Company: Engage PEO, Hollywood, FL
Company Description: Engage PEO delivers comprehensive HR solutions to small and mid-sized businesses, sharpening their competitive advantage. Comprised of the industry’s most respected veteran professional employer organization executives, certified HR professionals and attorneys, Engage PEO provides hands-on, expert HR services and counsel to help clients minimize cost and maximize efficiency for stronger
Nomination Category: Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Executive of the Year - Business Services

Nomination Title: Jay Starkman, CEO

Tell the story about what this nominated executive has achieved since January 1, 2014 (up to 650 words). Describe the impact he or she has had on your organization. Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms.

In 2014, Jay Starkman accomplished “the American Business Dream,” taking a company that he formed from nothing just three years earlier and transforming it into a viable, profitable enterprise that is now among the fastest growing companies in the country. This accomplishment, which culminated in 2014 with the company’s first profitable year, is something that so many entrepreneurs aspire to do but few execute.

In 2011, after more than two decades marked by substantial achievement, Jay surveyed the current state of the Professional Employer Organization (PEO) industry and didn’t like much of what he saw. Jay, who dedicated much of his career efforts to building this industry, now found an industry that was made up of PEOs that were myopically focused on the bottom line, slashing operating costs wherever possible: off-shoring jobs, eliminating service offerings and cutting corners – all to the detriment of clients. In response, Jay re-entered the industry and set out to build a new kind of PEO where quality service would be the driving focus. That PEO is Engage.

Under Jay’s leadership, Engage is now the fastest growing PEO and among the fastest growing of any company in the country, achieving 170% revenue growth in 2014 and over 1,200% in the last two years. The company’s significant growth is attributable to Jay’s laser-sharp focus on growth, customer satisfaction and the “expect more” culture he conceived.

Jay launched Engage in January 2012 with no clients and no revenue. Jay served as CEO, CFO, fund-raiser, head of marketing and Engage’s sole sales person as he carefully hand-picked his executive team. By virtue of his reputation as a visionary and leader who is completely committed to success, Jay successfully recruited highly experienced professionals at all levels to grow and service Engage’s client base. In 2014, Jay grew Engage’s sales force to 12 of the industry’s best and expanded the company’s geographic footprint to Florida, Georgia, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Arizona and California, currently serving clients with employees in 45 states.

Under Jay, Engage is now a profitable company. In 2014, Engage became one of the top 5% of all PEOs in terms of size. Only three years after launch, Engage is servicing over 200 very satisfied clients and providing PEO benefits to ~15,000 worksite employees nationwide.

Jay’s innovative approach to client satisfaction has driven remarkable results. In 2014, Engage’s client retention was well above the industry average at over 90%. In its 2014 Client Satisfaction Survey, Engage received unheard of scores, with an average of 9.3 out of 10 in all categories.

Jay differentiated Engage by making it one of the only PEOs in the country to market its products and services primarily through insurance agency partnerships. These partnerships grew significantly in 2014, when Jay negotiated national agreements with two general agents, BenefitMall and PGP, providing services to over 25,000 agents. He also executed an agreement with a group of home healthcare companies, , to provide PEO services to its franchisees. Jay also cultivated partnerships to provide Engage clients with access to some of the largest insurers, including Aetna, MetLife and AmTrust.

Jay is a contributing writer for The American City Business Journals and in 2014 authored semi-monthly articles designed to educate small businesses about novel HR and legal compliance issues. Jay’s leadership skills also were recognized in 2014 by the Education Fund of Miami-Dade, when he received The Public School Alumni Achievement Award, which honors public school graduates for their professional and community achievements. 2014’s award focused on individuals whose “entrepreneurship and leadership have energized the local economy.”

In 2015, Jay, and his company, Engage, continue to energize the PEO industry with industry-leading growth, recently announcing the expansion of Engage’s Operations Center in St. Petersburg, Florida and the opening of the company’s new corporate headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, creating jobs for more than 60 people (and growing) already.

In bullet-list form, briefly summarize up to ten (10) of the chief accomplishments of this nominated executive since the beginning of 2014.

- Transformed company he founded in 2011 from start-up to profitable enterprise in 2014.
- Developed one of the fastest growing companies in the country; revenue rose 170% YoY in 2014; over 1,200% since 2012; now in top 5% of industry in terms of size.
- Recruited executives, sales force and corporate employees to grow company to 60+ employees.
- Created one of few “high-touch” organizations in an industry mired by service cut-backs; his is the only company in industry to deliver HR through labor and employment lawyers.
- Created innovative go-to-market strategy for industry, through dedicated distribution network--pairing industry leading sales people with national network of insurance agents.
- Grew company with average client size four times industry average; client retention rate of ~90%.
- Launched/cultivated significant partnerships with BenefitMall, PGP, Aetna, MetLife, AmTrust and others.
- Highly regarded for leadership and expertise in human resources and PEO industry.