Jose Cruz — Celebrating 25 Years

As the company is celebrating 25 years in business, we have an employee that has been a part of the company’s successes since the beginning when we began as STSI (now Pluribus Digital) and is also celebrating that milestone alongside the company. Jose Cruz, a Sr. Data Analyst with Pluribus Digital, is employee #1 who has worked on a variety of teams supporting FDIC, EPA and now USCIS. Jose has been an integral part of the contracts he has supported, showcasing an incredible commitment to customer service and digital services delivery. Read Jose’s interview below to learn more about his experience with the company over the last 25 years, his biggest accomplishment and his advice for those that want to get into the civic tech space.

Question: How did you get introduced to STSI/Pluribus Digital 25 years ago?

Answer: Back then, I was doing field audit reviews and a common friend of [founder] Bill Callery and I’s introduced us to one another and I heard more about the company that he was starting. The biggest appeal for me at the time was that STSI was in Arlington, VA and my job at the time was in Bethesda, MD. I did not enjoy that commute and anything to make my commute easier sounded interesting to me.

Question: What was your first role with the company?

Answer: I started working with the company supporting the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and my first client, Betty Pruitt as a Business Analyst. She was amazing to work with and really made my job easier.

Question: What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment in the last 25 years?

Answer: I think I have excelled primarily 1:1 with the clients — learning what they do and why they do it has been the biggest opportunity for me. It has allowed me to learn when to propose an idea, when to interject and really hone-in on understanding the clients to build an effective working relationship and deliver effectively.

Question: What has been your biggest challenge?

Answer: I really wanted to build the most effective working relationship while working at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Going from supporting the FDIC to supporting a new contract at EPA, was quite the transition for me. I had to learn to meet the needs of new clients and it really taught me patience.

Question: What advice would you have for someone new to government contracting/the civic tech space?

Answer: At the end of the day, the work that we do really does make a difference. The impact that we have is real. The idea that we can facilitate a solution is very real and it impacts people. I would also tell people to understand that their role is a huge part of this. I would tell individuals to really learn the policy on each contract they support to be the most effective in delivery. Clients appreciate the work that we do and they will always let us know when things are going well and when edits need to be made. At the end of the day, we provide a service, so we need to listen and provide solutions to what they are looking for. We are there to provide a capability that they need, so trust your technical skills.

Question: What are the skills (technical or otherwise) that you are looking to develop as you continue to grow?

Answer: I am constantly working to achieve balance. What do I need to develop technically based on the needs of the project/team that I am supporting currently? Where can I level up in terms of customer service? The balance between technical development and soft skills is key.

Question: How would you describe how the company has evolved and grown throughout the years?

Answer: My experience with STSI and now Pluribus Digital has been great. The team has been super supportive throughout the years. Regardless of how the company changes and grows, one thing remains constant: support and flexibility to ensure the staff has the resources and answers they need. That is great.

Question: 25 years is a big accomplishment — anything else you wanted to share with us regarding your anniversary?

Answer: It has been wonderful being with such a great company for so long. In my case, I have been lucky enough to have interesting engagements that have helped to continue my employment and have kept me interested in the work that I have been doing. I have done my best to live up to contractual expectations — it’s a give and take and it works both ways.

I have built some great friendships, it’s truly a family-friendly environment. I used to bring my son into the office, he eventually was an intern at the office as well, so it’s been a great experience for me all in all.