By Mary Ann Lemon, Citrus Communications

Littleton, CO (July 2000) ­ CONNECT: The Knowledge Network, an information technology staffing firm, announced today the promotion of Laura Shields to account executive and five new staff members, as follows:

PROMOTION:

Laura Shields, account executive

Shields was recently promoted to account executive from recruiter, and is now responsible for placing IT personnel with client companies and developing new business. She has been in the recruiting field for seven years, previously working as a senior technical recruiter for Convergent Communications and an executive recruiter with Jackson Group International.

NEW STAFF MEMBERS:

Jeanne Lomba, customer service manager

Lomba has been hired as customer services manager, responsible for career development and relations with CONNECT’s consultants, candidates and permanently placed professionals. With 13 years experience in the field, Lomba was formerly director of human resources for JCIT and director of recruiting and career development for Raymond James Consulting. She also served 10 years with Interactive Software Systems as manager of the technical training and consulting department. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences Education.

Michelle Rocke, recruiter

Rocke joins CONNECT as a recruiter, responsible for finding and screening job candidates. She has held responsible positions in Denver’s recruiting industry for seven years, most recently as senior technology recruiter with Convergent Communications. Earlier she was a division director at Robert Half and prior to that she was branch manager of the downtown Manpower office, where she worked for five years.

Donna Ferguson, associate recruiter

Ferguson has joined CONNECT as an associate recruiter, responsible for contacting and interviewing job candidates. She joined CONNECT from Colorado University at Denver, where she was employer relations coordinator responsible for on-campus recruiting and job fairs. Prior to that she was in recruiting with LUCENT Technologies.

Patty Rosted, accountant

Rostad has joined CONNECT to handle accounting and contract administration. She moved from the Denver offices of Metrum-Datatape, where she was an accountant for four years. She has 25 years experience in the industry and holds a B.A. in Accounting.

Laszlo Dekay, Computer and Network Production Support

Dekay is responsible for computer system and network operation. He joins CONNECT from XPEDX’s regional headquarters in Denver, where he served as Microcomputer specialist and Lotus Notes administrator. He is undergoing certification in Lotus Notes Administration.

CONNECT: The Knowledge Network matches information technology professionals with IT companies for consulting positions and permanent employment. Founded in 1992, CONNECT has provided recruiting services for large and small companies, including Hewlett-Packard, AT&T, Polaroid, Exxon, and Level 3. CONNECT is the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year 2000 and is one of Colorado’s top 100 women-owned businesses, according to Colorado BIZ Magazine.

(Originally published in Colorado Biz Magazine.)

Your idea: Great project, great budget, great resources, great potential.

No people.

You need specific skills from one or more people who will click with your company, be enthusiastic, and then go away at project’s end.

From its renovated Victorian in Littleton, CONNECT:The Knowledge Network searches out and supplies temp workers ­ the Knowledge Network ­ with expertise in any of seven areas: management, project management, data management and warehousing, system development and support, system and network administration, and human systems.

CONNECT was founded in 1992 by Maureen Clarry and Kelly Gilmore, both IT pros who’s seen the worst of IT temps while working at General Electric. They drew up their own business model: to bring teams together and then disband them when the project was done, Clarry said. The two strive for a human touch, trying to keep their 3,500 consultants’ career goals in mind and maybe doing some career coaching after the stringent testing phase, while coming through on clients’; projects.

CONNECT consults with a company, determining corporate culture, budget and other points, then gives objective recommendations for a project.

Biggest demand is for database specialists (programmers, administrators) and e-biz pros (strategy, Java programmers, and content developers), Clarry said. Costs for those have run between $60 an hour to $8,500 a day to $135,000 a year.

Back at the 1890 Victorian (which the two purchased for $100,000 five years ago and is now valued at $500,000), CONNECT’s 17 full-time staffers have flexible hours and an onsite daycare in a separate facility in the backyard.