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Sextant Marketing celebrated its second annual Founding Day late this year. Initially observed in June, this time the event coincided with the company’s virtual holiday party. The change was in keeping with what was sometimes a very peculiar year.

In 2020, the close-knit team buckled down, helping their clients, partners, and each other navigate a world that had changed overnight.

A Virtual Celebration

After months of working virtually (unable to enjoy Sextant’s new, hip office space), it was a happy, smiling group that was ready to let their hair down and enjoy each other’s company.

The festivities began with the presentation of Sextant’s Living Values Awards. The award recognizes employees whose efforts over the past year exemplify the values of the company. Among those values are teamwork, growth, initiative, commitment, and stewardship.

And the Winners Are:

Erika Maldonado – Student Success Representative

Erika “is not only acutely focused on her personal growth and development,” says Jimmy Lynch, VP of Engagement Services, “but is also continuously looking for ways to improve the processes of the Warm Transfer team.”

Working closely with her team members, Erika ensures they’re comfortable in their roles and “provides superior quality work as part of the on-the-phone support team,” Jimmy says.

Anthony Asmundo – Workforce Specialist

Anthony is “truly an unsung hero,” says CEO Adrian Marrullier.

As a member of the call center team, Anthony “provides exemplary service to each advisor, each member of management, the Sextant team at large, as well as any student that we may serve,” Adrian says. “While many of us are enjoying our evenings and weekends, Anthony is supporting our students and the leadership team through all channels.”

Monica Zapata – Marketing Projects Director

If there is a sextant at Sextant Marketing, it’s Monica. “Her ability to see navigational obstacles has greatly improved our project planning and workload efficiency for the marketing operations team,” says VP of Marketing Services Jessica Banich.

Monica “has embraced every workload and efficiency challenge that we’ve thrown at her,” said Jessica. “She keeps us on-course and on-schedule with an upbeat attitude and a bright outlook.”

Jeni Mandahar – Digital Marketing Manager

Always upbeat and ready to help her colleagues, Jeni is a “rock star,” says COO Matt Speer. “I have come to count on her, and I know that any project is in good hands with Jeni. She has excelled in taking on new challenges, diving in head-first and then coming up for air to share new ideas, techniques, and strategies that can help her team and the company as a whole.”

Julie Walbrun – Director of Client Services

Dean Gething, VP of Client Services, presented Julie’s Living Values award. Dean commented on Julie’s “tremendous growth in the past year.” Noting Julie’s collaborative spirit and work ethic, Dean also praised her tireless effort and dedication to her clients.

Julie and her team oversaw an 11 percent year over year growth with Fresno Pacific University while expanding Sextant’s service relationship with Marian University. And those are just two of the clients under Julie’s purview. “I’m excited to see what she will accomplish in the years to come,” says Dean.

The North Star Award

The North Star Award honors a Sextant crew member who not only lives the company values but stands out through extraordinary performance and dedicated service.

Brianna Tillman – Student Success Representative

As the recipient of this year’s North Star award, Brianna “embodies each of our core values. She serves as a steady guide for all the Sextant crew members,” says CEO Adrian Marrullier.

Student success is what Sextant is all about. Brianna “serves to fulfill that which is at our core mission,” says Adrian, “helping families navigate the complex path toward achieving a college education.”

A New Year in Higher-Ed Marketing

After the presentation of Sextant’s Living Values awards, it was time to reconnect! The group came together to celebrate the holidays and the end of a unique year with virtual activities and games. Everyone celebrated each other and the teamwork that makes Sextant Marketing an extraordinary place to work.

Sextant’s New Year’s greeting to its partners and team sums it up nicely:

“As we say goodbye to 2020, remember that a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. Here’s to new challenges as we keep charting our course to accomplishing even higher goals in 2021.”

At Sextant Marketing, the year wound down with a collective sigh of relief and renewed determination to meet the challenges of a new year.

About Sextant Marketing

Sextant Marketing is centrally located in the heart of Tampa’s historic Ybor City. A small group of higher education marketing experts founded the company in 2015. Their passion for the power of higher education brought them together. They each understood that old models for student recruitment and retention were unsustainable.

With years of higher-ed marketing experience, the team created a forward-focused, data-driven, full-funnel model bridging the gap between higher-ed and prospective students. More than just clients, Sextant considers everyone with whom they work their partners. Our goals are your goals: matching the right students with the right program so that each can flourish.

The proof is in the pudding. Sextant Marketing continues to thrive. In November, Sextant Marketing received the Tampa Bay Business Journal Fast 50 award for 2019. For two years in a row, Sextant was recognized, moving from 36th to 8th. Sextant is now among the top-ten fastest-growing privately held companies in Tampa Bay.