By: Stan Walz, VectorCSP CEO; Janis Nagy, VectorCSP CSO; and Damien Walz, COO
Before we had a name for what is now VectorCSP, the founding members of the company had many more discussions about what the company’s values would be, as opposed to what it would actually do. We wanted it to be a better company than those we saw around us; in those days we were mostly observing firms supporting Coast Guard aviation at the Aircraft Repair and Supply Center (AR&SC), which has subsequently become the Coast Guard’s Aviation Logistics Center (ALC). The values that we were interested in had primarily to do with delivering superior value to government clients, while simultaneously doing a solid job of caring for our staff, and making sure that we would also give back to the communities that support us. These were the ideas that we wrestled with back in 2002 as we were going through the necessary process requirements to establish a business and figure out our investment requirements… and of course how to make it profitable and therefore viable.
As the company actually formed and we won a couple of logistics support contracts, we needed more qualified and motivated employees, and we quickly discovered that the individual character of each employee was more important than their specialty and technical competence. In other words, it’s easier to improve on someone’s level of expertise and performance than it is to improve their character. Another great discovery was that when you hire really great people with outstanding character, they have a tendency to associate with other potential employees with the same set of values. This resulted in many wonderful referrals as the company expanded.
Around the water cooler, I started to hear things like “VectorCSP is a company of characters with character.” The company’s leadership team then started to seriously approach evaluating potential new employees through a lens that valued character over technical skills… but recognizing that technical skills are very important. The key to our success has been identifying and recruiting people with high integrity with the right skill sets and professional attitudes and drive.
Therefore, VectorCSP is a collection of dedicated people with character and lots of technical competence providing services to the U.S. Government…they “Work Smart and Hard to Make Government Work Better” because they believe in it. The services we provide primarily involve program management for acquisition of military systems, and for the life-cycle support of these assets in sustainment. This involves a broad and deep understanding of 10 Integrated Logistics Support elements: (1) Supply Support, (2) Maintenance, (3) Technical Documentation, (4) Training, (5) Staffing, (6) Facilities, (7) Design Interface, (8) Computer Support, (9) Special Tools and Equipment, and (10) Packaging, Handling, Storage, and Transportation (PHS&T). Our principal clients today are the Department of Defense with emphasis toward the US Air Force and the US Navy’s NAVAIR programs; the Department of Agriculture with emphasis on the US Forest Service’s Air Tanker program; and the US Coast Guard with support for aviation and maritime assets.
Approximately 70% of our workforce are prior service members who embody the core values of their respective services: values like Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. These sets of values permeate the entire enterprise, and because they do, VectorCSP closely mirrors the dedication and work ethic of the government organizations we support. This dedication is palpable and commendable. Because of this high quality of service delivery, VectorCSP has never lost a re-competition of its contracts.
The future success of VectorCSP will hinge on our ability to remain focused on the fundamental attributes we defined at the outset, during formation. To do this, we will need to recruit and maintain a workforce of high quality professionals, with dedication and integrity, who believe in the missions of our clients, and the personal reward associated with knowing you’ve done a great job…and made a difference.
In our ongoing effort to meaningfully connect with our customers, our employees, and our communities, we have launched this blog/vlog initiative. In addition to our direct engagements and our social media presence, the VectorCSP Blog/Vlog provides an opportunity to continue to tell our story…showcasing our successes and our challenges, the helpful and actionable solutions we develop, and how our people are the real VectorCSP differentiator. We invite you to participate in this initiative by reaching out to us with questions; challenging us to always strive to be the best solution for our customers, our employees, and our communities.
Comments