Initially, Pam thought she would take a 9-month break from “climbing the corporate ladder” by taking a short contract with Trissential. Twelve years later and still with Trissential, this Senior Business Consulting Manager has never been happier! Meet Pam DeGrote.
What makes you excited to start work each day?
A combination of the people I work with and the variety in the work I do. Each day can bring new and different challenges and very few days are alike.
What’s your biggest motivation in life?
Doing the stuff I love and spending time with the people I love. My morning coffee cup says “Do what you love, Love what you do”. That motto is important to me. I feel we spend too much time at work not to enjoy it. Therefore the time I spend working needs to nourish my attitude and intellect to allow me more enjoyment away from work.
What is the most important accomplishment of your career?
I don’t know about the most important, but I would say my most memorable accomplishment was when I was able to implement a Project Management Organization (PMO) overcoming many cultural challenges. The PMO we built was the most talented I have been a part of. We matured the people and the organization to a point where an outside firm (Trissential) came in to assess our people, process, and technology and gave us the highest maturity rating they had ever given to an organization. We were held up as a role model for other organizations in our region.
What do you do when you are not working?
I spend a lot of time on home improvement projects. For rest and relaxation, my husband and I enjoy the RV life. Hitting the road in our RV and just getting away from everything and enjoying our country’s scenic view.
What was your inspiration to enter the technology field?
I was introduced to computer programming in high school and I enjoyed it a lot. I think it was a natural extension of my love for puzzles, especially the logic type of puzzles. When thinking about college, I met with some teachers and family friends and decided to pursue Computer Programming as a career.
Who is your biggest hero?
I would have to say, my mom. She grew up in a very different era than I, one where women were expected to get married, have kids, and be homemakers. Although she got married at a very young age and raised 5 children, she also worked outside the home, which was not typical of that time in our country’s history. She showed me that through hard work, dedication, strong work ethics, a positive attitude, and faith I could accomplish anything.
What’s the best part about being a Project Manager?
Torn between the people and teamwork/team building aspects and the variety of work. I can work on an IT project one day, and then a Facilities project another, and then an Organizational Change project the next
How would you describe Trissential in five words or less?
“Trusted Partner to our Clients”
“Flexible, Adaptable, Supportive, Empowering”
What would you be doing if you hadn’t gone into technology consulting?
I would be directing a PMO somewhere. When I started at Trissential, I needed a break from climbing the corporate ladder. Trissential assigned me to a 9-month contract and we expected that would be it, I would get that 9 months break and then go back into a company and be a client of Trissential rather than an employee. Twelve years later, I am extremely happy to say I remained an employee!
