Jerry

Director of Enterprise Technology Sourcing and Acquisition, Information Technology

How did you begin your career at West? How did you advance through the company? What's made you successful?
I began my tenure at West in January of 1995 as a staff accountant and shortly after was promoted to Senior Staff Accountant. In 1996, I was promoted to Assistant Controller, and in 1998, I was promoted to Controller for West Interactive (WIC). In January 2002, I had the opportunity to go to work for West Corporation in our Appleton, WI location. As a Controller there, I gained a lot of diverse experience. After three years in that position, I moved back to Omaha as the Director of Enterprise Telecom Expenditures, where I was in charge of helping negotiate contracts with our telephony providers enterprise-wide. In 2008, the Sr. Vice President of EIT approached me to join his team to help negotiate both corporate telephony and IT contracts.

What do you love about your job?
I like doing the deals, getting them done. I really enjoy when I can save the company money and ultimately add value to the bottom line.

What's the best thing about working here? What makes you proud to work for West?
It's a fast-paced environment. No two days are the same. I think that at West you can have a very good career path. I feel like I've been treated fairly. Also, you have opportunities to have a change in focus. Over the past 13 years, I've been able to work in four different divisions. I've had the opportunity to work on things that are fresh and new to me.

In your opinion, how is working at West different that working at other companies?
Right now, there are only a handful of big companies in Omaha where I could do what I'm currently doing. I enjoy working for a larger company because it offers more opportunities. The West management team has consistently produced strong financial results year after year.

What would you tell someone who was thinking of beginning a career with West? What does it take to succeed here?
They need the ability to multitask. If a candidate is going to work with one of the technology companies (like WIC), they really need some technical acumen. They also have to be willing to learn new things because so many different technologies are deployed across the various operating units of the enterprise.

How has West's management team shaped your experience? What kind of support have they provided you? What has been most valuable about your interaction with the management team(s)?
I've been very fortunate in having good mentors who have taught me valuable business skills throughout my career at West. The management team at West has provided opportunities, insight, and challenges. Over the years, I had the support of management that allowed me to make decisions that ultimately helped me succeed.