The 2021 Top 25 Consultants: Jeremy Strathmeyer

Jeremy Strathmeyer is a Director at Greencastle Associates overseeing large projects and specializing in process improvement and change management for a variety of different initiatives. Prior to that, Jeremy served as a police officer in York and Lancaster Counties. He worked as a patrol officer, SWAT member, and patrol sergeant during his 18 years of service. He applied critical thinking and complex decision-making daily, making a significant impact on the community. Jeremy has served for over 25 years with the United States Army and currently serves in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as a Command Sergeant Major within the 28th Infantry Division. He has completed three combat deployments to the Middle East, most recently serving as a Command Sergeant Major with the Headquarters element of Operation Spartan Shield. Jeremy has received many military awards to include three Meritorious Service Medals and a Bronze Star. Jeremy received his bachelor's degree from Duquesne University in Organizational Leadership and has recently been certified as a Scrum Master and Change Management Practitioner.

What does winning this award mean to you?

"Winning this award would mean a lot to me because of the hard work and dedication it has taken to get to this point in my career. Being the best consultant that I can be has meant being away from my family for many years as a Soldier, often in combat leading troops. It has meant serving the community as a police officer for over 18 years, counseling the public and protecting them from harm. It has meant succeeding and failing many times throughout my life to learn valuable lessons to be able to successfully lead others. All these life lessons have culminated into a successful management consulting career. To be a successful consultant, you need to be able to draw on experiences, both taught and lived. Winning this award helps to validate why my family and I have sacrificed so much over the past 30 years."

What's been the biggest factor in your success?

"The biggest factor in my success is my experience in the military. As a Command Sergeant Major in the US Army, I spent most of my career leading and managing people. I learned valuable lessons about myself and how to be an effective leader. I learned from my failures and refined the areas that I was successful. This allowed me to grow, both intellectually and emotionally. Using the emotional intelligence that I gained from my military experience has allowed me to forge valuable relationships with my coworkers and my clients. It has made me a trusted advisor to many people in both my personal and professional lives. The value of emotional intelligence is underrated and often eclipsed by a few letters that may follow a person's name. However, at the end of the day, your success is based on your ability to forge a relationship with someone. In consulting, that is the most important thing."

What has motivated you to excel over the course of your career?

"I have always been a driven person. I want to be the best that I can be in everything that I do. I believe in hard work and being a positive contributor to society. I want to set a good example for my two boys, my family, and those around me. This foundational trait allows me to build the rest of my life around it. As a military member, I have built a 27-year career around it. As a police officer, I built an 18-year career around it. Now, as a consultant, I am building another career around it. Continuously learning and providing value to people around me has been the driving force behind all my successes."