Today we’d like to introduce you to Farica Chang.
Hi Farica. Can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was born in St. Louis, Missouri, as the first child of immigrants from Hong Kong with nothing. My family worked hard to provide opportunities for our generation. We moved to Washington, MO, when I was 12 years old. I was one of a handful of students accepted to UCLA from the Midwest the year I graduated, and I am very grateful for the alumni scholarship awarded to me. After graduating from UCLA, I moved back to St. Louis in 2008 at the height of the financial crisis. I started at Anderson Technologies as a part-time contractor for a project under the Anderson Archival division. I quickly progressed to Project Manager, Director, and Managing Principal in 2018. Today, our company employs 40 people and is growing. We provide technology consulting services ranging from IT assessments to cybersecurity and managed IT support. With our Anderson Archival division, we perform archiving services and digital preservation of historical collections. Our clients appreciate the extra care and high standards we set. We love being considered true partners in helping organizations protect and preserve what matters most.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a part of a small business and devoting myself to helping it grow allowed me to experience all the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Our success thus far has been on our ability to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of technology, be bold, and build upon our skills to provide services that meet the needs of organizations big and small. Over the 15 years I’ve been a part of this company, we’ve delivered technical project management for custom web applications, managed IT services, IT solutions assessments and recommendations, and digitized collections for non-profit organizations, corporations, and historical societies. When someone comes to us with a need, we look to each other and ask if it is something we can do outstandingly well. We only tackle a challenge if we can put our hearts into it. If a problem initially seems unsolvable, we don’t give up because we know there is always a solution, even if it has yet to be discovered. Our job is to remove limitations for others by using technology as a lever.
We’ve been impressed with Anderson Archival, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart?
Anderson Archival provides digital preservation services for organizations and high-wealth individuals with historical documents, photos, and other assets they want to protect and preserve. We work with family offices, museums, non-profits and associations, private libraries and foundations, small to medium-sized private institutions, membership-based organizations (country clubs, societies), corporate archives, and cultural institutions. Often, these groups have rooms of historical items collected over the years and need help determining what to preserve and the best ways to go about archiving important memories for posterity and to share with others. We also help companies having milestone anniversaries celebrate their history and legacy in significant ways. By digitizing artifacts representing a company’s long history, businesses can connect with their clients by highlighting their longevity. Really neat stories are often unearthed during the digitization process that were previously lost to the past. As a high-touch, premium consulting firm, we provide end-to-end solutions for companies looking for help from start to finish.
Please see these links to our articles referencing some of the pictures I’m including in this interview:
- https://andersonarchival.com/blog/exploring-family-history-worry-free/
- https://andersonarchival.com/blog/reconnecting-with-corporate-history/
- https://andersonarchival.com/blog/who-can-you-trust-with-history/
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
Harvard Business Review is an excellent resource with thought-provoking articles. My Vistage chair, Allen Hauge, curates and sends a weekly email with helpful links for business leaders that I appreciate.
Contact Info:
- Website: andersonarchival.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farica
- Other: andersontech.com
