At Applied Staffing, we do not believe in titles. The only person in our company who has a title is our Receptionist, whose title is “Director of First Impressions.” Other than that, we all have positions and responsibilities, in alphabetical order, as follows:

JIM ANNIS – Managing Member of the LLC

Jim graduated with high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1974. After moving to northern Nevada in 1981, he owned or was involved at a chief executive level in both small and medium-sized companies prior to opening Applied Staffing Solutions, LLC in 2002. Influenced by a combination of his experiences as an entrepreneur and 11 years in the staffing industry, Jim’s business philosophy is simple; there is joy in building a workplace which provides meaningful work, respects a balance of life for employees and fosters open communication. According to Jim, these three things are the reasons why you retain employees. It is not about money, it’s about these three things. In 2003 Jim established Applied Business Solutions (ABS), a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), which affords northern Nevada small businesses access to big company benefits and centralized HR expertise. His vision and leadership have been recognized as The Applied Companies were named one of the 2008 and 2009 Best Places to Work (EDAWN and Quantum research) and were nominated for a 2008 Distinguished Business Award in the Innovation category of the Governor’s Industry Appreciation Awards (GIAA).

Jim is committed to northern Nevada as he is a Charter member of the Rotary Club of Reno Centennial Sunset and is that club's Charter President, belongs to EDAWN (Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada), is past President of the Northern Nevada Human Resource Association, is a former Deacon at St. John's Presbyterian Church, is past Secretary of Troop 107 of the Boy Scouts of America, is past Chair of the Reno Marketing Professionals, is on the Board of Directors of Nevada works and belongs to Western Industrial Nevada (WIN). Jim also belongs to the Sparks Chamber of Commerce and has served on the board of the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce.

CECILIA ALMANZA – Director of First Impressions

Cecilia is Applied Staffing Solutions’ Director of First Impressions. With over five years of experience in the staffing industry, Cecilia’s professional and affable nature lends itself well to her primary role of customer service. Whether multitasking on the phone with clients on the switchboard or helping walk-in job seekers, Cecilia’s strong organizational skills are evident. Her mantra, “A place for everything and everything in its place,” assures clients and co-workers alike that her processes and systems afford continuity and efficiency. Cecilia’s bi-lingual skills allow Applied Staffing to thoroughly interview Spanish speaking job applicants. She also provides translation services for clients to help educate employees about company policies, procedures, and benefits, including those provided through Applied Business Solutions’ Professional Employer Organization (PEO). Cecilia believes that bridging these communication gaps not only helps ensure a successful placement, but bolsters client trust and encourages employee loyalty. Cecilia has received a certificate in Interview Training though UNR’s Continuing Education, received I9 compliance training through a corporate staffing program, and is a member of Nevada Hispanic Services.

SUSAN C. FIX – Community Liaison Partner

Susan’s twenty five years of sales and customer service experience have sharpened her communication skills, affording her clients a dedicated listener who is tuned into their needs and responds in a manner that exceeds expectations. Her sales skills have been officially recognized as Susan was named in the Top Five Finalists for “Professional Saleswoman of Nevada” in both 1995 and 2006. Over the last seventeen years, Susan has been employed in the staffing services industry, including outside sales, recruiting, direct hire and temporary placement coordination, providing employment consulting to businesses and individuals, career counseling, customer service, and supervising office administrators and placement coordinators.

Her current role is to present Applied Staffing as a resource for the community at large. She values being the connection, that bridge between the dreams, goals, and desires of the right person and the right service provider. Susan’s goal is to have each client or applicant feel that they made the right choice to go with Applied Staffing, and reinforcing their decision at every turn is her greatest reward. Susan’s reputation for getting the job done has spread throughout the community. She is involved in over a dozen organizations and programs on a volunteer basis. However, her passion is Washoe County Ready for Life, a statewide cross-agency effort to improve Nevada’s success at reengaging and graduating “ready for life” students, especially those who prematurely left high school. Youth, parents, business, community organizations, public agencies, and policy makers are working together to increase Nevada’s graduation rate 10% by 2013 to help prepare our workforce for the future. Susan represents community employers on the Executive and Steering Committees, and she is Chair of the Employment Workgroup, whose task is to assist educators and trainers connect with businesses in order to increase communication, internships, coaching/mentoring and job shadowing.

JUDY GRIGGS – Senior Staffing Partner

Judy has been with our company since its inception in 2002. With over thirteen years in the staffing industry, her current role focuses on placements, building lasting client relationships, and providing excellent customer service. Prior to coming on board at Applied Staffing Solutions, Judy was the staffing manager for a national mining personnel service, where she managed its most profitable location in Tucson, AZ for over six years. She attributes her experience as a parent as the reason she can provide career advice to job seekers with a dash of creativity and patience. Judy realizes the importance of knowing the clients’ culture and what assets would make a good employee fit. She also takes the time to listen carefully to each candidate so she can help them find their “dream” job. She believes she has an ethical responsibility to the client and the candidate to make a “perfect match,” the result of which is her biggest reward.

