Meet Cathy Clonts, President, AWS Pacific Pty Ltd
Cathy Clonts has been serving the needs of corporate alumni and employers in the oil and gas industry for a decade. She formed Alumni Web Services in 1999 as an online networking forum to help keep former employees and retirees connected. While employer sponsorship was initially viewed as a good tool for increasing employee morale and brand identity, widening interest in using the forum as a recruiting tool led to the evolution of the core service. Today, AWS offers a comprehensive employee networking tool that serves the networking needs of corporate alumni, provides short- and long-term employment opportunities for former employees and helps to meet employers¹ needs for experienced talent.
Cathy holds a bachelor¹s degree in international relations and a masters degree in organizational behavior management from Stanford University. She got her start working with alumni post graduation, where she participated in Stanford fundraising activities and was elected president of the Stanford alumni club in Dallas. She was invited to join Stanford Associates, which recognizes alumni who have significantly contributed to Stanford post graduation.
Before forming Alumni Web Services, Cathy served as marketing director for the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation and for Gray Line, a coach and tour operator.
When BP acquired ARCO in 1999, Cathy saw an opportunity to build on her marketing background. After promoting the concept at Houston's Society of Petroleum Engineers' Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition in October 1999, the ARCO online network grew to 800 members in just 30 days. Although online communities were still new, Cathy found the idea of an online networking community ideal due to ARCO's global reach.
Cathy finds new assignments very energizing and believes the ever-changing scope of the Internet parallels how AWS is ever-evolving its services to meet new client needs and opportunities. Cathy finds particular enjoyment working with innovative professionals who recognize that former employees remain interested in - and can contribute to - their former employers business requirements. Business best practice shows there is real interest among professionals to stay connected. While many companies currently talk about the greying of the workforce, AWS clients are already preparing for this transition as they build a databalse of talent they can tap into, including former employees who may be in flexible work situations or want to come back to work full- or part-time.
