Anthony Mongeluzo understands how CSR builds stronger communities — and a better climate for business.
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Anthony Mongeluzo doesn’t pull punches: “As business leaders, we’re just as responsible as the politicians,” he says.
Mongeluzo – founder and President of South Jersey-based IT provider PCS – makes that statement as he talks about the impact business can have on a community’s quality of life. His mindset is one that perfectly aligns with that of the Satell Institute: When communities do better, business does better. And so businesses benefit when they play a vital and active role in helping communities thrive.
Mongeluzo and his colleagues at PCS are shining examples of Corporate Social Responsibility in action. It’s one of the reasons that Mongeluzo will be honored in November as “Outstanding Philanthropist” by the South Jersey chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (coincidentally, it’s an award won several decades ago by SI chairman Ed Satell).
Mongeluzo is also spearheading the Satell Institute’s growth in South Jersey, leading an organizational meeting on November 5th.
In this conversation, the 44-year-old CEO (who started PCS 24 years ago, while still a student at Rowan University) talks about the benefits PCS gets from supporting the community; why younger CEOs like himself are embracing CSR; and why he’s now working hard to bring SI to South Jersey.
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The number one reason for PCS’s success…
…is our culture. It kind of sounds cliché, but I could tell you this: when I started PCS, I definitely did not have money to pay people, and it was definitely not the highest-paying job. But there were a bunch of us really in the trenches together, and I think that teamwork and culture really got us through.
In 2008 and 2009, the mortgage market imploded, and that was probably about 45 percent of my business. So I had to reinvent myself. And I still say to this day that if we didn’t have such a strong culture, during COVID the company could have fallen apart.
The way that I react to struggles and problems now…
…is a lot different than, say, 10 or 15 years ago. You just get callouses. You learn that, hey, it’s a problem, but is this really going to be a problem in six months? You learn to take things in stride. And you learn that from taking hits.
For me, Corporate Social Responsibility…
…is really important. I think if you’re a good business owner, it’s important to give back to the community. By helping nonprofits, by helping them thrive, by helping them survive, that actually makes for a much better business community.
If we’re going to make money in a community…
… we better give back because it’s the community that really puts the organization on the map. You see it across America. The communities that have strong leadership and are in good shape — they tend to do a little bit better than the ones that have a lot of crime and other issues. And as business leaders, we’re just as responsible as the politicians. We’re creating and providing the resources.
At PCS…
…we have a ton of people who are involved in a lot of different things. I’ve told my leadership team: if you want to be part of the C-suite at PCS, I want you to help what matters to you.
Our COO, Traci Jordan, was the board chair at Legacy Treatment, which is one of our Nonprofit Affiliates at the Satell Institute. The other is Acenda. If you look at Legacy and Acenda, they’re helping 50,000 people in our community every year. It’s not a small task. And I can tell you the CEOs and the leadership there are top-notch.
I always thought…
… it was a much better idea for me to give money to nonprofits instead of buying advertisements. One, I’m helping a cause. Two, they’re spreading our logo throughout the community.
I have employees now that are doing food drives, can collections, throwing events. We did a golf event called “We Give A Shot,” and we raised over $30,000 in our first year. So I’m seeing a lot of employee retention from that.
The other thing is, we make community support visible to our team. If you make a monthly contribution to Legacy, you can wear jeans on a Friday. It’s only $10, but with 200 people, that adds up.
I’m seeing a lot of younger CEOs…
…who are really committed to CSR. They’re saying, hey, why were companies so greedy at times back in the day? I’m also seeing – because I’m bringing Satell to South Jersey – a lot of people jump on the bandwagon.
I was introduced to the Satell Institute…
…by financial advisor Elijah Dornstreich. I went to a CEO Conference, and I was intrigued. Just seeing Ed on the screen and watching what he did. It’s an organization with so many successful people.
At last spring’s CEO Conference, I was asked if I would speak on AI. I remember being onstage and looking at that room and being like, wow — there were so many great people there that normally go to nothing. They won’t go to a networking event. They won’t leave their office. And I was like, if these people are here at Satell… It just took me over. I said afterwards, I want to bring Satell to South Jersey.
I think the potential for SI in South Jersey…
…is high. I’ve reached out to the most successful people that I know in the community, the people that care the most, and the hype is there.
Many of them are going to the CEO Conference on October 30th. I think they’re going to look around the room and hopefully feel the same way I did: Wow, I could be a part of this. And not only be a part of this, I can help grow this. It’s a powerful thing.