. Didn’t really like retirement. So I said, “what are you going to do?” I’m now 51 years old, really too early to retire. I decided to try independent consulting for a while. So I started with one person, next thing you know I had 2 or 3, then 5 or 6, and the next thing you know I had a company. It wasn’t something I intended to do. I never thought I’d be the CEO of a 200 person company. It’s just kind of evolved. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Regrets—like Sinatra said it best of all, “I have no regrets”. I plan on being here ten more years at least. I’d like to see a new CEO, a new President in here, and that’s one of the things that’s a part of SII’s long term plan.

This first question has three questions within it, so we’ll take them one at a time.  The first question is whether there is an official plan that can be shared with employees via the employee section of the SII website.  The strategic plan for Systems Integration hasn’t changed much over the fifteen years since we’ve been incorporated.  It changes sometimes depending upon the financial position of the Federal government, since our primary customer base is the Federal government.  It also changes sometimes based on opportunities.  As most of you know, we are a middle sized company, an intermediate company.  Intermediate companies have to do things that large companies don’t.  If there’s an opportunity that is very close to what we do, we look at it carefully because of the financial impact that may enable us to do other things that we really want to do.  Our strategic goals have always been in Call Center and Help Desk.  We do everything as we say “from soup to nuts.”  We will get involved in everything from the design of the systems, to the engineering of the systems, to the delivery of the hardware/software, to the implementation, to the adding of applications, to maintaining the system for an unlimited amount of time.  We are strictly focused on Help Desks and Call Centers.  The second part of our plan, now that we’ve built it, we operate it.  We put the people in seats, for Call Centers and Help Desks.  It’s been our business focus from day one, to stay in Call Centers and Help Desks, from identifying requirements, all the way to building and supporting it and maintaining it, as well as running the Call Center itself.  Over the last two years, we’ve added a couple functions to our plan.  As the atmosphere of the world changes in the Federal arena, we’ve added hosting.  We have a large hosting contract with EEOC, as well as outsourcing, where we have outsourcing contracts with another Federal Agency as well, TSA.  TSA is completely outsourced.  Again, we run through our entire business model.  We met with TSA, we did the design, we built they system, the network , the applications, we maintained the hardware , the software, we supplied all the agents.  We do the same thing with Help Desks as Call Centers, with Help Desks being primarily in the IT arena.  We process and supply/design hardware/software and work very closely with DoD in the Pentagon as a sub on the Lockheed Martin contract.  That is basically our business, has been our business since day one. 

The second part of the question is if our official plan that can be shared with the employees via the SII website.  Eric and I talk at least daily, on the function and direction of the company.  At one time we put this together.  We spent a lot of time and effort into documenting it and again, but again as situations become available, we find ourselves moving to the left and right.  We know where we are going to take the company.  It’s in those same areas I’ve just explained.  Our senior management in the company know our focus, our direction, and the strategic focus for Systems Integration, Inc. 

The next part of the question is what are your plans for growth?

Our plans are to grow every year.  We had probably last year, our best year in the history of the company.  We’re looking for a much better year this year, with the additions of both the hosting and outsourcing applications we added.  We’ve just finished going through our a large effort, and as of Friday, May 1, 2009, we have taken the entire product list of Interactive Intelligence and put it on our GSA Schedule.  This will allow us the opportunity to bid additional contracts, as well as allow I3 to use our GSA schedule if they wanted anywhere in the country.  We do plan on growing the company.  Our plan is to grow by 25% this year.  It’s a pretty aggressive growth plan with the way the economy is.  I was just reading in the Wall Street Journal today about the stimulus package, and they keep saying “where is it?”  We’re all waiting for the economy to change.  We have a lot of opportunities.  We have a lot of major bids that are hanging out there.  If just 10% of what we have identified were to happen, we will have grown by 25% this year.  Again we have increased our marketing, adding some marketing support people, which will help us to grow the company. We’re going to continue to stay focused in those areas I defined earlier. 

