Sandra Baucom, president and founder of ECC Alliance.
ECC Alliance has more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry, providing the right consultants and contract professionals to the latest developments and projects. One of its latest success stories was receiving the Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) certification. BIC Magazine recently sat down with ECC Alliance President Sandra Baucom to discuss the success of her company in a male-dominated field, as well as her mission to transition U.S. veterans back into the workforce.
BIC: What past experiences shaped your vision for ECC Alliance?
BAUCOM: Most of my 30-year career in the downstream industry has been related to contract and direct-hire personnel services. I have served in a variety of roles, including customer service, marketing, business development, recruiting and management, which has given me the knowledge and experience to implement needed improvements that would allow us to provide a better service to both our clients and employees.
BIC: What are ECC Alliance's recent accomplishments?
BAUCOM: October was a month of celebration for ECC Alliance. Just a few days after celebrating our three-year business anniversary, ECC Alliance received official notification from the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) of another major milestone: our WBE certification. WBENC is the largest certifier of women-owned businesses in the U.S. and a leading advocate for women business owners and entrepreneurs. We are looking forward to strengthening our relationship with WBENC, their corporate members and other WBEs.
BIC: When ECC Alliance began, what were your initial goals?
BAUCOM: When I initially wrote our business plan, becoming WBE-certified and helping veterans were both high on my goal list. While the path to WBE certification was clear, I wasn't sure exactly how we would help veterans.
Three years later, veterans are a substantial part of our business and one of the most rewarding things that we do. As the mother of a veteran, I saw first-hand how veterans struggle to transition into a civilian career, primarily because their military skillset is misunderstood. We brought in a military veteran to assist with veteran recruiting and our own learning curve. We have also established relationships with organizations that can assist our veteran candidates with getting started in our industry. For example, we can refer veteran candidates to one organization for assistance in obtaining their TWIC card and another organization for assistance with FRs and steel-toe boots. While our veteran recruiting is certainly more of a time commitment, it is well worth it to give back to those who have given so much for us.
BIC: What drives ECC Alliance to achieve success?
BAUCOM: Our passion for building the right team and our commitment to our employees and clients drive our growth and success. We truly believe that our Employees provide excellent service to our Clients when they are supported by the Company, creating a successful Alliance.
BIC: Has ECC Alliance been able to maintain the vision it first started with?
BAUCOM: When I formed the company, my goal was to build a strong foundation of employees who knew without a doubt they were valued members of the team and would always receive the commitment and support needed to provide the best possible service to our clients. Our company name and logo were designed to illustrate this vision, and we strive daily to ensure this vision is accomplished.
ECC Alliance is steadfast in our belief that integrity is our foundation and that we must be constant in our respect and support of our employees and clients in order to have a successful alliance.
For more information, visit www.eccalliance.com or call (832) 982-0901.
