Applied Creative Technologies

Company: Applied Creative Technologies, Inc., Germantown, Maryland
Company Description: ACT provides consulting and software to Fortune 500 manufacturing clients. Founded in 1995 by Julia Kirk, ACT employs 14 people and has been recognized by the state of Maryland for 4 years in a row for outstanding work/life practices.
Nomination Category: Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneur Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Employer of the Year

Nomination Title: Applied Creative Technologies - An Award-Winning Family Friendly Company

Tell the story about what the nominated company achieved during the eligibility period (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:

ACT was founded in 1995 on the belief that you can have a successful, profitable company AND a life. This was the idea not only for the owner, Julie Lenzer Kirk, but also for all of the 13 employees.

Employees at ACT are encouraged to work hard, but not at the expense of personal or family health. Our flex time policies make it easy to attend a school play or help out as a soccer coach without taking vacation time. Our generous paid time off (starting at 3 weeks off for new hires) allows time to recharge the batteries or volunteer for as favorite cause. We also have created part-time positions to support those that need to balance their career with family commitments.

In January of this year, an employee approached his manager about an opportunity he had been offered to take free courses towards his Master's degree. Although this degree was not something that would benefit the company directly, the management philosophy at ACT is that when people can feel balanced between personal and professional lives, they will be better, more loyal employees. This employee was granted an alternate work week where he worked longer days and was off on Wednesdays to go to class, with the understanding that work would take priority if needed. He not only made it through his classes with A's but we were able to meet customer deadlines and keep a valued employee. He would have had a hard time getting other companies to accomodate a change in schedule like that, much less truly support it.

Our controller has recently had challenges with the health of both of her children since they were both born prematurely. Providing her with the ability to work from home has enabled her to be home with her children when needed but continue to get her work done when it is convenient. While it has made us all become better communicators with her not in the office, it has also made her a loyal and more productive employee than if she had to sit at work and worry about her kids.

In June of this year, a long-time employee found out that her mother was dying of cancer and was prepared to resign so that she could care for her. Rather than lose a valued employee, ACT allowed her to take a leave of absence to care for her ailing mother. Her job is being kept open so that when she is able to return to work her work is waiting for her. In addition, the company and other employees donated over 2 weeks of vacation time so that she would have more time off with pay and be able to cover her portion of the health insurance over the extended leave.

Sometimes in a small company it is actually harder to be flexible because there is little back-up and everyone does so much. We have learned that it takes a true commitment from the top as well as communication all the way down to make it work.

List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: List each link on a separate line, begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.website.com]. NOTE: You may submit supporting materials for your nomination offline, but only judges who request them will see them:

http://www.women-21.gov/flexoptions.asp
http://www.worklifealliance.org/excellence/excelwinners.cfm
http://www.appliedcreativetech.com/news_events/workplace_excellence.html

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography of the leader of the nominated company:

Julie Kirk is the CEO of Applied Creative Technologies®, Inc. (ACT), a management consulting and IT solutions firm she founded in 1995.

Ms. Kirk is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Computer Science. She is a member of the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) as well as a frequent speaker at their chapter and regional events. She is an active mentor and has been a leader in Women Business Owners of Montgomery County for the past several years. She is an international speaker, having spoken at a number of industry events in the United States and abroad.