Headstrong Banks On Its Heritage

For the past 19 years, systems integrator James Martin & Co. has done business in a quiet, low-key way. Now, it's making some noise.

After an 18-month transformation in stealth mode, the company is going into overdrive to push its new name and e-business game plan.

Today, Patrick Litre, CEO of the company, unveiled the company's new name, Headstrong, at a press conference. "We do not intend to be the strong, silent type anymore," says Litre of the new company.

Litre says Headstrong underwent an 18-month transformation backed by $191 million in private equity financing. All of its 1,000 employees received intensive training to handle working in the new economy, Litre says.

The bulk of the recapitalization was supplied by Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, which invested $173 million. The remainder, $18 million, was invested by Hambrecht Quist Asia Pacific.

"Our investors have seen what we are building and their commitment make it clear they are excited by our potential," Litre says.

James Martin, founder and chairman of the company, says Headstrong is "the creation of a brand-new company" that has a very strong technical history and delivers global solutions.

Litre says the company has made a true turnaround and has done so in a quiet fashion. "In the past 18 months, we said nothing about us. We completely changed the focus of the company," Litre says. "We have been able to sell and grow without a brand. We didn't have an inbound sales force. We have had long-term clients."

The $150 million company has deployed digital businesses but shied away from dot-com customer boom, taking its time to undergo a strategic transformation, Litre says.

"We are focused on the next cure in digital business, where the market is going. This space is looking at complex multichannel business channels for global solutions," Litre says.

Litre says Headstrong is different than what it was even 18 months ago. The company cut out certain divisions, including its government practice, and built up its project management skills with intensive training. "We invested a lot of money in our people," Litre says.

In addition, Litre says the company is better positioned than its Web service start-up competitors because it has extensive technical know-how and a global presence with 16 offices in 12 countries. The company recently opened an office in Singapore.