Concord Gives Back is our philanthropic program focused on supporting nonprofit organizations that hold a special meaning to our employees. Each quarter, Concord reviews nominations and selects a recipient for a financial donation.
This quarter, Concord honored Ryan Decker's chosen philanthropic organization, Pinky Swear Foundation.
Pinky Swear Foundation strives to reduce financial worry and support families along the way as they navigate through the relentless battle of cancer.
Learn about Ryan Decker, Director of Digital & UX Services, and his connection to Pinky Swear Foundation below!
What is your role at Concord?
I am the Director of Digital & UX Services.
Can you give a summary of your background?
I’ve been a part of Concord for just over ten years. I've had the privilege to work on digital products of all shapes and sizes as both a designer and developer and eventually helped build the current Digital & UX team. Prior to joining Concord, I worked in higher education as a Marketing Director.
How did you choose consulting as a profession?
I’m not sure I chose consulting, exactly. I took a leap, tried something new, and it turned out pretty well. The best thing about consulting is the project teams I’ve been a part of over the years - both clients and fellow consultants - and the variety of projects we've tackled.
What are some benefits of your role at Concord?
The people are by far the best thing about Concord. I work with people who truly care about their co-workers as well as the work we do for our clients.
Why did you decide to join Concord?
The legendary Heidi Cline, a long-time recruiter at Concord, called me out of nowhere and convinced me I should interview for a UI Developer role. A friend referred me without letting me know, but I’m glad I took the call!
How does Pinky Swear Foundation align with your values, passions, and/or interests?
In 2014, our family found out that my wife, Stacy, had a brain tumor. She had surgery to remove it two days later, and we found ourselves on a journey we never expected or planned for. In moments like that, you often don't even have time to sit down and figure out what help you need or who to ask. We had so many friends and family who showed up and supported us through our journey and allowed us to focus on just getting the care and treatment Stacy needed. Thankfully, since she completed her treatment in 2015, Stacy has remained cancer free!
One of the unexpected silver linings of going through something as tough as a family member's battle with cancer is being able to understand what others who find themselves in the same situation are going through and support them in their journey. When the daughter of some close friends of ours got a similar diagnosis as the one Stacy received, we wanted to do everything we can to support them in their journey.
One of the organizations that has helped them navigate the challenges they're facing is the Pinky Swear Foundation. Even though they are still in the middle of their own fight, they're thinking bigger than themselves, and have been raising money to help Pinky Swear Foundation provide that same help to others in similar situations.