At GFI Digital, we have a mission: “to develop and support our customers and employees through our commitment to service excellence.” Employee development is at the heart of our culture and we are committed to finding the right people for each role within our company. Internal advancement is important to us. We feel that developing our employees for advancement opportunities not only makes GFI Digital a great place to work, but creates strong partnerships with the customers we serve. We even have an incentive for referring people for open positions and we like to promote from within our GFI Digital family when possible! A great example of promoting from within is Jeff Cook, Chief Operating Officer.
Cook has been with GFI Digital since its earliest years and has had many opportunities to develop his skill set along the way. In 2001, when GFI Digital had only 2 locations and 34 employees, Jeff began his career here as a Copier Service Technician. The next year, in 2002, Jeff earned the role of Service Manager, overseeing daily service operations and technicians in St. Louis and Jefferson City, MO. Jeff was also involved in many day-to-day operations in our warehouse/service center. Although Jeff was in this position for 11 years, his role changed and adapted along with the growth of the company.
“I started out as a technician… through the years I’ve had so many opportunities to learn as the company has grown. I could have never imagined back then the growth and what GFI Digital would be today. It really is incredible to see what this company has become in the almost 20 years that I’ve been here,” Jeff said.
In 2013, Jeff became Chief Information Officer. This was an important time in GFI Digital’s history when our IT offerings were expanding and the need for these services among our customers was rising. Jeff knew our business well through his experience as a Service Manager and took the opportunity to expand on those principles in our IT product & service offerings referred to as “DigitalNET.” DigitalNET has since become a huge part of the growth and success at GFI Digital.
In 2017, Cook’s career at GFI Digital took on a new direction as Chief Financial Officer. Jeff stated, “Bruce [GFI Digital’s Founder & President] has always been so incredible at growing this company through the way he drives sales to grow year over year. He also gets to know his people and he took a chance on me. Developing people & seeing them grow in their roles is what enables the company to grow.” Growing companies often have added & changing positions. GFI Digital’s recruiting team first seeks to promote from within for these opportunities. Jeff said, “The growth we’ve had speaks to the drive Bruce has for himself and his team. He’s a very competitive person. He wants to keep growing and grow stronger than anyone else in the industry. He pushes for the best out of people.”
In 2020, Jeff’s role changed yet again to Chief Operating Officer. This role, while drastically different than the Service Technician role he started in, is where Jeff has found a true niche, bringing his knowledge and experience in our industry to work every day. “I still understand what it’s like to be a copier service technician. [My] experience helps me understand their day in and day out… There are challenges to that job that are unique to that role. I know what it’s like to work in the field and understanding that job is really valuable in helping me understand the team,” he said.
Today, GFI Digital has over 325 employees in 13 locations. Because development of our employees is so important to us, almost every manager here started in a developmental position and earned his or her leadership role. At a growing company like ours, we provide many different opportunities for personal and professional development. We look forward to seeing who the next employee will be to expand their potential and grow their career right here within our organization. Do you have the potential to grow with us?