We’re pleased to announce that Tony Safoian, President and CEO, SADA, has received the Business Intelligence Group’s 2021 BIG Award for Business and was named Executive of the Year. The organization’s annual program was advertised as the “Executive of the Year” program and rewards companies, products, and people that are leading their respective industries.
“I’m incredibly honored to be named Executive of the Year,” said Tony Safoian, CEO of SADA. “This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without our people, who work extraordinarily hard every day to help our customers gain maximum value from their investments in Google Cloud. I look forward to continuing to champion our diverse and inclusive team and create transformational value for customers.”
Tony, who has established himself as a visionary entrepreneur addressing the needs of the business, partners, and customers, firmly believes that technology can empower people to transform their work, their businesses, and the world. To this end, he places innovation at the core of the SADA business model coupled with an exceptional customer experience. Under Tony’s guidance, SADA has differentiated itself by proactively addressing a rapidly evolving market across Enterprise, Midmarket, Government, and Education sectors, while anticipating the needs of customers—often even before they do.
As an immigrant, Tony’s philosophy of hard work combined with persistence and authenticity has held true throughout the 20-year history of SADA. With Tony’s leadership, SADA has grown into a multimillion-dollar company and one of the world’s top business and technology consultancies and cloud managed services providers. As a Google Cloud launch partner and three-time Google Cloud Reseller Partner of the Year, SADA offers one of the broadest selections of Google Cloud services in the Google Cloud partner ecosystem, including enterprise consulting, cloud platform migration, custom application development, workplace transformation, cloud managed services, and transition and change management. Tony’s continuous drive for innovation and growth has led SADA to develop cutting-edge applications and award-winning solutions for global brands like Colgate-Palmolive, Sony Pictures ImageWorks, and Papa John’s.
Tony recently announced the opening of SADA’s Global Delivery Center (GDC) in Yerevan, Armenia. The goal of the SADA GDC in Armenia is twofold: to provide additional delivery and support services to companies around the world that are adopting Google Cloud, and to develop the technical capabilities of aspiring IT workers in a region that is rapidly becoming a popular European technology hub. SADA is working closely with the Armenian government and local universities to recruit the best talent.
SADA is a multi-year recipient of the Best Places to Work ranking by INC Magazine, LA Business Journal, and Business Intelligence Group due to Tony’s consistency in keeping an open, transparent, and supportive family-like culture where boldness is welcomed. Known for his genuine personality, Tony makes sure to meet every new hire during their first week and is open to 1:1 meetings that enable him to truly connect to his employees. A vocal ally for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, he leads by example and provides a safe and inclusive environment for everyone to thrive. His “Just Cause”—to increase the capabilities of people, and the performance of the organizations SADA serves—has led the company to double in headcount and increase revenue growth by 130% YoY.
Under Tony’s leadership, SADA has spurred impactful initiatives like SADA University, an 8-week training program designed to develop cloud infrastructure and data engineering talent from within the organization. With an emphasis on diversity and inclusion, the program’s mission is to onboard and upskill new and existing members of the team. The program enables SADA to make a greater impact on the performance of customers while also bridging the gap between under-represented talent and meaningful job opportunities. In the spirit of SADA’s core tenet, “Together, we’re all in,” Tony has built a culture with a strong emphasis on supporting the greater community and giving back.
“We are so proud to reward Tony Safoian for his outstanding 2021 leadership and achievements,” said Maria Jimenez, chief nomination officer of the Business Intelligence Group. “This year’s group of winners are clearly leading by example in the global business community.”