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Michael Palensky
Senior Vice President of Contracts, Maximus
Michael Palensky joined Maximus in 2018 after an impressive public sector career, which included leadership roles with the Agriculture Department and Commerce Department and 17 years as a leader for the Census Bureau. Over the past six years since shifting to the industry side of contracting, Palensky’s leadership and ability to develop consistency has proved hugely beneficial for Maximus.
As one notable example, Palensky’s employee retention rate at Maximus is higher than 99%, which means his teams have been able to support the tremendous growth of Maximus more easily. Without employee turnover, the contract teams at Maximus have been able to focus their efforts on the rapid expansion of the company’s business while still being viewed as a trusted advisor.
In reviewing his time at Maximus, Palensky echoes the famous quote of Arnold H. Glasow, “A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.”
“I am only as good as the employees who support me and the organization around us,” Palensky said. “The tagline for Maximus is ‘Moving People Forward,’ and we take that to heart within the contracting team because we understand the importance of our role in enabling our company to take on these large-scale government projects. The work Maximus does on a daily basis touches hundreds of thousands of people, and we’re an integral part in making sure these projects are successful.”
Why Watch
Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, Palensky is focused on continuing to build and develop a team of contracting leaders that is prepared for the future, as Maximus further expands its technology offerings and agency partners.
“I want my team focused on being a proactive business partner, while developing and improving our communication and collaboration across the company,” he said. “It’s a very exciting time for Maximus, as the tremendous growth of our company continues, but it’s also a critical time for our team to grow ourselves through personal and professional development. There’s always room to get better, and that energizes our team.”