Page 6 - The MILConnection: Winter 2022
P. 6

company news




        Top COO!


        MIL’s COO was chosen as one of the 10 best COOs of 2021
        by Industry Era Women Leaders Magazine. Read Marisa
        Daley's article here and below:




                                 The MIL Corporation’s COO,    in and be true to yourself. Your authenticity will drive your
                                 Marisa Daley, is a high-energy   relationships, your ability to lead, and the belief others have
                                 business professional who     in you.”
                                 brings her dynamic personality   For Marisa, the significant component of being a female
                                 and progressive leadership to   leader is being a mom of three. Children want and expect
                                 the executive offices of MIL.   their mom to be there for them. At the same time, a leader’s
                                 Marisa uses her open and      team and clients also expect them to be attentive to their
                                 welcoming communication style   needs. There’s a delicate balancing act that ensues to meet
                                 to build strong personal and   those competing interests. “The big lesson I’ve learned is that
                                 professional connections within   mistakes are inevitable; you’re going to make them so it’s vital
                                 and outside of the company.   that you learn from them. Recognize your errors and quickly
                                 Her leadership approach is    figure out a remediation plan, and then use those lessons
        fueled by a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion   learned to inform your decisions further down the road,” says
        as she champions initiatives to strengthen and enrich MIL’s   the steadfast leader, who armed with these qualities, is taking
        corporate culture. These efforts have encouraged a free-  the company to new heights.
        flowing exchange of ideas among her colleagues and the
        freedom to be innovative, which has helped surface many
        creative ideas. Marisa focuses a sizable portion of her time and   "Marisa uses her open and welcoming
        talent on strengthening MIL’s business development capability   communication style to build strong personal
        and cultivating cross-collaboration among teams.          and professional connections within and
        Marisa started her career on Wall Street in a highly male-  outside of the company."
        dominated environment. “To compete, I thought I had to
        adapt my style of dress and adopt a more masculine behavior
        to fit in. After years of adapting and adopting to create a   MIL was founded in 1980 by two industry veterans after
        persona that wasn’t truly authentic, I came to realize that   careers spent at different levels within the government
        I shouldn’t need to be other than who I am, and that I’m   contracting field. After working at large and small companies
        enough just as I am,” says Marisa. “I now believe that if   and seeing the struggles and deficiencies at both ends of the
        you work diligently and produce exceptional results, you   spectrum, MIL’s founders wanted to create a company that
        cannot and will not be denied. So ultimately, I think the most   could leverage large company resources and capabilities while
        significant barrier in my career was man-made—or more   maintaining the responsiveness, hands-on approach, and
        accurately woman made—as I thought as a woman I had    personal touch of a much smaller enterprise. Their mission
        to act differently to compete and succeed. In truth, I really   statement at the time was People Making the Difference, as
        just needed to believe more in my own abilities and execute   they recognized that a service company’s product is its people.
        accordingly, and then let my performance be judged on its   “As current COO of that same company, which still operates
        merits.”                                               under that same mandate, it’s up to me to carry it forward and
        Having worked and struggled a bit within a very patriarchal   deliver the quality services that matter most to our customers.”
        culture, Marisa understands the barriers women experience   MIL’s motto is People Making a Difference, and this is true.
        in traditionally male-dominated industries. Her personal story   But internally, their unofficial motto is Making a Difference for
        has informed her desire to help other women professionals   Our People. “We value our employees because they dedicate
        excel and not allow themselves to be handicapped by    themselves to making their clients successful. We set them
        perceived or even real obstacles to success. “My advice is   up for success by keeping company demands to a minimum.
        usually pretty straightforward: believe in your own value   We support them through our fully dedicated and fully staffed
        and work to the level you are comfortable with; there really   Corporate Service Center, and they, in turn, use their energies
        isn’t a right or wrong approach or outcome,” adds Marisa.   to support our customers.”
        “If you truly want to be a great leader, you have to believe



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