Today we’d like to introduce you to Joni Lee Rossi-Landerfin.
Joni Lee once dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but while she was an administrator in a prestigious law firm inspiration struck. Joni Lee realized there was a niche for a service-oriented placement firm that could handle the demands of large companies. Instead of pursuing law, she decided to devote her advocacy skills to a different profession – one that would help people become productive members of the workforce through training, coaching, and placing them in fulfilling jobs. In 1987, Joni Lee founded CQ Personnel. CQ is the Navy radio signal that indicates an urgent need for help. CQ Personnel, Suppler Diversity Office certified, is a temporary & direct hire placement firm that began by providing Boston area companies with the finest talent. The core mission of CQ Personnel is to open doors and support all talented, ambitious employees and companies striving to create and take advantage of new opportunities. In 1992, the MacPherson Group was formed as a result for a high demand of legal professionals in major law firms, insurance and financial service companies, and biotech and patent firms. Many companies relied on the MacPherson Group to place multiple legal professionals within a 24-hour turnaround time simultaneously meeting diversity staffing needs. MacPherson Group’s Fortune 500 client list included Deutsche Bank, John Hancock, and Met Life. In 2000, Ms. Rossi’s husband, Daniel Landerfin, an accomplished business man and business broker, joined the firm.
In 2013, the Back Bay Staffing Group was formed to combine the service offerings of CQ Personnel and the MacPherson Group. The company continues to support and encourage talent, promote diversity and create new opportunities. Servicing some of the nation’s largest companies, law firms, state and federal agencies, the Back Bay Staffing Group prides itself on being a true partner in helping organizations grow, solidly and wisely.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Obstacles / Challenges include the ever changing economy. When the depression of 2008 hit, it was gloomy for the job market. We have rebounded and are proud to say we are still placing people in jobs.
Back Bay Staffing Group – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are set apart from other companies by the quality of placements we make. We are proud to say that our placements average 7 years or more.
Founded on a clear vision of building long-term relationships between our clients and candidates, the Back Bay Staffing Group has earned its reputation as a trusted staffing solution for law firms, corporations, healthcare services, small businesses, and government agencies. Since 1987, our mission has been to develop and grow practices and businesses by supporting and encouraging talent, promoting diversity and creating new opportunities. 25+ years’ experience allows us to better determine cultural suitability to a given office environment, size and location. Our insight into current benchmarks and trends helps us excel in the recruitment and placement of the best and brightest professionals for your organization. Our specialty groups provide direct hire, executive search, temporary staffing, event staffing, contract consulting and contract-to-hire solutions as well as payroll services to law firms, corporations, healthcare institutions, emerging growth companies, government agencies and Fortune 500 businesses across all market sectors and industries.
Joni Lee’s role as a thought leader is evident in her many published pieces in leading industry journals. In the publication of Boston Women’s Business Journal, Joni Lee authored an article “As Women Rise, Corporations to Follow” on the subject of diversity. In 2002, Joni Lee addressed a group of minority and women-owned businesses about “Best Practices for Bidding on State Contracts” for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Affirmative Market Program. Lawyers Weekly has published Joni Lee on topics such as staffing and maximizing the time of temporary workers. Women’s Business published “Make Hiring Easy- Rely on an Agency,” in which Joni Lee addressed the provocative topic of background checks. Joni Lee recently authored for the Boston Business Journal “Keep Moving and Stay Positive”, offering tips and guidelines to new business owners. Ms. Rossi was also invited by Dress For Success, to speak to a group of women on how to give an elevator pitch, and earned high marks from her students for that seminar. In 2011, Ms. Rossi was an invited guest on Meghna Chakrabarti’s radio show on NPR to offer commentary on the jobs recovery.
Ms. Rossi has developed a deep love for the creative arts including film production and interior design through studying with the esteemed writer Robert McKee, who is known for his renowned book Story. So far, Ms. Rossi has produced a short film for an Emerson student called, “The Clown,” had a promotional video developed by WBZ, and most recently filmed a Sizzle Reel for her TV Series, “You’re Hired.” Ms. Rossi has also assisted with set design and created interiors on Cape Cod, Back Bay, and Boca Raton.
Joni Lee is most proud of the relationships she formed and how strong these ties to the community remain. In both her professional and personal life, Joni Lee is a tireless children’s advocate and philanthropist. For thirteen years, she chaired “The Benefit for Children,” a gala holiday event, which provides clothing, toys and necessities for kids at the Home for Little Wanderers and The Italian Home for Children. Joni Lee’s company, Back Bay Staffing Group, was a sponsor to Outward Bound/Thompson Island, raising an excess of $615,000 for the development of skills training for teens in Cambridge and Boston. Joni Lee has also received awards for her work with disadvantaged children from Coupon Inc., an organization that assists the homeless, and the prestigious Boston Women’s Fund for her advocacy work with women and children. She also chaired the annual gala and continues to support WriteBoston, a program that encourages writing skills in the Boston Public Schools system.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career is when I was engaged by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to assist in a Welfare-to-Work training program. My company offered computer training to constituents receiving welfare benefits. Many of these trainees are now gainfully employed by the Commonwealth and in private sector, all of them placed by Back Bay Staffing Group. This led to a formal appointment to the Affirmative Market Program Board to assist other minority and women owned small businesses to succeed through statewide programs. Governor Deval Patrick and I recorded a commercial, “It’s All Here in Massachusetts.” He then went on to honor me with a Citation in recognition of outstanding service and commitment to the Supplier Diversity Program.
Ms. Rossi is married to Daniel Landerfin and they have one adorable son, Angelo- Daniel. They divide their time between their homes in the Back Bay and Boca Raton.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.backbaystaffinggroup.com
- Phone: 617.262.1313
- Email: joni@backbaystaffinggroup.com
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