Outsource held its inaugural National Sales Conference in Los Angeles earlier this year. The three-day event was attended by a group of more than 60 employees, comprised of company executives, management, and our highest-performing salespeople.

CEO John Lowell called the event “the highlight of my professional career.” He added, “This was the first time having our most productive people together to discuss the company mission and it was a really impressive gathering. The conference was well organized, focused, and leadership was very prepared.”

Organized by President Steve Ebenhack and Vice President of Operations Sam Jarvis, the goal was to utilize Outsource’s core values, ask the tough questions, and take a top-down look at what was working and what could be improved on a national scale in order to establish best practices for the company.

Steve says, “We’re at a point where we have the resources, the people, and a solid executive team where we feel comfortable taking our top sales people off the field in order to bring them together for an event like this. By the end of the conference, we wanted to make sure our people understand what tools they have at they disposal and they know how to leverage them so they could go back to their respective markets and utilize them to their benefit.”

National Sales Manager Jake Durkee, who spent 20 weeks last year traveling to offices all over the country, was named “MVP of 2016” at the conference. He says, “Steve and Sam put together an excellent agenda and it really drove home what want to achieve as a company going forward. It was fantastic and I think it exceeded everyone’s expectations.”

Regional Manager Michael Lippert was one of the managers in attendance. He says, “We were able to address and solve some bottleneck issues by embracing open and honest collaboration between salespeople, management, and executives. It’s so powerful when you can get everyone in a single room and focus on ways to improve the company. I was a great reminder of how strong the company’s culture is. There was a lot of brainpower in the room.”

Houston Branch Leader Rocky Montoney echoed Michael’s sentiment, saying, “Looking around, I was impressed by the group of people who had gathered in one room. You see how dedicated, intelligent, and motivated the people are who work at Outsource—everyone is focused on shaping the company to became as great as it can be. It says a lot about the Executives and what they’ve been able to do here.”

Thanks to everyone who was in attendance for making the inaugural National Sales Conference such a huge success!

The International Security Conference & Exposition – also known as ISC West – is the largest event in the U.S. for the physical security industry, covering Access Control, Alarms & Monitoring, Biometrics, IP Security, Video Surveillance / CCTV, Networked Security Products and more. Each year, ISC West hosts over 1,000 international and domestic security product manufacturer companies, making ISC West the largest exhibition hall in North America for Security.

The show was held at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas and provided nearly 30,000 security professionals from all segments of the industry with the latest products, solutions and insights. Outsource has consistently maintained a strong presence at ISC West, which stands as the premiere event to showcase why Outsource is the leading wired systems staffing firm in the United States.

Outsource was represented by our strongest team to date that included President Steve Ebenhack, Vice President of Sales Shawn Dale, National Sales Manager Jake Durkee, Phoenix Branch Manager Dustin McMullen, providing Outsource with a national presence at the event.

The team took full advantage of the event, capitalizing on existing relationships with an influx of companies who are moving into the profitable security sector. Jake Durkee says, “This is a great opportunity for our people as we are seeing an increase in demand for mid- and low-level technicians. Our clients want to develop techs at a more aggressive rate and as a result, we’re expanding beyond our brick and mortar locations to dig into security markets on a national scale.”

This is great news for Outsource technicians who will have new opportunities to develop and expand their skill sets, allowing them to grow into the new roles that are becoming available in the security sector. It’s also an excellent opportunity for those interested in learning a skilled trade. Outsource’s Field Employee Training Program provides quality entry-level low-voltage installers to our clients around the country. The introduction of a robust and well-designed program for entry-level training is free of charge, done onsite at Outsource, and is complete in only four (4) days.

Congratulations to our 2017 ISC West Team for another fantastic event!

Florida continues to be hot spots for Outsource. In addition to the company’s new 1,200 ft2 office in Tampa, the branch has hired two new Recruiters and advanced two leading team members.

Pat Carey, who started the Tampa branch and oversees the company’s growth in Florida, has been promoted to Branch Leader, while Lane Dodson has been promoted from Recruiter to Account Manager. Savanna Requena and Pauline Miller, both recently hired as Recruiters, will add essential support to the team as they expand Outsource’s structured cabling, electrical, and building integration staffing business in Florida.

