A trivia question for you: what has two legs, a great singing voice, and works magic with a spreadsheet? It’s our very own Bob Cole! Able to bend spreadsheets to his will for the good of our work, Bob Cole is a finance wizard and our Director of Finance & Operations here at SERCAP!
Bob Cole has been with us for just over four years. “I have always sought an opportunity for contribution to the community, and I’ve found that opportunity at SERCAP,” he said. “I like working with folks who are energized and engaged in making a difference. Also, the company is extraordinarily supportive of everyone working here.”
Don’t let Bob’s prestigious title fool you: he’s got a great sense of humor, and a delightful sense of humility. When asked how his coworkers would describe him, he said “serious, crazy...laid back, intense,” and noted that, yes, he knows those are contradictory. But he also said “sometimes incorrect, minimal drama, and steady.” When working with finances, having a steady presence that works to keep everything balanced--including checkbooks, employee asks, and perspectives--is key. And to be able to admit that he makes mistakes is an awesome quality we all value.
As the Director of Finance & Operations, Bob’s role is, at a macro level, “Supporting the SERCAP mission with as little friction as possible.” When he can maintain that rapport across SERCAP, those are his best days. On a micro level, his role is to “keep track of the dollars. Days are mostly similar, with different combinations of e-mail, deadlines, approvals, and meetings.” His one constant? Spreadsheets. “I make them sing and dance,” he laughed. Walking away from a spreadsheet with all the numbers balanced makes for a happy Director. Bob also joked that the free parking and short commute topped his list of favorite parts of the job.
“But in all seriousness, one of my biggest takeaways from working at SERCAP is that we do important work here and everyone is energized in support,” he said. “The technical staff handles an amazing workload,” and he is incredibly honored to be able to support them in his role.
When Bob isn’t wrangling spreadsheets like a pro, he lives a full and active life. “I like brew pubs, live music, live music at brew pubs,” he said. He has sung in a chancel choir for the past five years as a bass, and works out frequently. He also enjoys listening to Audible books and doing the dishes (which, we must say, we’re glad someone likes doing them!)
“I’ve been married for 41 years, and have 3 boys,” he said, all of whom live far away (one even as far as New Zealand!) Bob himself is no stranger to travels; he’s lived in 5 different states over the course of his career, and in 6 different cities!
We’re so happy to have Bob on our team. Thank you, Bob, for your dedicated work to SERCAP, and for keeping all of our spreadsheets in line. We couldn’t do it without you!