ModSquad’s 2018 Bestofus Festivus

On this grand day of Festivus, we invite you to gather around the Festivus pole as we name the recipient of 2018’s Bestofus Festivus recognition. Once a year, we select and acknowledge the person among us who best exemplifies the ModSquad spirit. In determining 2018’s recipient, we looked for someone who serves as an inspiration to the rest of us, one who goes above and beyond again and again, and is the personification of the best of ModSquad culture.

We’re thrilled to announce that ModSquad’s 2018 Bestofus Festivus is Jason Ferguson! Jason is a true ModSquad success story, having worked his way up through the company over the years that he’s been here. He started off as a Mod, providing moderation services for Webosaurs. In the ensuing years, Jason was named an APM, PM, AM, Director, and is now Senior Director. Clearly, he does it all!

A familiar face to everyone in Sacramento and nearly all of us beyond, the always-cheerful Jason is truly dedicated to everyone at ModSquad. That passion for the company showed back in the day when he uprooted himself to come across the country to head up our Sacramento Operations Center, and he still has that same level of positivity today. From always being willing to help at any time to supporting our social media and fundraising efforts to being ever-willing to deal with Sacramento’s ongoing plumbing issues (sorry, Jason!), he’s a one-of-a-kind go-getter that we’re honored to call not just our coworker, but our friend.

Those who’ve worked with Jason have nothing but respect and admiration for his work and for Jason as an individual as well. Here are some thoughts his coworkers have shared with us:

“Jason is an extraordinary person! He is one of my favorite people to work for and to work with. He has played a pivotal role in helping me become a successful Account Manager. He is strategic, manages complex cases well, promotes teamwork and creates lasting relationships with clients and his coworkers. Jason is passionate about ModSquad and the company’s success. He is not all about work, though. Jason has a great sense of humor, which makes working with him enjoyable. We can be in a meeting with him and then all of a sudden he says something witty and has everyone laughing. He is genuine and an all-around great guy.”
— Theresa Galle, Account Manager

“Jason is a super-talented individual who is committed to the success of those around him, to our clients, and to our organization in general. He is quick to help others and approaches challenges with a positive, can-do attitude, often times drawing upon a deep understanding of our business and team strengths to come up with an optimal solution. Jason is very well respected by everyone he works with and with our clients.

Singing Santa congratulates Jason at our Sacramento Operations Center.

“On a personal level, Jason is thoughtful, friendly, funny, wise, and generous with his time. It’s not uncommon for Jason to be working on something behind the scenes to ensure a team member is being supported properly or a deliverable is being met. As a leader, he is willing to take on any task at hand, often times leading by example and motivating others to do their best. Jason is invaluable part of our organization and someone who can be depended on in all situations. I’ve learned a lot from Jason by working with him on a daily basis and appreciate everything that he does. Jason is amazing!”
— Stephen Henry, VP, Client Services

“I’ve been lucky enough to work with Jason on several projects over the last 10 years and can honestly say he’s just one of those people who will always have your back.

“He’s great at identifying the needs of our clients, and the needs of the PMs, helping manage the day-to-day for those clients. He knows when to step in but more importantly, he knows when to step-back and let us do our thing.

“Not to mention, he’s so dedicated to this company and all of our clients. At least a few times a week I see him still working at 7 p.m., at 10 p.m., and when needed — even later. Days off? Not if you need him. Vacation? Not if you need him. He’s willing to be here at any time, any day, for any need.

“We should all be thankful to have him as part of our group.”
— Michelle Ramage, Project Manager

“Jason has demonstrated time and time again here at ModSquad that he is a highly skilled team player. He has fantastic instincts and experience dealing with clients and working with a wide variety of internal stakeholders. Jason takes on any duty asked of him, and has been involved at high levels on many of ModSquad’s most important and/or challenging projects. As a leader, Jason has earned respect from all those who work with him.

“On a personal note, Jason is just a really good guy and a pleasure to work with. I’m glad I’ve had the privilege of working with him.”
— Rich Weil, SVP, Global Operations

“There are a few people who come to mind when I think about leadership here. I’ve had the honor of having Jason as an Account Manager, as a Director, an ear to vent to, and a shoulder to lean on. Day or night, Jason is there for you. He is eager and willing to dive into the depths with you, no matter how deep it gets.

“His kind heart and joyous attitude brings so much light and happiness when you may be having an off day or even just in a one-off conversation. His ability to juggle the amount of work he has to do and still make you feel like you’re the first priority in his book is something that should be sought after by everyone.

“You can’t have ModSquad without Jason, you just can’t.”
— Brian Fuhrman, Project Manager

“Jason is the great mediator and listener here at ModSquad. He has an ability to listen to varying facts and opinions, then turn those conversations into actionable plans that everyone walks away feeling good about. He’s a member of a core group of leadership that, for years now, are regularly called in to handle challenging situations, and he never disappoints.

“Personally, I’ve reported either directly or indirectly to Jason for over five years now and consider our working relationship over that time period a huge part of my growth within the business. When we all take a moment to sit around the virtual campfire and swap war stories, Jason’s right there with us to chime in with some long-forgotten piece of our collective history and to remind everyone that he’s always by our side. I doubt I’ll ever have another partner quite like him, and consider him to be one of the very best people I’ve ever known.”
— Josh Smith, Strategic Management Specialist

“Jason knows ModSquad inside and out; his knowledge of best practices is second to none, along with knowing all the potential issues and questions that come with the wide variety of clients we have. He has seen it all, heard it all and fixed it all. Truly the go-to guy at ModSquad.”
— Mike Marcantel, Account Manager

“One of the things I admire most about Jason is how calm and collected he is in every situation we’ve worked through together. It doesn’t matter if we’re in crunch time or the slowest point of the year, Jason is always positive, encouraging, and helps navigate the tough questions when that time comes. Jason has taught me a lot about how to step back and handle a situation strategically instead of just pushing through. It doesn’t hurt that he is one of the easiest people to talk to and get along with. Jason also gets points from me because he loves the best soda, Mountain Dew.”
— Jay Biros, Account Manager

“Jason is helpful, kind, thoughtful, supportive, funny, positive, always willing to help, is part task-octopus / part-control-center operator. He’s always on point to help with activities, comes in late nights or weekends for any needs at the drop of the hat, supports all departments, and is part life saver (cannot confirm flavor).”
— Izzy Neis, Sr. Director, Digital Engagement

“Jason is the type of person who will go out of his way to ensure things are going smoothly for you and your team. He views any challenge that you may have as his own challenge, and he steps in to help when he sees someone who could use extra assistance. He is always there for us (and by always I mean even at 2 a.m.). It’s reassuring to know that I can go to him with any feedback I may have and he’ll hear it objectively. I’m happy to have seen him grow from an AM to a Director and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of the recognition than Jason.”
— Heather Banks, Project Manager

“Jason is Mike Pinkerton’s, our COO, one claim to fame. Mike is always bragging, ‘I hired him!’ So I guess I have to give him that. Can’t imagine ModSquad without Jason.”
— Amy Pritchard, CEO

All of us at ModSquad offer our congratulations — and thanks — to Jason. Please be sure to join in the fun and congratulate Jason in the comments section below.

Here’s wishing everyone a fantastic 2019!