In an effort to learn the strategies employed by New Jersey companies that have been able to buck recent trends by succeeding in a tumultuous state and national economy, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno has been making the rounds as part of her fastest growing businesses tour.
Her most recent stop: Monmouth County and DIVERSANT, a national IT staffing and solutions firm and Minority Business Enterprise headquartered in Red Bank.
On Wednesday, Guadagno, serving as the state’s acting governor in support of an out-of-town Gov. Chris Christie, learned about how DIVERSANT had grown from its 2005 founding to a company with roughly 600 consultants working throughout the country and $100 million in revenues.
“We wanted to focus on different parts of the state and different growth industries," Guadagno said. "IT is one of the fastest growing fields with something like 2 percent unemployment and (DIVERSANT) is a minority-owned business,” Guadagno said following her tour of the company’s Tinton Falls offices. “(DIVERSANT) is a perfect combination. This is a great New Jersey story and a great business story.”
DIVERSANT CEO Gene Waddy said the company specializes in IT solutions and staff augmentation. DIVERSANT, an African American-owned business, also offers direct hiring, employment search opportunities and diversity training. With offices not only in Monmouth County but also in New York City, Philadelphia and Charlotte, NC, Waddy said DIVERSANT has been able to succeed and grow by separating itself from its competition.
And with a stacked employee pool right here in Monmouth County, Waddy said it only makes sense to continue to grow the business in New Jersey.
“We spend a lot of time researching the business and developing a set of values that allow us to offer many different services,” he said. “We’ve been able to grow the firm by being good at what we do.”
Waddy said he believes Guadagno understands the challenges facing the state’s businesses and is receptive to the needs — and suggestions — of those operating within the private sector.
Guadagno said the tour, similar to the 100 business tour she held last year, is intended to reinforce the governor’s commitment to growing businesses in New Jersey. Employment programs, financial assistance, and private enterprise partnerships are just some of the tools businesses throughout the state can use, not only to continue doing business in New Jersey, but thrive.
