Our year started with a bang and a chaotic continuation of an incredibly busy 2021. It looked like another wild ride for the year, but inflation and other economic woes caught up to us in the third quarter. However, we bounced back in Q4 with some surprising and exciting performances going into the final stretch of the year!
Our post-pandemic launch in Arizona has been gaining momentum. We saw a lot of air miles to the Grand Canyon State, established some great relationships, and introduced the IT Leadership Forum to that market! What's even more refreshing are the synergies we've found around our Midwestern values down in Arizona.
We continue to make progress in Minnesota and Nebraska, and in Iowa, where we've been in the market for 25 years, we're still managing to gain more market share among our clients. When we say we strive to be the best, it's not just words on paper - it's a daily focus, and when we receive notes from our clients that tell us "we are setting the standard," we know we're staying true to who we've been for over two decades.
This year, we've added three new recruiters, a new account executive and an administrative assistant to assist in our growth. We've also had some heart-warming family events: two new babies and first-time parents, high school and college graduations and a new marriage to name just a few.
We spent the year celebrating and bringing the team together as much as possible. In February, we enjoyed a trip to Scottsdale to celebrate 25 years in business, followed by an anniversary party in the hot summer sun of July. In September we took a quick trip to Minneapolis to catch a Twins game, and capped off the year with our loved ones at our year-end holiday party in Des Moines. We're incredibly grateful for the opportunities to bring the team together outside of the day-to-day.
As with every year, we've experienced a few lows - some personal and some professional. Some sad, some tragic, and some close calls. We are proud of our team and how they've supported each other under difficult circumstances.
This year reminds us, yet again, of the importance of love and respect for each other. We might be a work family, but a family nonetheless.
We don't know what 2023 will bring, but we're enthusiastic and determined to make it another successful year.
Paragon wishes all of you a Happy New Year! May you find the best in people and gratitude for the good fortunes and relationships in your lives!