Pat continues to capitalize on new construction and building across the state with a goals of having a total of four Recruiters in place and to add yet another salesperson to the team by the end of 2017. The ultimate goal is to leader a team of three Account Managers and six Recruiters.

Lane, meanwhile, has jumped right into his new role and says, “It’s great getting in front of new and prospective customers. Pat did an excellent job of laying the groundwork for me. Tampa is busy, construction is still going strong, and we’re maintaining our momentum.”

By all reports, the new Recruiters are also making positive strides. According to Lane, “They’re picking up on their responsibilities, developing an understanding of company norms, and I can see that they’re more confident in the decisions they make. It’s great to see them moving in the right direction.”

Lane began his career with Outsource at our Denver office and was able to gain experience working with a variety of clients and industries. Transferring to his hometown of Tampa, Lane now focuses on applying what he learned in the Denver market and his time recruiting in Tampa into his new role representing Outsource out in the field.

He says, “I feel good about where the market is going. “I’m seeing a new side of the business. It’s more personal. I enjoy getting in front of clients, getting to know about their projects and their needs. Tampa is my hometown, I’m in this business for the long haul, and I take my reputation seriously.”

Congratulations to Pat and Lane on their new promotions and keep up the good work, Tampa!

Like many of the world’s leading companies, Outsource understands how important is to reward our top performers and those team members who have distinguished themselves by helping the company achieve success year after year.

“The Cancun Rewards Trip is our best team building event of the year. It gives us the opportunity to recognize top performers and celebrate the culture of Outsource. Given our national presence, it lets our people connect with coworkers who are separated geographically.”

This year’s trip to the Royal Playa del Carmen in Cancun was a blast and a great way for everyone to relax, unwind, and celebrate what we’ve been able to accomplish as a company.

CEO John Lowell says, “The Cancun trip is a lot like a family reunion. We work together all year, in different cities, across different time zones, through email, and conference calls, so it’s a great opportunity see each other face to face. Even though we have some drinks and a lot of fun, it’s also a rare opportunity to have the company’s top performers all in one location. Naturally, we discuss plans for the upcoming year and a lot of good comes out of it.”

Check our some of the pictures from this year’s trip. We’re looking forward to 2018!!!

Outsource is in business because our technicians are out working in the field, so we wanted to take the opportunity to recognize Norm Taylor, a Cable and Fiber Technician who has been working with Outsource for 15 years.

Norm began working for using our Los Angeles office while going to school for his certification in fiber optics and audio/visual equipment. He is one of the first technicians to sign on to Outsource and his hard work and knowledge of the wiring industry helped establish our reputation for providing the most reliable and highly trained technicians available.

“It’s been great working for Outsource,” Norm says. “You get a chance to work with a variety of companies and learn the different techniques they use in the field. You might even find a company that you’re really comfortable working with, which could lead to a long-term opportunity.”

While working at Outsource is not only a great way to make money, we also provide technicians with an opportunity for growth, career development, steady work, and opportunities that they might not otherwise have. Norm is a prime example of how one can build a career with Outsource and he has been hired for full-time positions on two separate occasions.

“If you’re a dedicated person and you want to learn the trade, I highly recommend contacting Outsource” he says. “They’ve always treated me fairly, they always find work for me, and they offer competitive wages. Even if you plan on relocating to another state, they have offices all across the country and can start finding you work right away.”

Outsource is always looking for new field technicians and we serve a variety of industries. We offer one week’s worth of cable training at no charge and all of our trainees will have terminated well over 100 voice and data jacks by the time they are released to the field.

We train our technicians at our corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, a 4,000 square foot drop ceiling facility that creates an ideal setting for pulling cable. Each trainee that finishes the course is outfitted with a 110/66 punch tool, snips, hard hat, safety glasses, and blue t-shirts to wear on our client’s jobsites.

Thanks for your continued dedication to Outsource, Norm!

Outsource continues to grow its structured cabling, electrical, and building integration staffing business in Texas with the expansion of its new San Antonio office. The new office reinforces our national reputation as an industry leader and strengthens our position in Texas, with offices in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.

San Antonio has thrived under the leadership of Robert Lozada, who headed up the office after serving only eight months as a Recruiter. He and current Recruiter Gabe Cardona established a foothold in the city and the office quickly grew, expanding to its new location in only two years.

