Starboard Strategy is a management consulting practice. They help organizations and teams figure out where they are, where they want to be, and the best ways to get there. They work with clients on strategic plans, research, analysis, community and customer engagement, meeting facilitation, marketing, communications, business development and process improvement. Their slogan is “Good thinking; Better results.”
Their President, Marie Gemelli-Carroll participated in our Client Q&A this month.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your career, and about working through OfficeKey? I most enjoy the clients, building a relationship while helping clients solve problems, and producing change. I also enjoy the variety of projects and the businesses of my clients—corporate, government, nonprofit.
OfficeKey is a great home base for Starboard Strategy. We started 22 years ago in my home office, moved three times into progressively larger offices that, over time, became a burden rather than a catalyst for our work. OfficeKey is the right combination of dedicated office space with access to an array of space and services in this stage of our consulting practice,
Q: How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
A: I like reading mysteries, walking, cooking and baking, and volunteering. My husband and I like to travel when we can. We have a daughter who lives in London, and a daughter, son- in-law, and granddaughter who live in Cincinnati—so we enjoy being empty-nesters, and spending as much time being Nonna and Papa as we can!
Q: If you could only pick three movies to watch the rest of your life, what would they be?
A: That’s a tough one. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation; Auntie Mame; and Singin’ in the Rain. With The Wizard of Oz tied for third place!
Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
A: It’s not a superpower but should be– the ability to eat what I want and not put on any excess weight!
Q: If you could hire any celebrity to work for your strategy business who would it be and why?
A: Martin Sheen for his presentation skills and Catholic values. Michelle Obama for her ability to engage with people, one-on-one.
Q: Have you had any particularly rewarding experience during your career?
A: Too many to document! One would be when, under the leadership of then-CEO Dwight Hibbard of Cincinnati Bell, I had the opportunity to work on the team developing the vision for downtown Cincinnati—a vision which today still guides the efforts of Downtown Cincinnati Inc. to sustain a safe, clean, and vibrant downtown. It is always rewarding when a client expresses satisfaction with a project or strategic planning process, generates a referral, or invites Starboard back for additional engagements.
Q: Which OfficeKey location do you think has the best restaurants nearby?
A: Downtown Cincinnati–eclectic array in the Cincinnati Business District, The Banks, Over The Rhine, and Northern Kentucky, Mt. Adams—here, the culinary world is at our doorstep, from food trucks to fancy dining!
You can learn more about Marie and Starboard Strategy Corp on their website.
Contributed by Kenzie Walters