By Pat Lawrence
Betty Ireland and Meredith Bartlett. |
Betty Ireland loves problems. In a perfect world, she would
be bored to tears. Fortunately, the imperfect world of business
offers plenty of opportunity for the energized problem solving that
is her specialty. Jackson Kelly Law firm added more than the
value of ancillary services for their business clients when they selected
Betty Ireland to direct Jackson Kelly Solutions. Fast moving,
quick thinking and straight shooting, Betty has mobilized a network
of specialists to answer the demands of businesses struggling with
issues from Homeland Security and environmental issues to training
policies and telephone manners.
Because Betty is President and CEO, Jackson Kelly Solutions may be
the most interactive consulting business in the state. Referrals
from 150 lawyers indicate that businesses recognized the issues that
need attention, but were not comfortable with the available avenues
of addressing them. Betty’s credentials in management,
marketing, pensions administrations, insurance, banking, and employee
benefits are backed by the resources and expertise of West Virginias’
oldest and largest law firm.
Exponentially expanding the capabilities of the operation, Betty
brought Meredith Bartlett on board as Director of Business Development. Meredith
designs, implements and evaluates corporate communications, concentrating
her efforts on marketing, advertising, publicity, public relations,
client and developmentforJackson Kelly Solutions and its Acacia subsidiaries. After
completing her B.A., with honors, in three years with a double major
in anthropology and journalism at Lehigh University, Meredith began
her business development career with an international Manhattan law
firm. Her journalistic experience included network television,
magazines, and newspapers. After New York, Meredith moved to
Morgantown, formed Bartlett Development Strategists and has now joined
the team of her largest client, Jackson Kelly.
Betty Ireland says it has been an amazing match. “She’s
20 something, I’m 50 something, and together, we are really
something! It couldn’t be a better fit.” Meredith
says, “My office is in Morgantown, Betty is in Charleston,
but we work together –all the time!” The two stay
in constant communication, sharing ideas, testing solutions and “plotting
business strategies”. Betty says, “This is an entrepreneurial
effort. We’re starting the businesses from scratch. Their
success is on my shoulders, but I count on Meredith and a team of
specialists and experts to help carry the weight.”
The firm operates with few traditional restraints. Betty’s
secretary may only need to come into the office once a week. Most
of the company's network of consultants work part- time or as needed
and often work from their home. Betty and Meredith stay in touch
day and night by phone and computer.
The non-traditional business model reflects a fresh, open thinking
that characterizes Betty’s personality rather than her résumé. “I
majored in English because I wanted to teach, butan acquaintance was
in the pension business and needed help. I thought, ‘I
can do that!’ so from 1975 till 2001, I worked all around pension
plans, learning how small and large businesses operate, addressing
employment practices, financing, and profits.” Betty was
the state’s first Certified Pension Consultant and served as
vice president and head of the pension division in the Trust Department
of the former National Bank of Commerce in Charleston.
Appointed Director of the State Retirement program by Governor Underwood,
she spent four years getting the program stabilized. “When
he asked me to take on the job, I thought ’I can do that!’ It
was a valuable learning experience.”
By 2002, after more than 25 years in and around pensions, Betty says
“I was done with it!” She had previously been Jackson
Kelly’s pension consultant and manager of employee benefits. When
they approached her about a new company to provide extra value for
their clients, “I thought ‘I can do that!’ And”,
she says, “We are doing it. We’re growing the business
daily, using our core strengths to solve problems.” A former
city councilwoman and the YWCA’s Woman of Achievement in 1999,
Betty is overflowing with plans and ideas for this new venture. She
has embraced the challenge. “Meeting people and marketing
our services is the most fun I have.”
Meredith says their business is “all about opening doors -for
corporate clients and individuals. We work on the positive side
and help people identify their opportunities.” Betty says,
“At the end of the day, our business is always the people.”
Contact Betty Ireland at Jackson Kelly Solutions LLC, 1310 Laidley
Tower, 500 Lee Street, Charleston, (304)340-1147 or bireland@jacksonkellysolutions.com
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