Employee Spotlight
Marjorie Tarmey
Project Manager
Looking Back on Nearly a Decade with Catapult
Marjorie Tarmey came to Catapult at a critical time for both the company and the nation. In 2002, she joined a team to quickly develop a proposal to stand up the new Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which was developed in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001.
“It was a fast turnaround to fill TSA screener positions,” says Marjorie. A prime contractor had won the contract, with Catapult as a subcontractor. “The prime knew how to recruit, but they didn’t know how to transition the candidates to become federal employees,” she says. The high visibility of this initial contract effectively put Catapult on the map in the federal arena.
Before coming to Catapult, Marjorie worked at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as a deputy chief of staff, working for Mark Hunker, Catapult’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President. She also worked for Mark at the White House in the Deputy Chief of Staff’s office during the Clinton administration and, before that,
at the Department of Labor, where they were deeply involved in labor policy and community outreach.
Looking back, Marjorie says, “Working for the White House was not glamorous; we worked long 16-hour days.”
She found Catapult to be a good fit for her interests and previous experience, as the company built up its human capital outsourcing practice and expanded management consulting and program management support into leading lines of business. Today she is Project Manager on two contracts: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), an independent agency mandated with regulating commodity futures and option markets.
At the FAA, Catapult performs a range of administrative and human resource functions. In the recruiting of air traffic controllers and technicians, Catapult tracks where job candidates are in the recruiting process. “Candidates are all over the country, so it’s pretty complicated,” she says. Catapult acts as the travel agency at the CFTC. “Our people book travel for CFTC staff, many of whom are attorneys who need to travel extensively. We keep track of expense reports relative to the travel, ensure the travel budget isn’t overextended, and make sure that CFTC staff complies with travel regulations for government employees.”
When there is a lull on the contracts, Marjorie participates in recruiting on behalf of Catapult. “If there’s a proposal in the works and we need to recruit personnel, I’m on it,” she says. She also works on position descriptions and assists Project Managers and hiring managers in the Technology and Management Consulting practice. She also helps Mercedes Doron, Director, Recruiting Services, as needed. “Mercedes does the requisition report, and I make sure that resumes are being reviewed by internal hiring influencers and decision makers.”
Marjorie works constantly with the proposal team, which includes Gene Hoffman, Director of Proposals, and Monique Llanos, Senior Proposal Manager. They’re just great in supporting me when I need the most help,” she says. As to the teams on the FAA and CFTC contracts, Marjorie notes that they have at least one thing in common. “The team members are very serious about the work they do. They are focused and they know that what they’re doing is important,” she says. “We’ve really gotten the right people into those positions. They want to do a good job.”
As she nears her ten-year anniversary with Catapult, she remembers when the company was in a much smaller space. “Back then, we were sharing desks,” says Marjorie. “It’s exciting to see how much the company has grown. To be a part of that growth has been fun. But despite the expansion, we still maintain the early flavor that always put a premium on teamwork.”
Marjorie lives in Bethesda, MD, but is originally from Rhode Island, where she and her husband Jim have a second home. “Most of my family is there,” she says. She and Jim have two daughters, Kerri and Jamie, and a son, Patrick. She also has four grandsons who keep family gatherings fun. Soon Marjorie will be celebrating yet another anniversary: “Jim and I will be married 50 years next year,” she says.
