Tridant Solutions is a woman-owned 8(a) small business serving government agencies and commercial entities nationwide since 2005. The company provides professional services support for the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, satisfying diverse requirements in project management, financial management and systems support, administrative support, medical and healthcare services, and facilities operations. The company ranked #157 on Inc. Magazine’s 5000 Most Successful Companies in America in 2019, a ranking of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S.    

We spoke with Annette Palazuelos, President and CEO of Tridant Solutions, to learn how the company is navigating the complexity of the coronavirus pandemic and economic shutdown.

How are you helping your clients in this challenging time?

As a federal government contractor, our employees are deemed essential, so we have been working throughout the quarantine period to serve the needs of our clients. Many of our employees have been asked to work remotely, so we have been focused on making sure they are able to do so successfully. We have implemented new tools to make sure they can perform the services we are contracted to perform.

Collaboration is hugely important in our industry, so we have had to innovate to work better as a teleworking team. Like everyone, we were navigating the unknown at the beginning, but we have been operating really smoothly from a remote environment for the last few months.

Also, for the Tridant team’s work conducted at military bases, we quickly adapted to new COVID-19 protocols, like staff temperature screening and reconfiguring workflow to create social distancing, all while performing at the quality levels and fast pace that our team is known for and the Navy relies on.

What has your experience been like working with Boston Private?

We have been working with Boston Private for years and have always had a strong relationship, which is all the more valuable in times of crisis. Our team in Pasadena acted quickly to get us the SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan we needed. They were very responsive and answered every question we had along the way. I appreciate how our Boston Private bankers always act with a sense of urgency, getting back to us with the information we need in a timely manner.

We had some employees who were exposed to COVID-19 and unable to work for a period of time. We were, of course, continuing to pay them but with less income coming into the business. The PPP loan really helped us out and we wouldn’t have gotten through the process so smoothly without the help of Boston Private.

What’s one lesson you have learned throughout this crisis?

As a former medical professional, I have always been focused on the health and safety of our employees and our communities, but this pandemic has brought the importance of our health into even clearer focus. I’m committed to ensuring our employees have access to a safe and healthy work environment.

The quarantine period has also reminded me how important it is to stay connected. We have implemented tools like Microsoft Teams, videoconference progress meetings, and online chat communication to help our teams stay in touch with one another and collaborate.