Pros
The company has hired several new department managers in 2014, and the team really seems to be gelling. Despite the long hours that are typical in the government contracting industry, everyone seems highly committed to success and believes that the company's best days are just ahead. The board strongly supports the company's management team, with a 6-year board member stepping in this spring to serve as acting COO. The caliber of professionals joining the company is remarkable. Leadership is refocused on emphasizing the values and behaviors that made the company a fast-growing market leader in its early days. Many of the best program managers who have been here for a few years are seeing opportunities for new and expanded responsibilities. Much of the "churn" caused by the departure of the former CEO and several managers who he had hired has subsided, and we've returned to a sense of stability with a focus on growth and employee engagement. Customers including the IRS are giving us the highest performance ratings and trusting us with expanded assignments, so that's proof we're good work that our customers value.
Cons
There are still challenges -- nothing that can't be addressed. Former managers let processes deteriorate and delayed some investments, but these are being rectified at a mature pace. The government continues to cut budgets, and that affects MOST government contractors, not just us. But we're bidding on work that we're highly qualified for, and we've cut many internal costs so we're more cost-effective than ever.