Mutually Beneficial Growth
Relationships are at the center of everything Hartman Executive Advisors does. The Maryland-based company is uber focused on building trust with its clients so it can craft tailor-made technology strategies with them.
So, when World Trade Center Institute (WTCI) Board of Directors Vice Chair Peter Bowe approached Hartman Co-founder and Executive Vice President Marie Hartman, there was one question on his mind.
“Why are you guys not involved in WTCI?” he asked his longtime friend.
Peter, who is a founding member of the WTCI board, knew that being part of WTCI’s network of 3,500+ globally minded businesses would help Marie better serve her clients and grow her business.
“Peter, in particular, expanded my horizon of what is happening here in the state of Maryland and the pivotal role that WTCI plays in helping bring business leaders together on many important topics that are affecting our clients,” says Hartman.
The synergy was apparent after attending just a few WTCI events. She nominated several of her clients for WTCI’s annual Maryland Business Leadership Awards and, at the request of WTCI CEO Eddie Resende, joined the selection committee that interviews and vets all of the potential award winners. This symbiosis expanded WTCI’s reach in Maryland and improved the selection process, all while spotlighting Hartman Executive Advisors’ clients. Several of Marie’s nominated companies have gone on to win awards at the leadership event.
While she cannot pinpoint a favorite WTCI event, Marie was honored to moderate a panel discussion at another annual WTCI event, State of the Ports. She has always attended it to hear the latest developments from transportation and trade experts.
“The state of Maryland is known for its ‘meds, beds, and eds’, right?” says Marie. “That’s the typical phrase that comes up, but if you think about the Port of Baltimore, the airport, the geography and transportation logistics of where we sit, we are such a huge player in our nation’s logistics supply chain. “I learned through WTCI that the Port of Baltimore is the third busiest port in America. Supporting the growth of our ports is critical to the growth of our state and region.”
Marie has taken the connections she has made at WTCI beyond the boundaries of events. One recent memorable connection happened at a meeting of the Maryland State Comptroller Board of Advisors, of which Marie is a member. She was sitting next to a representative of Southwest Airlines who was talking about their search for renewable fuel sources. Having just attended the recent WTCI AGILE Global Innovation Series panel discussion, “Demystifying Decarbonization: The Business/Climate Change Nexus,” about decreasing environmental impact, she was eager to share the connection.
“I pulled up the list of panelists and told him about CEO Carl Fischer and his organization called sHYp that he should check out,” says Marie. “He told me he is actually in conversations with WTCI. So, it was one of those things where, at the right time, at the right place, but it was spurred on by WTCI.”
Another benefit of her being a WTCI network member has been conversations with other members that led to new clients. But those relationships take time to nurture and grow, and WTCI has been an effective avenue for that growth.
“One of the things that I think Hartman and WTCI share and value is the power of relationships,” says Marie. “Whether it’s WTCI creating events to introduce us to other relationships, or whether it’s Hartman bringing relationships to WTCI, it’s that mutual understanding of the power of relationships that we both value as organizations.”