“ProVest has always had a family vibe,” said Justin Olund, one of our Illinois and Midwest office leaders. “I started at the company 18 years ago and have held several roles that have helped me understand the industry and our clients, including working as a field agent liaison, e-filing, and team lead. I supported downtown Chicago firms and got to know the attorneys and courthouse officials, which is an asset.” Justin said ProVest’s commitment to customer service makes it stand out. “We are there at every step for our clients. They acknowledge our professionalism. Attorneys continually thank us for helping them keep their cases moving.” He added, “I have two new hires who love working at ProVest. They keep telling me how comfortable our office feels and how welcoming everyone is. We have great leaders at ProVest. Scott Strady and Jim Ward assure us that our families come first. If something happens in our personal lives, they will support us. Our HR team is awesome. They are understanding and helpful. I should know—my wife and I welcomed our daughter to the world in August, joining our young son to make up our happy and tired family!”
Senior Director of Infrastructure Chris Award joined ProVest in February 2023 with over 20 years of IT experience. Reflecting on his time at ProVest, Chris shares, “I’ve found ProVest to be family-oriented, with a small-company feel. You can approach any leader, and everyone is willing to help,” Chris said. “We’re encouraged to step outside the box as we identify solutions for our employees and clients.” Chris has an interesting background. “I began my career by pursuing a culinary degree and studying business. Working in restaurants is a high-burnout job. We worked over 100 hours a week, including weekends and all holidays. On the side, I helped a friend build computers at a company he founded before the large computer companies started. I discovered I had a knack for computers and technology. I began helping more and then pursued various IT roles at other companies, from junior and senior network engineers to help desk support, project management, and infrastructure development.” Chris adds, “I truly enjoy working at ProVest. My IT career began in an unexpected way—one I couldn’t replicate if I tried!” We’re sure, like us, you’re wondering if Chris still cooks. “Every once in a while, I’ll help with a party. When we get together for large events, I enjoy cooking for my family, and no one minds! It’s much more rewarding to cook as a hobby than to work in the food service industry.”
Donna Knuckles is a leader in ProVest’s skip tracing department and began her ProVest career in 2008. “Whether working with a large or small law firm, we provide everyone with the same exceptional service,” Donna said. "At ProVest, we take pride in being industry leaders," Donna says. "Our success in skip tracing is reflected in our high success rates and favorable court outcomes. Our team is known for its analytical skills, creative problem-solving, and outside-the-box thinking. We've collaborated with international investigators in Germany, Colombia, and Mexico to locate individuals who may be difficult to find. Whether our clients need to locate someone or obtain proof of death, we go the extra mile. Recently, we assisted a New York client by coordinating with an agent who traveled to a remote area in Guyana to secure a crucial death certificate from a local hospital where an heir had passed." Donna said, “With experience, you learn what works. We cultivate relationships and set honest expectations. Teamwork and brainstorming solutions benefit everyone.” Donna shared that ProVest feels like a family. “The executive team is down-to-earth and interacts with all employees. I’m proud of our team's investigative work for our many clients.” Thanks to Donna and the Skip Trace team for their dedication to client excellence and for helping law firm clients close cases.
Client Service Manager Dan Testani states, "I ensure that all client service expectations are met by focusing on the quality and timeliness of our work. I'm dedicated to being responsive and available for client inquiries and requests via email or phone. Our team members also understand this, and they do a great job!" Before joining ProVest in 2008, Dan worked as a district manager for a healthcare company. "I was seeking a management position in a well-established company, which led me to ProVest. Founder Scott Strady and President Jim Ward have created a great company culture. I enjoy everyone I work with!" Dan says, "Our team's extensive experience, deep knowledge, and strong client relationships set us apart from our competitors. Throughout the company, the message of ensuring client expectations are met and exceeded is always prioritized. We are extremely responsive to client needs." Thanks to Dan for serving our customers and coworkers for over 16 years.
Seventeen years ago, Regional Contractor Relations Manager Melody Bulso joined our team. Reflecting on her start, she recalls, “I began interviewing with ProVest in late 2006. The excitement about the company’s future was palpable. Technology was being developed to meet and exceed time-sensitive deadlines. My 15 years of experience in staffing, including mock juries and legislative and political staffing, and several successful startups in technology and medical staffing with strict compliance requirements aligned nicely with the opportunity at ProVest.” In her role, Melody sources and builds relationships with process servers nationwide. “I work with dedicated, hard-working process servers who have partnered with us for not just the 17 years I’ve worked with them, but some servers date back 30 years. I work with them to maintain compliance documents required by law and our clients. I’m a resource to help ensure their success for our clients.” Melody said, “We have a strong culture at ProVest because of our people. Our team members partner with servers every day. We collaborate to ensure that due process is completed timely and accurately. We genuinely care about each other and go out of our way to deliver quality service for clients. ProVest is a family. We have watched each other’s kids grow up, get married, have grandchildren, and lose loved ones. We support each other at work and in our personal lives."
As we recognize Juneteenth, we want to take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate this significant day in American history. Juneteenth National Independence Day observed annually on June 19th, marks the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and is a day to reflect on the resilience, strength, and contributions of African Americans to our nation's history and culture. At ProVest, we believe in the power of diversity and the importance of acknowledging the rich cultural histories that contribute to our collective success. We value diversity and strive to create an environment where every voice is heard, and everyone is respected.
Service Manager Jaime Krynski works in our Central Islip, NY office. She began her ProVest career in 2004, working for a decade as a process management manager. Jaime left to work at two law firms for varied experience. We were happy to welcome her back more than a year ago. “I feel like I never left,” Jaime said. “Many people I worked with years ago are still with the company, which says a lot. I am surrounded by smart and kindhearted people who care for one another and never hesitate to share their knowledge and help each other succeed. I am very grateful to be with ProVest.” She added, “I work to ensure our awesome team has access to all the information and resources they need to meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. One of my most important tasks is to be a facilitator and continuously look for ways to streamline and automate wherever possible so team members can spend time applying their expertise, driving results, and being responsive to clients.” “Compliance is at the forefront of everything we do. It is crucial to finish the job quickly and correctly. We put extra effort into following best practices and legal guidelines. This is ingrained in our employees across the company. There is a lot of new technology available, which is exciting. There have also been changes in the laws. ProVest is used to adapting to change quickly, and we always make a team effort to move immediately and effectively. ProVest has the technology and the experts to stay on top!"
Today, we spotlight Manager Tom Ward (top row, second from the right), a past recipient of our Award for Excellence. Tom oversees the data entry and mailroom team and has worked in our Tampa office for 29 years! Tom embodies what an Exceptional Together team member looks like, fulfilling his role to benefit all customers, internal and external. One coworker wrote, “Tom is an exceptional manager and team player. He goes above and beyond to meet all client expectations while juggling several other tasks. He has fostered a team environment where we support each other.” Another ProVest team member said, “Operations is managing the inner workings of the business so it runs as efficiently as possible. Every business must have a team to oversee and manage the behind-the-scenes work. I cannot think of anyone who deserves this award more than Tom. Our employees trust him and know he and his team will get things done. Lastly, his team respects and holds him in the highest regard. Is there anything more a person can ask for?” We couldn’t agree more. Tom embodies our Guiding Principles: Integrity and Ethics, Earned Trust, People First, and Exceptional Together. Tom, thanks for living our values and everything you tirelessly do for clients daily to maintain operational excellence. We’re grateful you’re on our team!
