When it comes to Cask and the Best Small Firms to Work For
ranking, fives appear to be wild. This is the fifth year in a row the
San Diego-based, multi-service firm has been on the list. And,
further, Cask has never been ranked outside the rarified air of the
Top 5. In 2015, the firm moves up a spot to No. 3, tying its highest
ranking to date.
Cask made its debut on the Best
Small Firms to Work For ranking
back in 2011, also at No. 3.
Elizabeth Guezzale, President
of Cask, says The Best Small Firms
to Work For designation illustrates
the firm’s commitment to its culture and its employees.
And the ranking, Guezzale admits, goes a long way to attracting
top talent to the firm.
“It allows Cask to garner posi-
tive attention that we may not oth-
erwise receive; we really receive an
increased number of applications
for our open positions after publi-
cation,” she says. “To leadership, it
helps reaffirm the commitment we
make to our employees and helps
them understand the value of the
investments we make.”
And for clients, Guezzale says
that “being a part of [The Best
Small Firms to Work For] lets our
existing clients know that they, too,
are part of something special,” she
says. “To be a Best Small Firm re-
quires a certain discipline and dedi-
cation from everyone involved be-
cause it’s not the same as being in a
large organization.”
Guezzale says she takes “incred-
ible pride” in the manner in which
it takes care of its employees.
“Each individual is unique and
has needs, and Cask focuses a lot
on making sure all these needs are
met,” she says. “When your em-
ployees are cared for, they are bet-
ter able to dedicate their time and
concern to the clients. The fruits of
Cask’s labors show through in the
satisfaction of the client relation-
ships we keep.”
To that end, Guezzale says Cask
maintains several initiatives to en-
sure employees have the tools and
resources they need to be success-
ful, including: cross functional group
professional development opportuni-
ties to ensure staffers are well round-
ed in non-standard areas of expertise;
a structure allowing all employees
the opportunity to contribute to de-
velopment of the knowledge, skills,
and abilities required to deliver ser-
vices; annual all-hands training activ-
ities to bring all employees together;
and, multiple monthly social activi-
ties to encourage out-of-work social
interaction, such as sporting events,
golf-for-beginners outings and Wine
& Whiskey Wednesdays.
Looking ahead, Guezzale says
Cask’s top priorities “are geared to-
ward the continued expansion and
diversification of our services into
new markets and customers.”
On the survey, Cask excelled in
the areas of Compensation & Ben-
efits and Leadership, finishing near
the top of both categories.
“We continually benchmark
our capabilities against both our
peers and the leaders we admire,”
Guezzale says. “We strive to communicate our vision, mission, and
goals—and share the rewards of our
success with the entire company.”
CASK
HEADQUARTERS: San Diego
CLIENT INDUSTRIES SERVED: Finance, Energy, Utilities, Healthcare,
Transportation, Aviation, Public Sector
HOW WOULD YOU
DESCRIBE MORALE AT
THE FIRM AND WHY?
Elizabeth Guezzale, President of
Cask, says: “Cask’s ‘mojo’ is a
key component of our morale. It’s
something that shows in our style,
our drive to never be satisfied with
what we have, and to always reach
to deliver greater value to our customers and ourselves.”
