Katie O'Connell / AArete
Excellence in Leadership
Katie O'Connell says she frequently tells people that she considers herself very lucky to have found the perfect profession for her early on in her career. "At my core, I am passionate about helping people. The combination of solving complicated business problems and deep relationship building matches up directly with my personality and interests," O'Connell says. "Consulting as a profession keeps me on my toes and provides ample opportunities for continuous learning."
O'Connell is a Managing Director at AArete with more than 12 years of experience consulting on cost reduction efforts and other procurement and operational improvement services; including vendor management, SLA creation, procurement process redesign, organizational review, and contract management. A certified public accountant, O'Connell also sits on the Board of Directors of Amandla Charter School in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.
O'Connell says she takes much pride in the success story of AArete, which she helped form in 2008 with a strong vision and a tremendous amount of determination. "At the time, people probably thought we were crazy starting a new business when others were shuttering theirs, but we kept our eye on the ball," she says. "And, seeing that progress and growth is a huge sense of pride."
Another source of pride, she says, has been promoting three internal Managing Directors in January who have grown their careers with AArete. "That has been a huge source of pride for me," O'Connell says. "It has been an honor to see them thrive and grow with AArete."
She's also seen several of her client relationships thrive and grow, as well. "Through this journey I have also built some strong client relationships that can stand the test of time, which I also consider among my greatest accomplishments," she says. "I am motivated by a desire to help people achieve the highest level of success possible—my clients and our people alike. I believe that there is always an opportunity to improve a difficult situation and I take much pride in seeing the impact that our work can have on a client's business and individual careers."
As far as being named one of the Top 25 Consultants, O'Connell says she is completely humbled to have been selected for this award and be recognized alongside such a highly talented group of fellow professionals.
"As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary as a firm, I believe this award represents a reflection point of everything that we have collectively accomplished and certainly an award like this does not happen without a strong and committed team of support of which I am very grateful," She says. "My clients are at the heart of everything I do and it's an honor to receive any recognition for a career I love."
Q&A: What's been the biggest factor to your success?
O'Connell: "It's difficult to point to a single factor, but one of the biggest factors of my success is a strong and committed team that runs through walls for our clients and is committed to the success of our people. With a strong team alongside me, I strive to actively listen to our people and our clients, I don't shy away from difficult situations or conversations and I work to instill a consistent focus on delivering results."
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