“PSW took another giant leap forward”

PSW was founded in 1982 as a small family-owned company. In the over 40-years of existence, the company has transformed and grown significantly. In November of 2022, PSW took another giant leap forward by hiring Desiree Frees as their first president of operations.

As president of operations, Frees is responsible for upholding the values of the organization by leading all business operations. She will ensure every employee has the resources they need to provide exceptional service to both clients and partners.

While she is stepping into a new industry, she credits the processes that are already in place to help her with the transition. “I recently moved to Pittsburgh from Northern California after spending a decade in workers compensation and staffing. PSW is structured unlike any other company in the construction industry. I joined PSW because I see a company who wants to educate and better the lives of the people of Pittsburgh.”

Stepping into an established company can be a challenge for any new employee, but Frees was not brought in to simply fit in, she was hired to bring significant improvements to an already successful company. But even a professional like Frees knows that patience is a virtue when implementing change. “I didn’t come to PSW to make change right away; my philosophy is to listen and truly understand where we are as a team. Especially in a small company, employee feedback is valuable. I want to make sure everyone involved knows I am here to implement the change that is needed to continue to build upon the foundations established.”

To bring significant growth, changes will always be required. As John F. Kennedy stated, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” But change is not easy and sometimes it is uncomfortable. Frees states that the key to moving forward is “open and honest communication.”

Over the past few months, Frees has been working with each department, including the CEO, to streamline all processes even more than they already are. But how does someone come into a new organization and industry and keep their priorities straight? “I practice and preach the top 4 method. I look at the tasks that need to be completed that week and create a daily top 4 list. Number one is always the one that I know will take the longest but be most beneficial for the company. I will not move to the remainder of the list until I fully complete the first task. This is something I have always encouraged my team to do as well.”

Outside of work, Frees loves traveling with her family and showing her kids new experiences. For those worried about how she is adapting to Pittsburgh, she simply smiles and states, “I have fallen in love with the passion and pride in this city." Spoken like a true yinzer!