LIMS Consultant Career Q&A with George

Senior Manager George shares career advice and his experience as a steward at Clarkston.

How long have you been with Clarkston?

I joined Clarkson after over 20 years of industry experience and currently serving seven years as a Clarkston steward.

What is your role at Clarkston?

I serve my clients as both a project manager and/or technical consultant.

Tell us about a new skill you’ve developed recently.

I’ve been excited to expand my program management skills recently. In my current role, I am leading the client program management organization for deployment of a global LIMS project. Initially, my roles started with developing a deployment roadmap and now has evolved to managing five separate projects all under the global LIMS initiative.

If you had to choose, which of Clarkston’s core values do you feel resonates with you the most?

Brilliant Client Service – My objective is to assist the client in accomplishing their project and larger business goals. When the client is successful, there is a domino effect that resonates back toward the Clarkston team and me. When the client achieves their success, Clarkston succeeds.

How has your work changed post-COVID?

Previously, I traveled to the client site every week as a 100% traveling consultant. Post-COVID, my role is 100% virtual where I must manage my client relationships completely virtually but also manage a virtual Clarkston team. The virtual challenge continues to be building and maintain relationships from a distance, and developing others without face-to-face interactions.

Which internal initiatives, communities, or projects are you involved in at Clarkston?

I am currently active in Clarkston’s Quality & Compliance Community and our Black Steward Network. I also participate on the NC State and UNC-CH recruitment team and Clarkson Scholarship committee.

What advice would you give to someone starting at Clarkston?

Networking is critical to your success as a steward. Take every opportunity to reach out to meet others in your community and participate in our networks. The networks are your opportunities to learn about upcoming projects and development opportunities.

Tell us about a memorable experience you’ve had while working with a client.

While working for a start-up pharma company, I started on projects during their pre-clinical phase and continued working on multiple assignments until they launched their first commercial product. When I see their products at my local pharmacy, their success points toward my role in their journey to deliver treatments to their patients.

In your experience, what qualities make someone a good consultant?

A good consultant can build trust with their client. Establishing this relationship will aid the consultant in becoming a trusted ally to lead the client in successful project outcomes. In turn, the client will leverage this trust for future opportunities.

What drove you to accept Clarkston’s employment offer?

Previously, I worked for two major corporations with >100K employees. I was impressed with the Clarkston culture and environment where everyone knew each other.