08/25/2009

The Ten Most Intriguing People in Staffing, SI Review August 2009

One is a former NBA player who has gone from shooting hoops to helping minorities find jobs. Another broke the glass ceiling to become one of the most senior female executives in the staffing industry. And yet another got her start to what has been a 40-year career in staffing by managing a Welcome Wagon business.

It may not seem like these people would have anything in common, but they do: They were all chosen by Staffing Industry Analysts as being among the “10 Most Intriguing People in Staffing.”

SIA staff and people from outside the company submitted nominations. The final list was chosen by SIA editors and analysts after extensive discussion and debate, particularly around just what constituted “intriguing.” Certainly, part of the intrigue is related to the combination of success and an interesting personal story. But sometimes it is also related to those people who have climbed to the heights but have left most of us in the dark about how they got there and what drove their climb. In the end we decided that “intriguing” is in the eyes of the beholder. You know it when you see it. And so we offer the following as our entirely subjective opinion on the most intriguing people in staffing for 2009.

Their stories follow, in no particular order.

1. Magic Johnson Success On and Off the Court

He’s gone from shooting hoops to helping people find jobs.
Last September basketball great Earvin “Magic” Johnson launched Magic Work-force Solutions, a staffing company that focuses on helping minorities find work. And he’s discovered that helping African Americans, Asians and Hispanics land jobs is more rewarding than winning five NBA championships.

Today, Magic Workforce Solutions is in 11 states and 23 cities throughout the country.

As a ballplayer, Magic was perhaps most famous for his unselfish teamwork. During his basketball career he was as known for his amazing passing skills as his ability to score. Those skills led him to become a 12-time NBA All-Star, and win three MVP awards and an Olympic gold medal with the “dream team” in the 1992 Olympics. He has practiced these excellent teamwork skills in his career after basketball by teaming with other companies to help build communities in the inner cities and with an eye to employing diverse workers. For this newest venture, he teamed with Adecco.
Johnson’s company, Magic Johnson Enterprises, launched Magic Workforce Solutions in partnership with Adecco as a strategic alliance partner, which helps mentor and develop the company. Adecco helps Magic Workforce Solutions assess what it needs to do to move forward and also introduces the company to new customers, explains President Joyce Russell. “We at Adecco think it’s a slam dunk,” she says. “We are proud to have this alliance and work with them each and every day.”

The alliance is a perfect fit for Adecco, which also is committed to diversity, Russell points out. She says Johnson’s business philosophy also fits in well with Adecco’s motto, “Better Work, Better Life.”

Russell first met Johnson when he was speaking on Oprah. She happened to be in the audience and met Johnson as he was walking offstage. “He’s passionate. He’s a visionary. He’s humble. He’s a hard worker. He has a huge heart.”
Since leaving professional basketball Magic has not exactly gone quietly into retirement. He founded the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991 with the goal of developing programs and services to help inner city neighborhoods. And through Magic Johnson Enterprises he has built a robust business focused on serving those same inner city areas. Among his business ventures are a joint venture with Starbucks, a real estate investment and private equity fund, fitness centers, restaurants and movie theaters—all with a unique focus on serving underserved minority communities.

Magic ended up starting Magic Workforce Solutions due to a set of coincidences. In the spring of 2006 he had met a corporate CEO who told him he was frustrated because he couldn’t find enough minorities to meet the needs of his business. He had been hearing the same things from his corporate partners and other business leaders over the years and recognized the opportunity.
Sarah Davis, director of field planning and administration at Adecco, says Johnson is sincerely interested in making a difference in people’s lives. “One way he’s been able to do that is through job creation,” she says. Davis adds that Johnson is “very real. If there are 700 people in the room, he’ll make you feel like you’re the only person.”

Certainly that was the case with MWS’ President Nicole Granier-Cosme. She came to MWS from a distinguished career working with Robert Half, among other staffing firms. She met with Magic via Adecco and found that they shared a commitment, philosophy and vision. “They were the best people to start a venture,” says Granier-Cosme.
MWS has now been in business three business quarters, and Granier-Cosme says the company is timed perfectly. “People want change, and we’ve been extremely well received,” she relates.

MWS’ strategy is to deliver on their promise, and then overdeliver, empower the community and focus on operational excellence.

Where is Magic Workforce Solutions headed in the future?

Granier-Cosme envisions MWS as the premier human capital provider to companies who are seeking a more diverse and inclusive workforce. She also says that MWS has a goal to serve as a Managed Service Provider. Continued strategic alliances are a key part of strategy as well.