Booz Allen Hamilton Booz Allen Hamilton PMOLink - New Orleans ...

Photo by Tracie Morris Schaefer
U.S. Risk
Management
As an employee trying to further her education,
Theresa Krueger welcomes the flexibility
she is afforded at her job with U.S. Risk
Management.
“If we have a test or something, then they’ll
let us go ahead and take care of that,” said
Kruger, an environmental technician. “Some
companies would say, ‘Do it on your own time.’”
Kruger, who is pursuing a degree in industrial
hygiene, cites that and the company’s
commitment to personal time as two of the
main perks of her job. When personal issues
come up, the company understands, she said.
“Last fall, I was just buying a new house, had
a new puppy and just got engaged, so all kinds
of crazy stuff was going on,” she said. “I had the
flexibility to just go take care of that stuff, and
come back and do what I needed to do after.”
Kruger also appreciates the legroom the
company gives her while she’s on the clock,
such as travel opportunities.
“We aren’t in the same place every day, so
that’s always exciting,” she said. “One of the
coolest places I got to go was out to Colorado for
the summer. We were just doing some inspections.”
Employees say they also value the company’s
reception to new ideas.
“We just made a suggestion to the client on
looking at a different approach on how to complete
a task, and it’s all been received very
well,” said George Coto, a project manager and
industrial hygienist within the company.
U.S. Risk Management also gives managers
such as Coto creative control over many projects,
a reason he cites for staying with the
Nature of business: environmental consulting
Where based: New Orleans
Employees: 25
Average starting salary: $50,000
Median salary: $70,000
Average employment time: more than five years (company
founded six years ago)
Benefits: health care with 100 percent coverage, dental,
vision and prescription plans, 401(k) with 4 percent match,
continuing education program, telecommuting, flexible hours
Wait time for benefits: none
Paid days off: up to 22 days
Web site: www.us-risk.com
George Coto of U.S. Risk Management talks to logistics subcontractor Luis Navas in front of the Plaza Tower downtown.
company for four years.
The company also has been known to give
employees loans in tough times, said
Comptroller Liz Lotz.
“We have three people who have gone
through divorces in the last couple of years,”
she said. “(Company owner Tracey Dodd)
loaned them money to help them get through
their proceedings.”
After Lotz’s paycheck went to her old home
address after Hurricane Katrina, Dodd let her
draw on the company’s line of credit to put the
first payment on her new home, Lotz said.
“She offered because I was the only one who
was affected that way,” she said.
The company fosters a work environment in
which many employees get along, Krueger
said. Events such as a company crawfish boil,
a holiday party, and tickets to Jazz Fest and
sporting events give employees a chance to
hang out together outside of work.
“I genuinely like the people I work with.
We lean on each other and there is a great
dynamic that you don’t find everywhere
else,” she said. “We all get along, back each
other up, support each other. Everyone gets
everyone else.”•
— Jessica Williams
December 14, 2009 67