Exploring Identity with Marty Smith

by Rebeka Wellmon

November 19, 2020

Regatta’s VP of Technical Services is Marty Smith, a senior level executive with over 30 years of experience in the technical staffing industry. Marty started his professional career with one of the pioneers of technical staffing, Computer Task Group, managing both the Xerox and Kodak company accounts in Rochester, NY. The majority of Marty’s career was spent with Ciber Inc, including the role of Eastern Divisional Vice President located in Denver, CO. In that role, he had profit and loss responsibility for 20 business units generating over $200M in revenue. He also created and implemented a new corporate recruiting model, which allowed for high volume resource hiring, resulting in the hiring of over 1,000 technical resources in 2 year period.

Learn more about Marty Smith, an expert on staffing solutions and experienced leader, in this article from our Exploring Identity interview series. Keep reading to find out how Smith made Regatta’s technical staffing business so successful as well as the best advice he’s ever received and what projects he’s most looking forward to next from Regatta.

How did you get involved with Regatta? 

John Ciulla and I have been friends for many, many years. We have stayed in touch and a couple of years ago, he asked me to join Regatta.

What did you major in during college? 

I majored in Business Administration.

What is the most interesting job you’ve ever had? 

The most interesting job was with a company called Ciber Inc. I started with a company Ciber acquired (CPU Inc.) as a sales rep and was promoted a couple of times to Regional Vice President. When Ciber acquired us, I became a Divisional VP with P&L responsibility of over $200M and 2,000 software engineers. The nice thing about the job was being relocated to Denver, Co. Which my wife and I liked very much. I had a counterpart who managed the west coast. We used to say that when our phone rings it was never good news. Just a joke for all the problem situations that occurred frequently.

What makes Regatta’s technical staffing business so successful and different?

Staffing is a tough business. There are bench, recruiting, margin and other challenges. I have spent most of my career in this business with top technical staffing companies like Ciber. This is what I do, and I believe that it’s the key to Regatta’s success and key differentiator.

What does Regatta mean to you? 

I joined Regatta because of my belief in John Ciulla and his enthusiasm. I believe we can accomplish great things in the IAM world and am very proud to be a part of that growth.

If you could describe IAM in one word, what would it be?  

Critical.

What do you find the most interesting thing about IAM?

 It’s a new technology for me so almost everything about it is fun and interesting to learn. I’m continually surprised at how many IAM installs have gone badly.

What is the most personally rewarding project you have worked on at Regatta/within the IAM field? 

Having the opportunity to work with SailPoint everyday as the Regatta representative to them. SailPoint is one of the most professional organizations I have had the pleasure of working with.

What lasting lesson have you learned from working for Regatta? 

Never give up. If something disrupts your business, keep plugging, good things will come.

What is your personal philosophy on developing your workforce/team? 

Keep the lines of communications open, and praise your colleagues often.

What kind of manager are you? What is your approach on communication with your team? 

I’m open at all times, willing to listen to new ideas, and firm when needed.

How do/would you handle difficult situations/arguments within your team? 

Listen to both sides. Try to separate the facts from emotion. Lower the anxiety levels. Make a firm decision to solve the issue and stick to your principles.

When hiring, how do you know if someone fits well within your team? What do you look for on a resume vs. in person? 

Communications, willing to express new thoughts, personality blend. Smart people can learn the rest.

What events/classes/development do you leverage for your team?

I encourage my consultants to take advantage of the free SailPoint online training.

What is the best advice you have ever received? 

I attended an Amway presentation many, many years ago. The presenter passed along what he does when a sales attempt fails. He said he goes to his car and yells to himself, “NEXT!” This turned out to be my mantra; When things don’t go your way, just look for the next opportunity.

What do you like to do in your spare time outside of work? 

Golfing, walking, and going to the movies.

Do you watch any traditional sports, and who is your favorite team? 

Baseball. I’m a fan of the New York Yankees. I played baseball starting from Little League through to Semi-Pro. It’s in my blood!

If you could instantly become an expert at something, what would it be? 

Probably financial investing.

What is something you cannot live without?

My wife!

What is the most interesting thing you have done in the past year? 

I spent 5 weeks in Florida this year during March-April. We had difficulty getting flights back to Rochester due to COVID-19. Flights were few and far between, and planes were almost empty. It was interesting to be away from home and not have any restaurants open for dining in, only take-out.

What is Regatta doing right now that excites you the most? 

Our new focused marketing efforts. New customers will now know who we are. We are one of the industry’s best kept secrets.