Change doesn’t come easy, even for a business that specializes in helping organizations navigate transitions and prepare for successful change.
Melissa Borowicz joined the company her parents started, The Utech Group, about two decades ago and says even with all its experience, it took some time to find the right roles and process as the business transitioned to the next generation of ownership.
“There’s a lot that you have to work through, and even when you are trained in how to do it and you know the right steps, you still have to go through it,” Borowicz says.
That is where The Utech Group has positioned itself. It provides customized organizational development and change management, but focuses specifically on business transition, culture strategy and implementation. That can include leadership and team development and training.
Husband-and-wife team Ken and Chris Utech founded the business in 1991. Ken had a marriage and family therapy background, but also worked with businesses on employee assistance programs. The company transitioned more fully into consulting because they saw an opportunity to serve people more broadly.
Borowicz says that foundation set a culture that remains valuable to Utech and its customers today.
“We understand the emotions that you feel and the preparation that it takes,” she says. She says Utech’s staff likes to analyze complex challenges, spot trends and themes and tackle tough issues.
“We’re really good at going in and understanding what makes an organization unique. None of the work we do is cookie cutter off the shelf. It’s all tailored to the organizations we work with,” she says.
That makes scaling the business difficult, but still there are opportunities for growth. There was an operational merger this year between Utech and Illumyx, a business founded by Borowicz’s brother Steve Utech.
Illumyx provides its clients with data about leadership assessments, team dynamics, company culture, talent engagement and retention. It’s data that can be valuable to Utech Group in the initial stages of working with a business.
After a business contacts Utech (nearly all business is from referrals), an assessment takes place that could include interviews, surveys and team meetings. They will develop goals and strategies that could include customized curriculum for team and leadership development and provide recommendations.
Finally, Borowicz says they work with the company through implementation, which is key to success and helps Utech build collaboration and trust with its clients.
Other services Utech offers include small group leadership collectives, executive coaching, leadership development and personal development.