Since becoming Miss Reno and First Runner Up for Miss Nevada in 1964, Judy has had a passion for working with young women who desire to compete in pageants, especially those affiliated with the Miss America scholarship program. She has been a director for the Miss Washoe County pageant and currently serves as an advisor to the Miss Reno/Sparks & Miss UNR pageants. With her experience as a statewide judge paired with her staffing industry knowledge, Judy coaches local students on how to seek job opportunities, dress for success, prepare for the interview, and create a professional resume.

BRENDA HARRIS – Staffing Division Manager

As part of executive management, Brenda has unique insight into operations having performed every aspect of staffing in the Reno area including reception, interviewing, staffing, sales, and payroll. Brenda’s seventeen years in the people industry has afforded her an opportunity to “see it all” and her clients rely on that industry expertise to help overcome daily obstacles. Brenda truly knows her clients inside and out - from company culture to policy and procedure – which makes the relationship much more than a business transaction. By assisting clients with Human Resource issues, wage surveys, and job descriptions, Brenda goes well beyond a basic “staffing solution,” and even offers a strong shoulder for clients to lean on when they’re having a bad day.

Brenda invests time in the community to ensure that the Reno/Sparks area’s workforce is professional and meets employers’ needs. She volunteers for UNR’s Career Connections, TMCC’s Administrative Assistant Degree & Certificate Programs where she advises on program curriculum, and Youth Career Expos where she counsels future job seekers on appropriate interview techniques. Brenda has completed her Employment Law Accreditation Course through the American Staffing Association (ASA) and her Supervisory Management Certification through the College of Extended Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is currently working toward her Human Resource Management Certificate through the College of Extended Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, and is a member of the Northern Nevada Human Resources Association.

ROBIN LEACH - Staffing Partner

Robin says she’s “living the dream” in her work at Applied Staffing Solutions, where she provides staffing services to light industrial and call center clients. With over seven years of experience in all aspects of the call center industry, including Operations, Quality Assurance, Workforce Management, and Human Resources, Robin has the ability to think on her feet and offer a variety of viable solutions when faced with a task or problem. Her call center insight and knowledge, from tracking dash board metrics to providing floor staff motivation, assures her clients that she understands their day to day concerns and challenges. Through five years of HR experience, Robin has learned to “listen with more than her ears” so that she can find common ground and then communicate with people from all walks of life. She approaches all interactions with clients and candidates with integrity, embodying the culture at The Applied Companies of “doing the right thing” for everyone involved. With her eight years of sales management and business development experience, she is proud to represent Applied Staffing Solutions and its reputation for integrity. Robin received her certificate in Interview Training though UNR’s Continuing Education and volunteers her time and resources to the following organizations: Nevada Humane Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada, Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Reno Silver Blades.

JESSE GREGORY - Division Manager of Applied Recruiting Solutions

Jesse was recently hired as the Division Manager for Applied Recruiting Solutions. His vast knowledge of the current employment market makes him a trusted advisor when considering human-capital solutions that affect your business. One of Jesse’s key strengths is bridging the gap between “A” companies and “A” candidates in highly technical positions and industries through non-traditional means. With over fifteen years in senior-level sales management positions, Jesse has worked for start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. A visionary entrepreneur, Jesse and his wife owned a professional recruiting firm specializing in the time-compressed placement of executive level management, mid-level management, and sales executive positions in the telecommunications arena where he was Vice President of Sales. Taking his passion for the recruiting field to the next level, he authored the “Get Hired Now” career coaching series, targeted toward professional and executive level career search methodologies. Many community organizations enjoy Jesse’s leadership and volunteer efforts. He is the Founder of the Northern Nevada Staffing & Recruiters Association; a Board Director for the Better Business Bureau; Vice President of the Board of Director for Sparks Networking; Volunteer Executive Director for Building Generations; Executive Committee member and Workgroup Chairman of theWCRFL (NV Public Education Foundation); and is an active member of many chambers of commerce and other community organizations.

PAT PRENDERGAST - Business Development Partner

Pat puts her twenty three years of sales management and business development experience to work every day to the advantage of her clients. She holds Certificate of Completion as a Full Service Staffing Account Manager from International Staffing University, which attests to her in-depth knowledge in all aspects of the staffing industry. Pat is proud of the nick name that has followed her for years, “Queen of Follow-Up.” Her clients value that Pat always touches base, which lets them know that she is there even if they don’t have an immediate need. Her primary goal is to provide a level of customer service that is above and beyond anything her clients have experienced before. Pat has worked for national companies, as well as locally owned companies, and understands the challenges of owning and managing a business. Pat’s entrepreneurial experience began when she began to study and become certified in counseling at the University of Houston. After focusing on courses in personal growth and healing techniques, she became a Life Coach, and went on to write monthly columns for magazines which incorporated her expertise. She believes that this education helped her to truly listen to others’ concerns and to problem solve, which results in giving her clients the “right solution, each and every time.”

Pat is a member of the Northern Nevada Human Resources Association (NNHRA) and the Reno Business Referrals Networking Group. She sits on the Welcoming Committee of the Sparks Chamber of Commerce and the Business Builders Committee for EDAWN. Her sales achievement for a national staffing company was recognized in 2003 for most improved sales year over year and the most improved gross profit year over year.