Huge consulting firm comes to the Metro

[Pete]

Even though it's just a couple of employees focused on Tinker, Booz Allen is the biggest, most respected name in management consulting, and as the artcle states, a toehold can often lead to hundreds of jobs down the road.

And excellent, high-paying jobs as well. They typically recruit the best and brightest from the local business schools. OU and David Boren, as well as local business leaders, should be all over them, encouraging them to expand their operations.





International consulting firm enters Midwest City
by Brandice J. O'Brien
The Journal Record
6/23/2005


Journal Record Photo
A globally known strategy and technology company has expanded into Midwest City.

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. opened an office at Tinker Business and Industrial Park in May and welcomed the public to an open house Wednesday afternoon. Based in McLean, Va., Booz Allen Hamilton is home to more than 16,000 employees on six continents.

"We offer multidisciplinary solutions to multidimensional problems," said Glen R. Bruels, senior vice president in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Before opening an office in the Sooner State, the company, whose annual sales for 2005's fiscal year reached $3.3 billion, assisted the base indirectly for nearly 15 years, helping clients in the contractor logistics support group.

"We want to continue that support and be closer," said Rex A. Jordan, senior associate in Falls Church, Va.

Plans to open an Oklahoma office had been in the works for about five years. Now that the office is operational, the goal is to provide expertise on aircraft systems engineering and program management.

There are two employees at the Oklahoma location and the company will bring in experts from other offices when needed.

"All of our offices work together," Bruels said. "We bring in expertise depending on the problem. An office is a window to the firm."

Officials are hoping the Oklahoma location expands like other Booz Allen Hamilton offices such as Colorado Springs or Omaha, Neb.

Colorado Springs started small with 12 employees - three years later, there are about 400 employees. Omaha started with four or five people and grew to about 180 employees in two years, said Rick Sorrenti, principal in Falls Church.

"We don't go to a city with a growth target in mind, it's the outcome," Bruels said. "Serving the client is our ultimate goal and how well we do that really determines how fast and how much we grow."

Bruels said they hope to hire in the Oklahoma office within six months.

[Pete]

One more comment about Booz Allen...


It is one of the biggest training grounds for future corporate leaders in the entire U.S. When I was in MBA school, people from all the best schools in California were killing themselves to get in there just for the experience.

As far as I know, there are no other national consulting firms in the state and that's a crying shame. They are fantastic jobs and really helps to develop local business expertise.



I was in management consulting for 5 years out of grad school and it was by far the best work experience of my life.