Personnel Security Consultants Inc., screens job applicants for tribes - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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With a lengthy career in security — startint at age 16 working in the Security Badgr Office fingerprinting individualsat , Justice has put her experience to work leading the firm, which has been awardeds numerous federal and private After 17 years as an employee in federal service, she says she ultimatelyh made the decision to go out on her own. “k was often so overwhelmed by the need and havint our hands tied about what we couldand couldn’t do,” says Justice, explaining her motivation for risking her own financial future to launch out on her own. “Wew now have 165 tribes that we work with asongoin clients.
” Personnel Security Consultants conducts employee background checkss along with myriad services, varying from screenings, investigationsz and making judgment decisions to recommendations. The firm also providew program reviews and training for such clientd asthe U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Departmenf of Agriculture’s Forest Service, and Nationao Regulatory Commission contractors. So how did Justicse push through those lean early days to becomdeso profitable, especially in a tough economy? “The first two years, I hired contracg people to do the things I couldn’f do myself, like marketing, graphics, contracts,” says Justice.
“I was workingt 16 to 18 hours a day and finallg hired my sister as myfirst full-timed employee the second year. We shared one office. She now manage s all of the investigationzs for PSC with her own teamof investigators/securith specialists.” She smiles at the memory. “I thinik I finally drew a paycheci for the first timelast year.” The company founder also credits the Small Business Administration’s 8a Businessz Development Program for its assistance. It helps disadvantageed firms gain greater access to vital resources to grow and developtheir “As a Native American-owned I qualified for theid program.
They provided mentoring, training, guidance and loan says Justice. “The American Indian Chamber of Commercew helped me getthe 8a.” And while a significan portion of Personnel Security Consultant’s business comes from federalk contracts, Justice has maintained the passionn that originally drove her out of the comfortabl e life in federal service into that of a small business owner. “I go out and visigt the tribesa lot. We get calls everyg week with requestsfor help, and we alwayds do what we can.
” Justice recentlyh commissioned her father, American Indian artist Nakaii Rogers, who is a paintert and silversmith in Alaska, to create a series of paintinge for a community service project that will directly benefif the tribes. “We created a calendare using the paintings and poemse written by several very talented younv people involved in the Albuquerque Youth Building BetterLives program.
” What makes the project a communithy service is that the inspirational poetry all focusesd on a very serious child abuse and family violence protection, and each page providesd tips and guidance for recognizing and reporting suspected “The calendars can be used as fundraising projects, and it’s somethingh we hope to do every she says. The last key to success, adds has been networking. “It is so important to attenxd the right conventionsand meetings. When I first starteds out, I didn’t want to spendf precious time on what I thought would be awasted day.
But now I understand the valuse of the support and help that comeas from the contacts made atthose meetings. I also stay in constangt contact with the congressiona offices to make sure therde are no changes or issues thatare upcoming.” A licensed privat e investigator for the state of New Mexico, Justice says that the rewardsd have far outweighed the early sacrifices. “When we get a call from a triball community asking questions about how to prepare for anupcominvg audit, and we’re able to help them ...” her voice traile off. “For so long, as a federal employee, therer was so little I could do; we were just spreax so thin.
Now I can fulfill my vision of helping tribal communitiesand children.”