VSE Corporation
Company: VSE Corporation, Alexandria, VA
Company Description: VSE Corporation has 50 years of providing diversified professional services utilizing cutting-edge core competencies to assist all federal and civil agencies. In 2008 and 2009, VSE was named the #1 One Government Contractor (small) in the U.S. In 2010 VSE was named the #1 Growth Company (Large) by ACG Capital and 2009 Washington Post.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Corporate Communicator of the Year
Nomination Title: Sylvia Gethicker, Corporate Communications Director
1. Tell the story about what this nominee achieved since January 1 2009 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
Three years ago Sylvia Gethicker came aboard a 48-year old company making $263M
(800 employees) that had no prior history of Communications/Marketing. After
one year Forbes named VSE the 4th best small business in America. In 2008 and
2009 GovExec Magazine listed VSE as the #1 Best Small government contractor
in U.S. VSE revenues increased to $1B in 2008 and 2009 with 2,600 employees in
100+ locations around the world. Since 2007 she single-handedly services VSE
and its three subsidiaries with all print ads, radio campaigns, DC metro-rail
campaign, brochures, folders, and other marketing material. She also solely
organizes a magazine (including layout and 90% of writing) six-times a year;
annual report; generates all press releases; Communication Plans; organizes
annual and quarterly senior leader meetings; monthly employee photo contest;
all sales and recruiting tradeshow activity and premiums; clothing/store; web
site; videos; intranet; outdoor campaigns; Veterans Connection newsletter;
Small business connection newsletter. She also coordinates 15 different
external company Comm Departments (including Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, General
Dynamics) on $2.5 Billion Naval Ship Transfer and Repair Team headed by VSE.
She serves as the corporate spokesperson and VSE does not use the aid of an
outside PR firm whatsoever except for crisis communications. She only has the
use of two part-time college interns who collectively work 28 hours a week.
2. List hyperlinks to any online work samples, news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
Employee intranet sitehttp://vse.vsecorp.com/index.html; VSE web site
http://www.vsecorp.com/; Corporate magazine
http://www.vsecorp.com/investor/newsletter.html ; press releases
http://www.vsecorp.com/investor/newsbriefs.asp ; annual report
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MzgzNzN8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM=&t=1 NSTAR web site and team
http://nstar.vsecorp.com/team.html ; Marketing videos
http://www.vsecorp.com/about/videos.html ; VSE utube
https://action.vsecorp.com/vsecares/ ; recruiting videos
http://www.vsecorp.com/about/afewgood.html
http://www.vsecorp.com/about/greatplace.html
3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the nominee:
Sylvia Gethicker began work in the PR and Communications field in 1977 when she
joined the U.S. Marine Cops as photojournalist. She served in the Marines for
20 years. Afterwards she became a full-time comedianne until 2004 when she was
a senior account manager for Devillier Communications. She has been the
Communications Director for the VSE Corporation since Feb 2007. She serves on
the local Chamber Board of Directors, local food bank and is President of the
DC Chapter of the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association.