One of the greatest benefits of LinkedIn and other social media platforms
is that it gives us the opportunity to stay in touch and follow the success of
individuals who began their careers at United Computer Group: our interns and alumni. These individuals
joined UCG full of potential and energy. It wasn't long before they became
strong contributors bringing fresh ideas and building client relationships, all
the while learning business strategies that would eventually support their
growth into successful careers.
As business owners, of course we would prefer to keep our best employees
forever, like UCG VP Mike Powall with over 20 years, and 12+ year veteran
Vladimir Capitanov. Still, we encourage our employees to go after their dreams
and find their true passion in life, whether here at UCG or in a different
industry. Today's article is the first in a series of interviews, UCG Alumni Success Stories, conducted by our marketing consultant,
Francine Ciaccia, of MoMo Companies Ltd. We are pleased and honored to introduce Margie Martyn, Ph.D. Margie, thank you for being a part of UCG's success!
Margie Martyn, Ph.D.
President at Harold Washington College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago
 |
| Margie Martyn, Ph.D. |
Margie has been an educator and administrator in higher education for
eighteen years. She is experienced in the areas of strategic planning,
budgeting, accreditation, assessment, international programs, curriculum
development, online learning and leveraging technology in teaching and
learning, information services and adult learning.
Margie
specializes in strategic planning, enrollment management and student retention,
accreditation, assessment, online learning, and international programs.
Margie, when did
you meet Jim Kandrac and how did it come to be that he offered you employment
at UCG?
It was 1992 and I was working for the owners of the building where his
company was located doing some clerical and bookkeeping work. I think he
noticed that I had some good "customer service skills" and saw
potential in me, so he offered me a position in marketing and business
development. He told me that "my voice smiled on the phone" and
it's funny because I wrote that in a cover letter for my next job and that is
how I was able to enter the world of higher education.
That’s
fantastic; you were being interviewed by Jim all the while and didn't realized
it! Please tell me about some of the most satisfying responsibilities and tasks
you were involved with.
 |
| Margie Martyn, 1992 |
I spent a lot of time on sales too. It's a great lesson for every single
person to learn. I recommend that everyone work in sales at least for two to
three years. You learn the value of persistence, of being told no, and how to turn
a no into yes. During my time at UCG, I worked diligently, formed a
relationship and closed a partnership deal with a very large global company
that sold computers, parts and accessories. It made me realize
that persistence is often rewarded with success!
You definitely
began by learning the most valuable
lesson: it’s all about the relationships. At the time, UCG was a five-year old
tech company. What did you learn about the world of technology?
During that time I learned so much about the power of computers and how
they can be used for communication and marketing. Jim had me write a newsletter
about our products in Microsoft Word and I had never really used computers much
before. I remember him showing me how to use one of the original Web search
tools, Mosaic. I also learned a lot about the products that we sold (I/O
devices) which allowed PC printers to connect to IBM AS400s and System 36
mainframe computers. I didn't even know what a mainframe computer was, never
dreaming that in the future, I would share
with my students many examples about their use in business.
Jim sent me and another employee on our first business trip to Salt Lake
City to visit I-O Corporation. I had never traveled for business and it was a
wonderful experience to meet the vendor, learn about our products, and better
understand how important vendor relationships were as well.
It sounds like you had a very fulfilling work
and life experience at UCG. What did you enjoy most about working there?
The thing I liked best was learning from Jim. He is a bundle of energy,
and is so focused. Each day he would come in excited to sell our products and
to see how UCG could improve. He expected 120% from us all of the time and we
loved delivering it. He was a lot of fun too. There were many times that we
would laugh and have fun while we problem solved on how to increase our sales.
I learned the value of being part of a team and how much we needed each
other, and how much we could accomplish together. I learned what a great leader
looks like (Jim). He or she is driven, competitive, tough and kind. Jim
expected a lot of us, but he rewarded us too. We got a percentage of our sales
and it taught us that if we worked hard and helped the company do well, we did
well too. He cared about our growth as employees and as people.
It occurs to
me that at the time, Jim was only in his early 30’s. Some people are just born
leaders!
That was so impressive to me as well. I also want to mention that after I
left UCG, Jim kept in touch with me over the years. He wrote a very kind
recommendation letter which I used in my application for the
Baldwin-Wallace University MBA program. He also took the time to present to some of my classes at Baldwin-Wallace University years later.
Baldwin-Wallace University MBA program. He also took the time to present to some of my classes at Baldwin-Wallace University years later.
What was your
most valuable take-away when you left UCG to join Baldwin-Wallace College?
I started at Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, OH as an Internship
Coordinator in the Career Services department. My biggest takeaway was
that you can't be afraid to learn new things and the only way to get ahead is by
being a quick learner and through hard work. This reminds me of a saying that
my current supervisor says (Chancellor of City Colleges of Chicago) which is
that "You need to work hard. And if that doesn't work, work harder."
What advice do
you have for individuals looking to set or adjust their career path?
The best advice is to cast your net far and wide. Check with your college to see if there is a
career services department. If so, go
there and make sure that they know you what you are looking for. Add your
resume to their resume database. Go to as many networking events that you
can. A lot of schools have them at their
colleges, where companies come and meet students either formally or
informally. Ask for business cards and then send a professionally written email
thanking the person for their time and reminding him or her that you are
looking for an internship. Attend free career fairs in your city and network
there.
Create a professional LinkedIn account that shows your experience and
background. Check all of your social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and take
down anything that does not reflect a professional persona.
Do research on companies in your area to understand their mission, values,
and goals. Take these names to your Career Services Department to see if there
are relationships with the companies or see if they would be willing to reach
out to them. Do volunteer work in the meantime to show that you are willing to
work hard. Bottom line: Don't wait for
the opportunity to come to you; go out
and get it!
Margie lives in
Chicago with her husband Scott, who also works at the City Colleges of Chicago
at the District Office in the Office of Strategy and Center of Excellence. They
have three children, one grandchild and two
more on the way. In their spare time, they enjoy participating in Chicago 5k
running races and the Chicago triathlon.
Learn more about Margie Martyn by visiting her LinkedIn profile.
Learn more about United Computer
Group, Inc. and its Founder
& President, James A. Kandrac.
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