Director of Applications Support Brenda Griffith is one of the pioneering members of Portfolio. Brenda, an Orange County, Calif., native, has worked for the organization for nearly two decades, starting as one of the original associates of Express Systems in Irvine. “We didn’t really have positions back then,” she laughingly explains. “We did everything. I got to do accounting, claims, contracting, rates. I learned a lot about all the different departments within the organization because it was so small.”
As the years progressed, so did Brenda. The company expanded and departments were finally formed. Brenda became a production supervisor, then production manager. “I was one of the very first directors in the company,” she says. It was an exciting time of learning and growth. Before long, Brenda was promoted to director of operations, where she managed contract administration, claims and IT.
“Being able to experience all of the different departments and varying positions uniquely prepared me for the role I’m in now,” Brenda explains. “I worked so closely with the IT team, learning all the application enhancements and features. I became a Vander expert.”
For the past three years, Brenda has been an integral part of Portfolio’s integration efforts. She oversees production and works with the integration team daily, serving as a critical liaison. “IT knows all of the software but not often the business processes. I help convey the business unit needs to IT since I can speak both ‘languages’ and help them understand one another.”
Brenda says many people helped her grow at the company, including Portfolio’s recently retired longtime sales leader. “I worked for Dan Haugen for 12 years. He pushed me to learn how to develop people and management training. He taught me the most about business and how to manage a department.”
Portfolio CAO Lori Hallisey serves as another mentor for Brenda, who credits Lori with teaching her how to make better decisions. “My favorite thing about Lori is that she is not afraid to roll up her sleeves, do the actual job and learn what her people are doing.”
Fun fact: Senior IT Development Director Darren Griffith is more than just a frequent collaborator. “It’s kind of cool to work with your brother!” Brenda quips.
In her free time, this busy mom of two young girls likes to simply relax and spend time with family. “I’m 100% a proud soccer mom,” she says. Her time is spent with the girls, their sports and extracurricular activities. She loves and looks forward to their yearly vacations, where they are always joined by Darren and his family.
What Brenda has found to be most rewarding about her many roles at Portfolio over the years is making people happy. Redesigning a process or fixing an issue for a user excites her. “Helping people make their jobs easier is one of the best things. I love seeing the user so happy. It’s very satisfying to me.”
