The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards were announced March 17, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person May 10.
Next is CEO finalist in the Private Company: Annual Revenue <$100M category Rachele Cooper, CEO and founder of Aptive Resources. Here, she talks taking professional risks, primary focus areas going forward, proud career moments and more.
What has made you successful in your current role?
First and foremost, my commitment to excellence. I have high expectations for myself, my leadership team and everyone who works at Aptive. As a federal contracting company, Aptive is entrusted with precious taxpayer dollars to enable government organizations to accomplish strategic transformations, improve performance and leverage modern technology. We must do this effectively and efficiently.
But even more than that, I’m inspired by doing meaningful work ⏤ housing homeless Veterans; preventing suicides; educating military service members on finances; helping the government compete with private industry for talent.
This desire to make a difference allows me to find and hire passionate people who are inspired by the work we do at Aptive. And it makes all of us successful in producing significant, sustainable benefits for our clients and the people they serve.
What’s the biggest professional risk you’ve ever taken?
Starting my own company. Although I had a mission and a clear vision of what I wanted the company to achieve, there is risk involved in starting your own business. Government consulting is a competitive industry and, although working for yourself is rewarding in so many ways, it also requires a lot of sacrifice and stick-to-it-iveness, especially at the beginning.
Along with an entrepreneurial spirit, I knew I had the courage, confidence and resilience to make a career change of this magnitude ⏤ and to see it through.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the future of the nation?
We want to continue helping Veterans live their best lives by supporting programs that prevent Veteran suicide, reduce homelessness, aid caregivers, hire the best health care providers and ensure Veterans get the benefits they’ve earned faster.
With these programs, our nation lives up to its promise to take care of those who’ve put their lives on the line for us. We also want to expand our work at the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Homeland Security.
DHS programs are critical for helping to keep Americans safe through emergency response, aviation and border security, cybersecurity protection and anti-terrorism efforts. Agencies within HHS help us identify and combat emerging diseases and other threats to public health, conduct and fund biomedical research that saves lives and oversee health insurance programs that provide coverage for millions of Americans.
Health security, national security and Veteran security are all vital to a strong future for our country.
Looking back at your career, what are you most proud of?
I’m proud of the positive impact our work has had ⏤ and will continue to have ⏤ on millions of American lives. I’m proud of how our technology solutions have helped government agencies operate more efficiently and deliver services more effectively.
I’m proud of the success Aptive has realized over the past decade. And I’m proud of the individuals at Aptive who share my commitment to excellence and my passion for the important work we do each and every day.
What’s your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Don’t be afraid to try something new, but don’t try to be everything to everyone. Always put people first. Hire good talent and enjoy the people you work with. Surround yourself with those who are smarter than you. Work hard and play hard.
Most of all, believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your goals!