Making a remarkable difference: Etech named Large Business of the Year

The Nacogdoches County Chamber board of directors has named Etech Global Services as Large Business of the Year, a Gary Justice business excellence award. The recognition honors the company's longstanding commitment to innovation, employee development and community impact. Etech will be recognized during The Chamber's 104th annual meeting on Sept. 22 at The Fredonia Hotel & Convention Center.

For Etech, the award represents more than business success. Company leaders say it reflects a culture that has remained grounded in people, service and community since the organization was founded in Nacogdoches in 2003.

CEO Matt Rocco said being named Large Business of the Year is especially meaningful because it recognizes the efforts of the employees who have helped build the company while remaining committed to the community where it began.

"Etech has grown into the global world, and Nacogdoches will always be our home," Rocco said. "It is where the journey began, and this honor tells our employees that all their hard work, their perseverance and their commitment to this community and to our customers not only has been noticed, but that it matters."

Rocco said Etech's continued growth has been driven by a balance of human connection and technological advancement.

"Our philosophy is simple: human-led and technology-enabled," he said. "We don't believe that technology should eliminate the human element because the human element is what makes a difference in our industry. Technology is to be embraced as the enabler, not the driver. Innovation and advancing in technology are essential to Etech's future. We are investing in artificial intelligence and reinvesting in people to become experts in the area of artificial intelligence."

According to Rocco, collaboration between technical teams and front line operators has helped Etech remain agile in a rapidly changing environment.

"Etech has made it a priority for our engineers and our operators to work side by side as we identify challenges and develop solutions," he said. "We believe this collaboration allows us to move faster and learn continuously and remain ahead of the curve."

Chief Human Resources Officer Veronica Chimney, Ed.D., said the award reflects a culture Etech has cultivated deliberately since its founding.

"We lead with the servant leadership model, and Etech begins that model early in an employee's career starting in orientation and carrying throughout the duration of their employment with the company," Chimney said.

Chimney said Etech's approach recognizes that along with the importance of compensation and benefits, employees are seeking something deeper from their workplace experience. "All of our employees want to be heard, they want to feel connected and they want to be valued," she said. "That philosophy is reflected in Etech's vision statement, 'to make a remarkable difference,' which guides the relationships with employees, customers and communities."
 

She pointed to the company's long standing "PPCC" guiding principle, which stands for people, performance, customers and communities.

"That has been a part of our belief system from the very beginning," Chimney said. "It is important for everyone to understand that Nacogdoches has been a part of the Etech story for decades, and as we continue to grow, so does the responsibility to serve."

Headquartered in Nacogdoches, Etech has evolved into a global customer engagement and technology solutions provider, serving organizations across multiple industries.

While company leaders view innovation as critical to future success, President & COO Kaylene Eckels emphasized that Etech's foundation remains firmly centered on people.

"Hands down, it is people first at Etech," Eckels said. "I would say sustained and disciplined execution has been key, along with an investment in people and technology."

Eckels said the company's purpose has remained constant even as technology, industries and strategies have evolved.

"You could call it our purpose or our why, which is to make a remarkable difference for each other, our customers and within our communities," Eckels said. "The vision really has sustained us, and although our technologies and strategies continue to evolve and change, the vision never wavered."

Looking ahead, Eckels said she is confident Etech's future will be shaped by the thousands of employees who continue to grow, innovate and serve around the world.

"What excites me most about the future of Etech is the potential of our people," Eckels said. "Etech will never be defined by one executive, one strategy, one industry or one innovation, but by the thousands of people around the globe who continue to learn, to adapt, to innovate, to lead and to serve. They will write the next chapter of Etech."

That same sense of shared ownership is what Rocco returned to as Etech prepares to accept the honor from The Chamber, crediting the employees who have contributed to the company's success and the community partners who have supported Etech's journey.

"We accept this recognition from The Chamber and from this community with a tremendous amount of gratitude and humility and with a renewed sense of responsibility," Rocco said. "This award belongs to our employees. They are the ones who are being recognized."