Does this involve company certifications?  Yes it does.  We have signed a contract to being June 1, 2009, and we are going forward towards the ISO9000 certification.  ISO9000 is the first step in our process which will eventually include CMMI certification.  ISO 9000 will start June 1, 2009.  I am in the course now of narrowing down the final dates for the interview process and the interviews of all those involved, in the ISO9000.  In the AFPCA contract, all of our individuals are getting prepared to receive different levels of Microsoft and some network security certifications.  So yes, we are pursuing certifications. 

2.  Are there any plans in the future to run a 360 degree employee satisfaction survey?

We have done this is in the past.  The be quite honest, we spent a lot of time looking at these surveys, and we have not found a survey where we could ask the specific questions so that the individuals filling out these surveys wouldn’t be offended because they felt as though they couldn’t say what they wanted to say.  We’ve tried these in the past.  I’ve tried these in my past life as a Federal bureaucrat, and we’ve not had any luck with them. 

3.  There seems to be a competition amongst the different IT Directors at the corporate level.  Who is considered to be the authority on IT issues in the company?  Who’s the boss, Alan Randle, Paul Heaps, Perry Ebrahimi, or Barry Cassady? 

Well the decision maker on the IT direction of the company, very simply, is myself and Eric.  It’s neither of the above four.  Who is the boss?  I’m the boss, and Eric is the boss, bottom line.  Alan, Paul, Perry, and Barry, have unique positions in the company.  As you know, Bill Rouse, who was our Chief Technology Officer, retired in January, and we went through in a reorganization.  The reorganization was published in the first edition of the SII review.  We have decided to try this.  It seems to be working.  Paul is the Director of Technology.  He is involved in every aspect of developing technology in the company.  When we get opportunities, the first step when we look at it, when we decide to bid or no-bid it, is that Paul develops the technology.    It’s then reviewed by Alan, Perry, and Barry Cassady.  All four have unique responsibilities in the company.  Paul does the technical design.  Once it’s approved and everyone agrees, Alan does the implementation.  Alan is the Director of Implementation and Services.  It is his responsibility to review and implement the technology that Paul has designed, and maintain the services once it is up and running and implemented throughout the years.  Perry is the Director of Operations, and Project Manager, on most of our projects.  So, as Paul designs it, and Alan implements it, it’s Perry’s responsibility to manage the process to make sure what Paul designs is what Alan implemented, and that it is implemented in a timely fashion.  Every project has a timeline, and it is Perry’s responsibility as Project Manager to make sure each timeline is met, as well as budgeting and so forth.  Again, Alan is implementing, Perry is overseeing, and Paul is designing.  Barry is designed in special projects, and primarily is involved in pre-sales support.  He works with the marketing people for demos, and is responsible for building the demos, and also coordinating demos with Alan, Paul, and Perry.  Again, network issues with the demo, Alan will get involved in.  Design issues, Paul will get involved in.  Perry will manage the overall demo and how it will work.  Barry will go over what the demo is, how it works, as well as the presentations and etc.  He is also responsible for special projects, special reporting requirements by vendors and so forth.  So there’s four manager’s and each one of them have a unique responsibility.  All of them report directly to Eric and I.  We have a project review every Tuesday at 2:00 PM.  Every task and project is kept in a database which I review on a daily basis, and that’s how we keep track of the different levels of effort and how the projects currently exist. 

4.  If you could meet a famous person who would it be and what would you ask them?

That’s kind of neat.  I don’t have any problems with who it would be.  It would definitely be President Obama.  What would I ask?  First of all I would probably be thanking him more than asking him a question.  I would be asking him things like how is he going to continue to protect the American public against consumer problem defects, consumer fraud.  I probably wouldn’t ask him about the economy, because I read every day what is, and the man has said everything he possibly could.  I would be more interested in how he’s going to protect the consumer from injuries, fraud, stuff like that, as well as, again, being a green person how is he going to protect the Earth and the country.  What he plans on doing there.  Third, I’m very concerned about being completely independent as far the requirements from energy.  What are his plans on becoming self sufficient in the energy department.  So, those three would be is, as the questions I would probably ask. 