The new office will incorporate the color scheme and logo unique to Outsource offices. It includes an open area for Recruiters to work, an office for an Account Manager, a break room/kitchen, and a conference room that will be ideal for meeting with clients and interviewing field personnel.

The new office will also include custom electric desks that move up and down, allowing Recruiters a choice of working either sitting or standing. Inspired by the idea after seeing Gabe standing and working the phones, Outsource President Steve Ebenhack promised the new office would have electric desks and he delivered.

The San Antonio expansion allows for future hires, starting with a second Recruiter. They will join a strong team in Texas already taking advantage of opportunities emerging across all verticals Outsource serves. Robert says, “We’re really excited about the move. It’s been two years in the making and shows the fruits of the company’s labor. Now we get to firmly cement the Outsource flag in San Antonio. The 2-1-0.”

Outsources continued to be a major presence at the IEC Con, which was held October 26 – 29, 2016 in San Antonio, Texas at the San Antonio Convention Center & Marriott Riverwalk. This year’s “Conduit to Profit” Expo brought together over 1,300 electrical professionals from around the country and once again proved to be an excellent opportunity for manufacturers, distributors, and service providers to showcase their products and services to IEC members.

IEC Con 2016 delivered on a grand scale with cutting-edge education sessions, networking opportunities, and an interactive expo. As Associate Members of IEC, the company was represented by three of Outsource’s leaders in Texas (left to right in photo): Sales/Account Managers Robert Lozada (San Antonio) and Jordan Tindall (Dallas), as well as Houston Branch Manager Rocky Montoney. Rocky says, “It was great to have a solid Texas contingency at IEC Con. We really appreciate all of our clients that stopped by to say ‘hello’ and it was great to meet prospective clients who we look forward to following up with in the New Year.”

Established in 1957, IEC is a trade association representing more than 3,000 members with 51 chapters nationwide. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., IEC is the nation’s premier trade association representing America’s independent electrical and systems contractors. IEC National aggressively works with the industry to establish a competitive environment for the merit shop – a philosophy that promotes the concept of free enterprise, open competition, and economic opportunity for all.
The 2017 IEC Con will be held October 25 – 28, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Outsource is proud to announce that Jake Durkee, Andrew Scarano, and Blaine Monteau have all recently celebrated their five-year anniversaries with the company. These milestones are not only a testament to their individual achievements and commitment to Outsource, but they also demonstrate the solid foundation the company has built over the years.

“It feels great,” Jake says, “and the time has really flown by. I started out as ‘the young kid’ in the company and it’s been very fulfilling to grow into a senior leadership position in the organization. This doesn’t happen organically at most companies.”

Jake was the first fully dedicated Inside Sales Rep at Outsource and later became the first pure Business Development Manager in the company before being promoted to National Sales Manager in December 2014. During his tenure, the company’s market presence has grown at an annual rate of 30%.

During Andrew’s career here, he has worked at both Outsource and our sister company Skyhawk, but today he is entirely focused on running Outsource’s largest cabling division as an Account Manager in Los Angeles. He initially started in our Phoenix office as a Recruiter, accepting the position because of “the potential to move up quickly within the organization.”

Andrew says, “I’ve made great friends working here and have really grown a lot professionally. I’ve learned how to effectively manage people and to handle highly stressful situations with composure. It’s been a great experience and I feel like I’ve found a home at Outsource.”

Blaine also started his career at Outsource as a Recruiter, working in the Houston office where he successfully started and developed the cabling and electrical market before moving to the Los Angeles where he now serves as an Account Manager in our largest and most profitable market. He accepted a position at Outsource because he wanted “the opportunity to contribute to the growth of the company at such an early part of my career.”

Blaine also recognizes the importance of the support provided by a tight network of colleagues: “Teamwork is ingrained in the culture at Outsource. No one is able to achieve successful all on his or her own. You are only as good as the people around you. Everyone here works extremely hard and we get along really well as a team. It’s a combination that breeds success.”

These guys have contributed greatly to the company’s expansion across the country and we’re grateful for their continued dedication. To commemorate their five-year milestone, Blaine, Andrew, and Jake each received a TAG Heuer watch. Jake says, “It’s a great gesture that John doesn’t have to do, but he does because he cares about his people. He wants them to be here for the long run.”