In this Client Spotlight blog series, we’re honored to elevate the personal and professional stories of the diverse entrepreneurs, small business owners, and solo practitioners who call our spaces their own.
In this inaugural “Client Spotlight” blog, we’re introducing you to the talented people behind Integrated Resource Technologies, Inc. (I.R.T.), including the company’s C.E.O. Pamela M. Thomas.
Pamela and her son, who is I.R.T.’s Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, work from Carr Workplaces’ King Street location in Alexandria, Va. I.R.T. provides intelligence support solutions, operational support, security services, and I.T. solutions to DoD and federal intelligence organizations.
Pamela acquired I.R.T. in late 2022 and the I.R.T. first were Virtual Office clients at our King Street center. Since then, the I.R.T. team has transitioned to in-person private offices at our King Street location.
As the company grows, Pamela plans to have new employees work virtually while maintaining private offices at our King Street center for meetings with current and prospective clients.
We recently had the good fortune to speak with Pamela and learn more about her own entrepreneurial journey, I.R.T.’s service offerings, and the company’s continuing evolution.
Pamela also spoke to us about why Carr Workplaces King Street center has been such a good fit for I.R.T. through its ownership transition and as the company expands its client services.
The I.R.T. Story
I.R.T. was founded in 2003 by the previous owners of the company. Pamela’s son, Erik, worked with the former owners of the company and in December of 2022 Pamela and her son acquired I.R.T.
Pamela is a former registered nurse manager who had retired from her nursing career in 2016. The desire to leave a lasting impact and imprint is what drove her to come out of retirement and join her son on this new entrepreneurial venture.
“I had no prior knowledge of working with the federal government and contracts but I was excited about the opportunity to bring my expertise in health to the company,” Pamela explained. “My focus now is on adding health and wellness — particularly organizational and employee wellness — to our government contracting offerings.”
Pamela worked in healthcare for over 40 years and after retiring from nursing, thought was she was on a professional downslope. The opportunity to work with her son and to have a significant impact on this generation and future generations are what inspired her to take on a new business and career at age 70.
“We all learn by experience, by our strengths, our weaknesses, the things we do well, and the things that we don’t do so well,” Pamela shared. “I have nothing to lose and I do have the experience. I believe that I can bring that aspect of experience to this company and build this company with integrity. We really do care about our employees and we want them to succeed as much as our clients to succeed. I think when we do that, we’ll leave things in better shape than we found them.”
Why Carr Workplaces King Street?
The previous owners of I.R.T. had been long-time clients at Carr Workplaces King Street. According to Pamela, their long tenure with the King Street location is, in part, why the company has remained headquartered at the same location.
“Erik had built a working relationship with Carr Workplaces when he was an employee of I.R.T. under the former ownership and there was a level of trust already there,” Pamela explained. “Then, when I met Gelda, King Street’s General Manager, it was like meeting an old friend. I felt like she cared about I.R.T. personally and that she cared about helping us make it through this transition of buying the company. Gelda offered some different options on how we could proceed and still stay with Carr Workplaces. There was trust there and you don’t find too many people that you feel you can trust initially.”
When Pamela first purchased the company, she leased Virtual Offices from Carr Workplaces King Street, which provided the I.R.T. team with a prestigious business address and virtual support from the King Street location’s community management team.
Last year, the I.R.T. transitioned from Virtual Offices to private offices at the King Street center as they built their client base and expanded service offerings.
“When we bought the company, the prior owners had closed out most of their contracts and we were starting from scratch,” Pamela shared. “At the time we were just starting to go after contracts and couldn’t afford the large space the previous owners had leased at King Street. In talking to Gelda, we came up with a plan to stay in this environment. We were happy to discover that Carr Workplaces allows companies such as I.R.T. that are going through transitions to maintain that professional, corporate feel just like a large organization. We wanted to maintain that feeling of professionalism when we invited our clients to meet with us.”
Pamela also cited the King Street location’s accessibility as an additional benefit. Carr Workplaces King Street is across the street from a Metro station with in-building parking also available.
Pamela noted that having loads of high-end dining options nearby (including Joe Theismann’s Restaurant on the first floor) for client meetings and luncheons as an additional benefit. She also views the King Street center’s on-site community management team as a positive.
“From the time you get off the elevator, the people at the front desk are very professional and accommodating,” Pamela said. “They have knowledge of the area and they’re very helpful. That’s what I like most about working there. I also like that when you walk in, you can’t tell the difference between which businesses are small and which are very large. We’re all treated equally and that’s important.”
If you’d like to learn more about I.R.T., visit https://www.irti.com.
To schedule a free tour of Carr Workplaces King Street, visit https://carrworkplaces.com/start-king-street/ or call 1-866-983-5814.
For more on our King Street location, check out “Center Spotlight: Carr Workplaces King Street – Located In Alexandria’s Old Town.”