5.  In what direction is Systems Integration, Inc. headed?

I  probably covered that in Question 1.  We’re going to stay focused in call center/help desk every from “soup to nuts.”  Where we build them, run them, support them, and continue to grow at about 25% a year, as well as proceed with the certifications that I addressed earlier. 

6.  Has there been any talk of reducing the companies 401k match in the future?

There has been talk, with other companies dropping their 401k plans left and right. We do not, at the present time, have any plans to eliminate our 401k plan or our contribution to 401k. Again, we do not plan on changing our 401k plan. However, there’s always a caveat. We are not getting the 401k participation that we need (from our employees) to pass an audit every year. We need younger people to participate in the 401k program. As long as we can continue to pass the audit, and we can encourage other people to join the 401k plan, there is no plan to change the 401k plan that we have presently.

7.  Where is Systems Integration, Inc.’s new location going to be? 

I don’t have an answer for that yet We’ve got another 2+ years lease, so I can tell you we will be here for 2+ years. I’d like to stay here. We have looked at another area for a large opportunity with 500 seats. That was in Prince George’s county. There’s no intentions to move there at this point. We have 2+ years. We will probably address where we are when we have approximately 1 year left on our lease.

8.  Are we working towards establishing network resources connectivity?  The network at the corporate headquarters seems to lag when connecting to the consumer. 

Well, we’ve addressed this.  Basically we’ve just went through and doubled our DSL connections.  We are in negotiations with the building and Verizon.  Verizon has been putting in FiOS in this whole area.  That is where we’d like to go, it’s considerably faster, and it would fit a lot of our needs.  It has been put into every building in this area, except for this one.  We can not get the building management to agree to let FiOS in here.  We have talked to the building, we have talked to Verizon, and the two have agreed at least that they would talk.  We are extremely optimistic that FiOS will be coming into the building, and that will eliminated a lot of these problems.  Subsequently, within the last 3 or 4 weeks, we’ve added a lot of DSL, we’ve taken a portion of the added bandwidth and isolated it to the IT Group so that a lot of the major downloads that the technical group needs will be taken off the corporate side of the network.  So the network should be faster, and more convenient.  We’ve also, over the last two weeks, added the Corporate HQ wireless connection, and I understand it is working great.  Everyone seems to like it.  Again, we’ve added another DSL because our hands are tied, with the building management not letting us bring in FiOS, which we really need. 

9.  Will you consider installing a separate door lock for the front door that doesn’t require a doorman’s presence? 

We’re looking into that.  Yes we are.  I’m taking a look at that, because it’s not cheap.  We’ve got to go ahead and re-do the glass doors, and it is one of the things that is on our list.  There are other things like network routers and so forth (that are higher on the list) that will help the way we do business around here.  We are looking into it.  It’s thousands of dollars, and it’s no easy fix.  There’s multiple ways to fix it.  I expect we will end up doing something on this, but I don’t know what it would be.  It’s not a high priority at this point. 

10. What is your process for establishing the number of company employees and revenue, which seems to vary depending on what piece of literature is being read?

Well, yes, that’s true, I’m sure. This does change. This is something that is never going to be the same. Our people change, our revenues change, depending on what time it is and where we are. For example, some of you may remember we ran the USPTO warehouse. At the time it made sense, the revenue was there, and we had a special business unit that ran the warehouse contract. We couldn’t re-bid it because it was an 8a opportunity, and we had graduated the program. As a result, we lost 110 people, so when you see one piece of literature, it would be higher than the other. As contracts are finished, as tasks are finished, our numbers can go down. As tasks get involved, as we start doing some of our other projects, we add people. So the numbers do change. Bottom line is we are a strong company financially. Presently we have 142 employees, and we hope to have over 200 before the end of the year.

