As Executive Assistant to our President and CEO, and an active member of several internal teams and committees, Annette Chase sees more of the company than most. Read on for her take on life at BCS, and the skills she needs to succeed in her role.
Q: Describe your/your team’s role at BCS.
A: I am the Executive Assistant to Peter Costello, our President and Chief Executive Officer. My main responsibility is taking care of everything he may need on a day-to-day basis, which mainly consists of travel, calendar, and meeting coordination both internally and externally. Most important is our Board Meetings which includes material gathering and distributing, meeting logistics, reports, presentations, meeting minutes, etc. There are often one-off requests from others in the organization, and I am more than happy to oblige as it allows me to work across departments and make sure people are getting whatever help they need.
Q: What does a typical day at BCS look like for you?
A: Luckily, I don’t have a typical day at BCS. Aside from being an EA, I am also on the Communications Team, the Culture Team and two subcommittees within that group called ePal (Event Planning and Logistics) and Community Service, and I also co-lead our Wellness Team. While the business side of my role is extremely important, I think employee morale and culture is just as important and I take great pride in getting to be able to help coordinate events and programs that are focused around our employees. My love for throwing an event has really come in handy! Being a part of these groups has confirmed that no two days are the same.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The first is that I really value someone depending on me and knowing that if they ask me to do something, I will get it done. The other is the ability to work across different functions. I am in a rare spot that I have access to our entire Executive Leadership team, as well as many others at different levels of the organization and I get to see our company from all angles. Not many roles get this type of insight and accessibility and I believe it has allowed me to perform my job better.
Q: What skills does someone need to succeed in your role?
A: I think the single most important skill for an Executive Assistant is interpersonal skills. Assistants work with a wide range of people and personalities, and the ability to adjust and adapt is something that cannot be taught but is crucial. The other top skills are the ability to multi-task, flexibility, attention to detail and communication.
Q: Rumor has it you are quite the party planner, what has been your favorite event to plan and why?
A: The Holiday Party is my absolute favorite event to plan. I think it is the perfect way to come together and have great food, good drinks, laugh, dance, and give a thanks to all the employees for their hard work all year. I really enjoy DIY crafts and projects, and I have a great time coming up with the theme and decorations and seeing it all come together.