Leading With Her Heart Through ICE Safety Solutions
Pamela Isom, President and CEO of ICE Safety Solutions, is an undeniable frontrunner in the life safety, risk mitigation and hazard prevention industry. In a career spanning two decades, Isom has created and facilitated a wide range of customized safety programs throughout the U.S. for automotive, corporate and government clients.
In addition to averting injury, illness and potential loss of life, the award-winning, philanthropic entre-leader has an esteemed work ethic and elevated value system. She is a leader’s leader.
A fundamental cornerstone of her success is in her diagnostic approach, where she carefully examines her business’ health and self-prescribes pre-op work. Her prescription for fear is, “Build a great business.”
Isom recommends a business CAT scan. Can we do it? Are we doing it? Try something new. She describes her evolution from 1999 as a CPR training company to today’s comprehensive in case of emergency solution provider as a professional lobotomy.
She believes in a D.O.A (dead on arrival) approach to activate innovation at ICE Safety Solutions.
“It’s never good enough,” she laughed, “My team knows that I will kill a service, add a new one and plan accordingly to help recession proof the company.”
She explains that killing off obsolete products and services improves relevancy, ensures client satisfaction and makes room for ingenuity. After hearing Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, speak at a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council conference, she refined her offering and message to simply, “We make sure people don’t die,” she says emphatically.
Post-op, she leads ICE Safety Solutions with her heart and focuses on her team.
“Employees are the greatest leaders in any organization,” she shared.
An organization is only as healthy the leaders and the staff in it. As ICE Safety Solution’s organization development practitioner, she diagnoses and intervenes to support strategic growth, remain highly competitive and nurture a best-in-class workforce.
ICE Safety Solution’s recruitment and retention process is like open heart surgery; there are three rounds of interviews and a custom PowerPoint presentation that candidates must present to be considered for a position. From the warehouse to course instructors, Isom strongly believes in developing and growing leaders within the company who share the same values and vision.
“I take the time during the hiring process to see what people really care about. Safety is about caring for others,” she stated. Isom is reminded daily of the living proof of her legacy. The Wall of Life, prominently displayed in her Fremont office, is a testament of the lives that ICE has saved.
“My mother told me that awards are for the things you have done in the past. The Wall of Life represents people who are here today who would not have been [here] without ICE Safety Solutions preparedness training,” she divulged.
Symptomatic of running a business, Isom said she has encountered life or death obstacles along the way.
She vaccinates her bottom line from acute cash-flow-itis by investing in preventative growth resources. Her business wellness partners include an attorney, IT consultant, business banker and a Vistage business coach.
She offers inspiration and contributes an unbelievable amount of knowledge, talent and genius in her industry. And, she keeps a finger on the industry’s pulse, forges new paths and disrupts status quo thinking to reach new heights—in business and in life.
Her EKG reads: Excellence Keeps Giving.