11.  What do you like most about being CEO?

Gee, I wish that question would have been what DON’T you like most about being CEO?  I like the challenge.  I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like the day to day, mundane kinds of things.  When there’s controversy, when there’s challenge, that’s when I think I’m at my best.  I think I’m a very logical person.  I can sit down in most cases.  I can listen.  I can determine the best to go, or at least the best way to go at that time.  Many times, it might not be the best way, but I can quickly realize that and change it.  I like the ability to be creative.  I like the ability to have my people appreciate some of the things that were done.  What I like best is when I listen to – like what happened today – we have a company doing a certification on us.  They came in today, they’re looking for a lot of flaws.  They spent four hours.  I went in, and after our introductions, they said

“I’d like to compliment because we do these all the time.  We’ve done hundreds of companies, and this is the best we’ve ever seen.  Your guys network and your processes that you have in place are better than any that we’ve ever seen in the hundreds of companies that we’ve done. Secondly, we can’t get over the turnover rate that you have.  You’ve got guys that have been here 12 years.  You’ve got guys sitting here who’ve been here fifteen years.  We want to work for you.” 

I like that.  That’s the fun part of being CEO.  There’s a lot of bad times, and a lot of bad parts, but I like the creativity of it.  I like the support of my people.  I like to hear the kind of things like “I did something right” and hopefully that reflects on the employees, the employees families, and maybe just a little bit on their quality of life. 

12. What do you value most in your employees?

Dedication, naturally. I value most of all, I guess, is giving us the best of what they got. And by that I mean, I feel like, we try to pay a competitive salary, and we try to put a decent health and welfare package into place. We treat our employees like people. I value getting that back. We’re doing that, and I expect them to give me the best of what they have. You notice, I haven’t said 100%. I’m not looking for 100%. I’m looking for people to do their job, step up to what they’re paid to do, and do it right. I don’t like the petty stuff between individuals. I’d like to say that everybody is a professional, I’m paying them as a professional, I expect them to act as a professional. I don’t expect anyone not to make a mistake. People make mistakes. I’m not concerned about making mistakes. I am concerned when they make a mistake and don’t fix it. Or when they don’t go back, and they keep making the same one over and over again. That I don’t like.

13. Who inspired you in the past? Who inspires you now?

Very early in my career, I started with the Federal Government, as a programmer, a GS-11, and I met a gentleman by the name of Dr. Jack Karate. He inspired me and he still inspires me. Unfortunately, Jack passed away years ago, but Jack was from the Boston area, and he was the son of a postman. He was one of six children. Jack’s family didn’t have a lot of money, so Jack worked his way through junior high, worked his way through high school, worked his way through college, and worked his way through med school. Joined the Federal government and became one of the leading experts on poison ingestions. He started and was very involved, as I was, in the national poison control center. He worked towards putting together regulations that saved a lot of childrens’ lives. I was very fortunate enough to be a part of that process.

Who inspires me now? President Obama. I think he’s a remarkable man. I think he’s going to do a fantastic job.

14. What is the most surprising thing you learned while running a business?

The amount of effort that it takes. It’s not an eight hour a day job. I learned it’s impossible not to take your work home. In the course of running a business, and I’ve been running a business a long time, some of it has gone and spilled over to the family, where maybe I haven’t had enough time with my wife and children growing up. So that is the thing that surprises me the most.

15.  What is your dream vacation? 

I really don’t have a dream vacation.  The wife and I have been a lot of places.  We’ve done a lot of things.  We just recently came back from Aruba.  We just last year went to Hawaii.  I don’t have one particular place.  Been through Europe, parts of South America, Mediterranean, Caribbean, but no matter what it is, the dream vacation will be at a beach with warm weather and sand.