Leaders Meet to Plan Path to Success for 2025

A group of nearly 40 leaders from throughout the company met earlier this month in Atlanta to plan the path to success for 2025.  Two days of intensive discussions, planning, and networking laid the groundwork for moving the company forward in the new year.  

Paul Quentel, our company’s CEO and the organizer of the event, stated the intent of the meeting was to bring the group of leaders together “because business is all about people. Relationships yield understanding and understanding leads to trust.  Gathering together in one room is important in building these valuable relationships.”  

That sentiment was shared by everyone in attendance.  Leaders from all levels, departments, and across the company’s footprint who can rarely gather in person found that the two days of meetings provided the perfect opportunity for connecting and networking.

Drew Langston, State Director for South Carolina, stated, “Sometimes due to the nature of our work and our large footprint, the organization can inevitably feel a little disjointed. I hoped to be able to connect with other State Directors and leaders throughout the organization to gain a greater sense of unity in our overall goals for the company. I enjoyed connecting with guys like Torrey Jones, Jordon DiVincenti, Josh Van Horn, and many others to learn what is working for them and how they have handled some challenges in their states. The meeting exceeded my expectations and motivated me to carry the positive momentum back to South Carolina.”

Reese Hannon echoed Drew’s sentiment about connection.  “My goal for the SLT off-site meeting was to connect with team members from across the organization and set the direction for 2025. We have such great people at CWS and the meetings where a great opportunity to learn more about our people. I really enjoyed getting know people on a more personal level. This was also a great opportunity to share the Shared Service plan for this year. Since we are so decentralized, we lose sight of what other parts of the organization are working on, and I appreciated the opportunity to share our team’s plan. We got a lot of good feedback and look forward to collaborating with the teams throughout this year and beyond!”

Brady Graves took a different view to the gathering.  “The main accomplishment that I had in mind was to better understand what a typical day looks like for the other departments at CWS/CMS. I have always felt that the Ops team is usually booked up solid from sunup to sundown and it's hard to find a moment to slow down for any of the other departments' wants or needs. I wanted to better understand what the other departments have going on and what their expectations are as well, so that my team and I can do a better job working with everyone and accomplishing the same goals faster and more efficiently. Taking the time to delve into a typical day for the other departments really helped build continuity within the teams.”

While individual team meetings and joint departmental meetings were held to discuss more specific topics, an “all hands” meeting, led by Paul, focused on the company as a whole.   First and most importantly, Paul announced that he has accepted the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position on a permanent basis.  “I am excited to announce that after having served as Interim CEO since August, Keystone has offered me the position permanently and I gratefully accepted.”  A round of applause and several words of congratulations were shared upon the news.  

Other topics included:

• A review of 2024 financials
• A summary of 2024 successes
• 2025 forecasts
• Key objectives for the year
• Introduction of our new Core Values
• How to achieve our 2025 Plan

“There are those ‘torpedoes’ that can certainly put holes in our plan,” warned Paul.  “Things like compliance and safety incidences, non-performance with the client, and lack of integrity.  But with hard wok and commitment, we can avoid those.  We will also focus on leadership, execution, and being worthy of each other’s and our client’s trust.  Let's earn each other’s trust - with honesty, transparency, performance, and having each other’s’ back.”

The entire 2-day gathering was a positive experience for everyone.  While everyone left with different plans and ideas, the overall feelings of positivity, excitement, and confidence were certainly felt and discussed among the leaders.

“When I left on Wednesday, I felt a sense of both excitement and responsibility,” said Katie Lay, our People & Culture Business Partner.   “There is a lot of potential for growth, but I also understand the challenges that come with formalizing our processes. I felt energized by the idea that we’re at a turning point where we can create an environment that balances structure with our company’s culture. I’m excited about the opportunities to support our teams as we build these policies, but I also feel the responsibility to make sure the changes are implemented in a way that feels smooth and not overwhelming for the operations team.”

Torrey Jones, State Director for Alabama, noted that “It was exciting to learn that Paul is now our full time CEO, that there are strategies in place to increase cash flow, as well as optimizing operations.”

“I left the meeting with a determined mindset and great feeling about the people at this company,” said VP of Operations, Brady Graves.  “I know what I'm fighting for and who is fighting alongside me at every level. I have always preached a team first mentality and that we are a family at CWS. I believe the interactions that took place at the meetings further proved that we all share the same mindset, and we are going to have an amazing year in 2025.”

Though many of the plans and processes will be rolled out over time, more communication will be coming soon!  Stay tuned!