Marilyn Johnston, Vice President / C.O.O.

Anne Crossman graduated from Catholic University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, which led to a career waiting tables. She pursued advanced studies at Computer Learning Center and subsequently programmed on mainframes, minicomputers, and microcomputers.

In 1990, after rising to Director of Systems Development, she was transferred into a slot as Director of Business Development for an information technology services firm based on the need of the firm. Eventually...that worked.

She was then recruited as Vice President of a small comprehensive computer services firm. After turning around their relationship with their largest customer, saving their second largest account, and creating an integrated team within the company, she was promoted to President. In that experience she came to the firm conviction that the most important part of serving customers and building a team is completion and doing the right things.

She is currently co-chair of the Northern Virginia Technology Council Emerging Business Network and webmaster for TIME (The Information Management Exchange.) She has previously served as the chair of the CLAN (Computer Networking) Group for the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, chair of both sponsor and exhibitor committees (over three consecutive years) for the Century Club High Technology Showcase, and as the Vice President of Education for the NOVA Chapter of the National Contract Management Association.

She founded Completed Systems, Inc. in January, 1996 where she, and her staff, have focused on how to successfully complete computer projects of all sizes, types, and levels of difficulty. Completed Systems cheerfully completes your computer and computer organization projects.

Anne has been happily married to the same man for 14 years and has 2 beautiful children.

To get your computer projects completed contact Anne Crossman, goodjob@completedsystems.com at Completed Systems, Inc.

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When Marilyn was still in high school, she loved math and problem solving. In those days, in Nebraska, that qualified her to be a teacher or...a teacher. Then, she heard about a career that would allow her to do what she liked best...computers. Marilyn enrolled at a small South Dakota college in the Associates program for Computer Science. She worked for the school while attending and loved it.

She moved to Washington DC to get her first job and marry the love of her life. She started off as a government employee where she worked for someone that taught her to continually study and teach herself new skills. The government job lasted three years...she's still happily married to the same man for 25 years.

Her first private sector job was a long and successful one. She started as a programmer and loved focusing on understanding and filling the clients' needs. Her clients asked that she be promoted.

She then went to work for a telecommunications and consulting firm, where she met Anne Crossman (now President of Completed Systems). The work was fast paced and a lot of fun. The projects spanned from traditional government systems to developing one of the first EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) systems. Together, Marilyn and Anne began to understand the magic that can occur when people work together as a team.

From there, the adventure grew. As Marilyn's career progressed, she worked on many interesting projects. In 1991, Marilyn took over an account that was in trouble. The client was releasing contract personnel and was ready to eliminate the entire group. Marilyn worked with the contract staff and the client to put procedures and plans in place to create a successful and fun working environment. The contract was renewed and the staff began getting kudos letters from their customers - a nationwide group of attorneys. She had developed something unusual - a help desk that people enjoyed calling.

In 1995, after playing a key role in growing a small comprehensive services firm, Marilyn was asked to turn around the company's second largest account. The client felt strongly that progress was not being made on their project and they had lost faith in the company's ability to help them. Marilyn defined what "DONE" looked like and created a plan to get there. After a month, several small deadlines were met and the client was sending kudos letters about the level of customer care they were receiving. Upon completion of the project the client said that Marilyn was "the most gregarious person they had ever met."

Marilyn continually reminds us that any deadline can be met as long as it is well-defined and planned in writing.

Marilyn is currently Treasurer of TIME (The Information Management Exchange), an organization dedicated to the personal development of Information Management professionals. She is also our favorite independent Longaberger consultant. Her love of the product is contagious.

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