Convergint Technologies may be a billion dollar company today, but it started from humble beginnings: a basement in the suburbs of Chicago. From that snowy first day of business in 2001, the company has grown without interruption, both organically and via acquisition. Paramount to its growth strategy is a belief in the value of maintaining a positive company culture, and this has remained true for both Convergint’s organic growth as well as its growth by acquisition. In a Forbes article written by Jay Sullivan, titled “Culture Is King: 3 Ways To Keep Culture Alive During Corporate Mergers,” Convergint CEO Ken Lochiatto is interviewed about the importance of culture at Convergint Technologies, and what he believes are some key strategies to keep a company culture thriving.
"But you can’t just talk about the culture; you have to live it.
One of the company’s acquisitions in the last few years had a benefits plan that didn’t match the value of Convergint’s. It was a small company with 50 employees and EBITDA of roughly $1 million. Transitioning all the employees to Convergint’s plan immediately would cost $300,000, lowering the value of the deal by 30% in the short term. Switching them to the better plan immediately was more in line with the firm’s culture and was simply the right thing to do. The increased value to the new colleagues was tremendous. The increased value to the company is the long-term benefit of having everyone understand and appreciate the company’s commitment to doing the right thing.”
~ Jay Sullivan, Forbes
Watch Convergint’s Culture in Action
Living Convergint’s Culture: The Ken LaChance Fund
Convergint lives out its Values & Beliefs through many different initiatives, and the Ken LaChance Colleague Emergency Fund, featured in the Forbes article, is a great example of one of them. The conception and creation of the fund is dedicated to the memory and life of Ken LaChance, for his contribution to Convergint and unwavering support of colleagues. The sole purpose of the fund is to provide financial assistance to colleagues who are experiencing unforeseeable economic hardship due to emergency situations, and many colleagues have been given grants to help them through unexpected difficult times.
