Customer Service with Heart

Hanging With Hal

Our Love Language? Hospitality.

We have come a long way since starting IST twenty-five years ago. During that time, we have changed and morphed from facilities management to integrated facilities management and provided the whole gamut of litigation support services. Growth and change are critical to ensure we provide the best solutions for our clients while creating careers for our next generation of leaders. That said, it was time to update our vision statement, which was created in 1997. Our new vision statement, which Vice President of Marketing Brad Burgess and his marketing team helped me to create, is as follows:


“IST empowers our employees to lead with passion, purpose,

and excellence in order to exceed the expectations of

our clients and support our communities. ”


That’s a lot to unpack in one sentence, but I think it captures the essence of what IST is all about- A Company with a Servant’s Heart. This year will be incredibly strong in all divisions, with solid leadership and a diversified business. Part of our success is the incredible people who work for IST.


Successful People Programs


We wouldn't be IST without our people programs. Throughout the year, we hold Semi-Annual End User Surveys to highlight exceptional workers in the field and, ultimately, select the top achievers at the end of the year with our Eagle Awards. I want to congratulate all of our 2022 Eagle Trophy winners! It was a tough competition in all five categories, but there could only be one winner in each category. Here they are:


  • Overall Survey Eagle Trophy Winner: Timothy Powell, Chicago, IL
  • Client Evaluation Eagle Trophy Winner: Anjanette Smith, Houston, TX
  • Employee Evaluation Eagle Trophy Winner: Christian Claudio, Stamford, CT
  • End User Evaluation Eagle Trophy Winner: Jennifer Solano, Tucson, AZ
  • Site Audit Eagle Trophy Winner: Melvin Montgomery, Los Angeles, CA


We’re already kicking off our first Semi-Annual End User Survey for 2023. The winners include:


  • Client Survey: Samuel Saldana, Irvine, CA
  • Employee Survey: Juan Horrillo, Denver, CO
  • End User Survey: Tammy Sims, Atlanta, GA


Our semi-annual second-round winners for 2023 include:


  • Client Survey: Timothy Powell, Chicago, IL
  • Employee Survey: Maria Luna, Carlsbad, CA
  • End User Survey: James Spaid, Cleveland, OH


Pursuing and recognizing excellence has been a trademark of IST since the very beginning. We once won an award from the Society for Human Resource Management because of our outstanding rewards and recognition programs. John W. Gardner once said, “Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” Let’s continue to exceed our standards of excellence and pursue IST’s new vision statement. This will be our best year ever, and I look forward to the next 25 years! Thank you for all that you do.

Team building outside in a field with 3 coworkers

The Spring Effect - A Year-Round Strategy

By Hal Blackman • April 23, 2025
The warm weather and longer days have inspired me to attack each day and pay close attention to the short- and long-term goals I set my sights on earlier in the year. It's the perfect time to hit the refresh button on your productivity.
Adapting, Innovating, and Delivering: How IST Stays Ahead

Adapting, Innovating, and Delivering: How IST Stays Ahead

By Hal Blackman • March 28, 2025
We’ve never believed in a one-size-fits-all approach. Every industry has its own challenges, and every organization has its own goals. Our job is to bridge the gap between where they are and where they need to be.
IST's Streamlined Processes for the Evolving Workplace

Streamlined Processes for the Evolving Workplace

By Hal Blackman • February 27, 2025
At IST Management, we’ve always embraced change as an opportunity, not an obstacle. Instead of just keeping pace, we push forward, using innovation to help our clients stay ahead.
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