Jim graduated with high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1974. After moving to northern Nevada in 1981, he owned or was involved at a chief executive level in both small and medium-sized companies prior to opening Applied Staffing Solutions, LLC in 2002. Influenced by a combination of his experiences as an entrepreneur and eleven years in the staffing industry, Jim’s business philosophy is simple; there is joy in building a workplace which provides meaningful work, respects a balance of life for employees and fosters open communication. According to Jim, these three things are the reasons why you retain employees. It is not about money, it’s about these three things. In 2003 Jim established Applied Business Solutions (ABS), a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), which affords northern Nevada small businesses access to big company benefits and centralized HR expertise. His vision and leadership have been recognized as The Applied Companies were named one of the 2008 and 2009 Best Places to Work (EDAWN and Quantum research) and were nominated for a 2008 Distinguished Business Award in the Innovation category of the Governor’s Industry Appreciation Awards (GIAA).

Jim is committed to northern Nevada as he is a Charter member of the Rotary Club of Reno Centennial Sunset and is that club's Charter President, belongs to EDAWN (Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada), is past President of the Northern Nevada Human Resource Association, is a former Deacon at St. John's Presbyterian Church, is past Secretary of Troop 107 of the Boy Scouts of America, is past Chair of the Reno Marketing Professionals and belongs to Western Industrial Nevada (WIN). Jim also belongs to the Northern Nevada Chamber of Commerce and has served on the board of the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce.

Judy has been with our company since its inception in 2002. With over sixteen years in the staffing industry, her current role focuses on placements, building lasting client relationships, and providing excellent customer service. Prior to coming on board at Applied Staffing Solutions, Judy was the staffing manager for a national mining personnel service, where she managed its most profitable location in Tucson, AZ for over six years. She attributes her experience as a parent as the reason she can provide career advice to job seekers with a dash of creativity and patience. Judy realizes the importance of knowing the clients’ culture and what assets would make a good employee fit. She also takes the time to listen carefully to each candidate so she can help them find their “dream” job. She believes she has an ethical responsibility to the client and the candidate to make a “perfect match,” the result of which is her biggest reward.

Since becoming Miss Reno and First Runner Up for Miss Nevada in 1964, Judy has had a passion for working with young women who desire to compete in pageants, especially those affiliated with the Miss America scholarship program. She has been a director for the Miss Washoe County pageant and currently serves as an advisor to the Miss Reno/Sparks & Miss UNR pageants. With her experience as a statewide judge, paired with her staffing industry knowledge, Judy coaches local students on how to seek job placement.

Pat puts her twenty-five years of sales management and business development experience to work every day to the advantage of her clients. She holds Certificate of Completion as a Full Service Staffing Account Manager from International Staffing University, which attests to her in-depth knowledge in all aspects of the staffing industry. Pat is proud of the nick name that has followed her for years, “Queen of Follow-Up.” Her clients value that Pat always touches base, which lets them know that she is there even if they don’t have an immediate need. Her primary goal is to provide a level of customer service that is above and beyond anything her clients have experienced before. Pat has worked for national companies, as well as locally owned companies, and understands the challenges of owning and managing a business. Pat’s entrepreneurial experience began when she began to study and become certified in counseling at the University of Houston. After focusing on courses in personal growth and healing techniques, she became a Life Coach, and went on to write monthly columns for magazines which incorporated her expertise. She believes that this education helped her to truly listen to others’ concerns and to problem solve, which results in giving her clients the “right solution, each and every time.”

Pat is a member of the Northern Nevada Human Resources Association (NNHRA), WIN and past member of the Reno Business Referrals Networking Group. She sits on the Welcoming Committee of the Northern Nevada Chamber of Commerce, and in 2011 is a finalist for Sales Person of the Year.  

Cecilia has over eight years of experience in the staffing industry. Her professional and affable nature lends itself well to her primary role of working with clients and candidates. Cecilia’s strong customer service and organizational skills are evident. Her mantra, “a place for everything and everything in its place,” assures clients and co-workers alike that her processes and systems offer continuity and efficiency. Cecilia’s bilingual skills allows Applied Staffing Solutions to thoroughly interview Spanish-speaking job candidates. She also provides translation services for clients to help educate employees about company policies, procedures, and benefits, including those provided through Applied Business Solutions, a Professional Employer Organization (PEO). Cecilia believes that bridging these communication gaps not only helps ensure a successful placement, but bolsters client trust and encourages employee loyalty. Cecilia has received a certificate in Interview Training though UNR’s Continuing Education, received I9 compliance training through a corporate staffing program and is a member of Nevada Hispanic Services.

Chelsea Sladek has over 20 years in the hospitality field.  Her knowledge and enthusiasm have been a driving force in the development and cultivation of our Hospitality Staffing Division.  As a past business owner of a local hospitality staffing company, she has a proven ability to successfully analyze new business opportunities, develop innovative and cost-effective solutions for enhancing competitiveness, increase revenues, and improve customer service.  She enjoys the entire sales cycle from “planting the seeds” to the fruition of long term client relationships. 

Chelsea ensures the fulfillment of our client’s needs and satisfaction by providing training classes in etiquette and service skills to our employees.  In addition, she offers training seminars to organizations who are interested in increasing their level of customer service and brand awareness.

Chelsea has enjoyed being a part of Weddings of the West (WOW), The Northern Nevada Human Resource Association (NNHRA), the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) and The Association for Wedding Professionals International (AFWPI) giving her many opportunities to make “connections” in our community!

Susan’s twenty-five years of sales and customer service experience have sharpened her communication skills, affording her clients a dedicated listener who is tuned into their needs and responds in a manner that exceeds expectations. Her sales skills have been officially recognized as Susan was named in the Top Five Finalists for “Professional Saleswoman of Nevada” in both 1995 and 2006. Over the last seventeen years, Susan has been employed in the staffing services industry, including outside sales, recruiting, direct hire and temporary placement coordination, providing employment consulting to businesses and individuals, career counseling, customer service, and supervising office administrators and placement coordinators.

Her current role is to present Applied Staffing as a resource for the community at large. She values being the connection, that bridge between the dreams, goals, and desires of the right person and the right service provider. Susan’s goal is to have each client or applicant feel that they made the right choice to go with Applied Staffing, and reinforcing their decision at every turn is her greatest reward. Susan’s reputation for getting the job done has spread throughout the community. She is involved in over a dozen organizations and programs on a volunteer basis. However, her passion is Washoe County Ready for Life, a statewide cross-agency effort to improve Nevada’s success at reengaging and graduating “ready for life” students, especially those who prematurely left high school. Youth, parents, business, community organizations, public agencies, and policy makers are working together to increase Nevada’s graduation rate 10% by 2013 to help prepare our workforce for the future. Susan represents community employers on the Executive and Steering Committees, and she is Chair of the Employment Workgroup, whose task is to assist educators and trainers connect with businesses in order to increase communication, internships, coaching/mentoring and job shadowing.