Each December, the team at CNI Sales gathers together to celebrate the holiday season and reflect on another year of service and support for our ever-expanding client base. This past season was particularly poignant since it capped the end of our 30th year celebration. Fittingly, the annual event was held on December 19, the very day Roger Kirk officially stepped out on his own in 1994 to start CNI. So rather than looking back on just the prior 12 months, the conversation during the night’s celebration encompassed memories and observations throughout the company’s 30-year history.
“We originally wanted to call the company “Enterprise Communications” since we were focused on the enterprise segment of the market and liked the association with Star Trek’s Starship Enterprise with Captain Kirk at the helm,” recalls Tom Kirk, CNI’s now President and Co-Owner. “When we discovered that name was already taken, we settled on Corporate Networking, Inc., which eventually evolved into CNI Sales, Inc.”
The Team at CNI Sales.
As the company continued to grow and expand over the years, the strong core of the original team members who joined Roger soon afterwards – Tom Kirk (Roger’s brother), Maryanne Kirk (Roger’s wife), Tim Slattery, Steve Lewis, Dave Long, and Beth Monteith – became the foundation for the small but ambitious organization in an industry which was on the precipice of explosive growth. “The industry was brand new (when we started). There were so many competing technologies, and very few standards existed. The internet was in its infancy and data communications and voice communications operated completely separate from one another, necessitating different equipment and manpower to support each,” explained Tom Kirk. “It also became apparent that the internet was a very powerful technology that opened up the entire world. The need for companies to be “connected” was transformative for our industry and for CNI.”
Evolving technologies and a growing client list fueled the growth of the business, and the team slowly expanded, adding technical talent as well as additional support and administrative staff. “We work in an industry of constant change and new technologies,” said Account Manager Steve Lewis. “Our vision for success is to be able to adapt to these changes and add new members to the CNI family with the same willingness to always put our customers’ needs first.” Maryanne Kirk, CNI’s Secretary/Treasurer and Co-Owner, adds, “Roger’s original business plan stated that being a small company gave us the ability to be flexible in meeting the specific needs of our customers. Although we have grown significantly over the past 30 years, we remain committed to prioritizing that future growth never takes precedence over satisfying the needs of our customers.”
The knowledge and experience of the seasoned team members, combined with the objectivity and fresh perspective of each newcomer make for a strong and healthy work environment. “When we get together as a group like this, you can see the wheels turning for all the employees, especially for the new year ahead,” said Diana Kirk, daughter of Roger and Maryanne and the company’s Marketing Manager/Sales Support. “One of our newer account managers told me how excited he was to go into the new year after talking to one of our seasoned account managers for over an hour about best practices. And it doesn’t go just one way here at CNI – both parties in that exchange learned something that they could take to their customers, both utilizing one another’s perspective on the industry.”
A True Family Business
The Kirks of CNI Sales. (from left) Alex Kirk, Account Manager; Tom Kirk, President; Maryanne Kirk, Secretary/Treasurer; Diana Kirk, Marketing Manager/Sales Support; Tim Kirk, Account Manager
Although there are five employees with the last name of Kirk (including account managers Tim and Alex), the concept of “family” extends far beyond that. “I was CNI’s first hire outside of family,” explained CNI Account Manager Tim Slattery. Having worked for Roger in a prior position, Tim was drawn to the new fledgling company because of the admirable traits he saw in his colleague. “I always loved the professionalism, mentoring, and leadership that Roger provided me and others,” Tim commented. “He was successful, respected by our customers and partners, and had an open-door policy to assist me or anyone to be successful in any way he could.” When Roger passed away in 2015 from ALS and Tom Kirk stepped into the leadership role alongside Maryanne, Roger’s legacy not only endured but was amplified by a shared commitment to honor a great man by upholding his steadfast principles.
“CNI does a great job of making everyone feel like they are part of the family at the heart of the family business,” said Account Manager Oliver Cross. “A lot of people like me, who have left a military career behind, search endlessly for the sense of purpose and team camaraderie; not me. I’ve been fortunate to land in a role where a lot of those same things I valued in the Marine Corps are present, just in a different context.”
A Top-Down Commitment to “Doing Good”
Consistent throughout all the employee comments we gathered was the recognition that great leadership creates great companies. Starting with Roger, Tom, and Maryanne, and continuing with today’s management and leadership, the team at CNI have a shared work ethic and philosophy that not only serve our customers, but also our many technology partners and each individual employee.
“CNI abides by a ‘doing well by doing good’ ethos,” explained Joe Mulroy, Systems Engineer. “No ask is ever too large for us. We will always find a way to get a project across the finish line. This is almost always a team effort. No one at CNI is ever afraid to get their hands dirty and chip in. No job is beneath anyone in the organization. I have never worked for a company where everyone is so humble, welcoming, and willing to share their learned experience with others. This culture is created at the top and allows us all to thrive and learn together.”
Looking Back and Moving Forward
With a seasoned, dedicated team and a 30-year history as our bedrock, the future looks bright. CNI remains steadfast in our commitment to treat everyone with respect, do the right thing, and go above and beyond when it comes to servicing our clients’ needs.
“I’m confident that we will continue to grow and adapt into new and emerging technologies,” said Jon Fox, Systems Engineer. “We’re on the cusp of some earthshattering changes to the way we live and work: between advancements in AI and cloud networking, major companies working towards quantum computing breakthroughs, and ever-changing threat landscapes putting businesses at risk. It’s an exciting time to be in the industry.”
Here’s to the next 30 years of growth, innovation, and unwavering commitment to our customers, partners, and the values that define us!