Each December, I pause to look back and consider what we’ve learned. This year, our focus as a company was simple: optimize for efficiency. It’s my natural instinct – I’ve been known to plan my grocery route to save steps and treat my calendar like a puzzle that can always fit one more meeting. I routinely sit down to analyze my “personal operating system,” looking for ways to work smarter and make the most of my time. But as this year unfolded, I was reminded that efficiency, by itself, isn’t the objective. It’s the means to better stewardship – of our time, our resources, and most importantly, our relationships.
Peter Drucker once wrote, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.” That distinction has been on my mind often this year. Efficiency matters – it helps us deliver on promises, reduce waste, and create space to grow. But our effectiveness is determined by the lives we improve in the process – starting with our team, our clients, and the communities we live and work in.
In 2025, that meant focusing on our strengths and streamlining what we could. We examined how we use our time, refined processes, and sought ways to do more with less. One example of this work came from our fleet operations, where we introduced an end-to-end fleet management system to improve safety, routing, and accountability. With better visibility into routes and vehicle performance, we’re operating more efficiently and preventing issues before they occur, helping our team deliver reliable service while making the most of every mile. Efforts like this reflect what continuous improvement is all about: meaningful changes that make us sharper, steadier, and more sustainable for the future.
Partnership also played an important role in this. We’ve learned that optimizing for efficiency often means knowing when to lean on others. By collaborating with trusted peers in our industry and vendors who are aligned with our mission, we’ve been able to outsource what isn’t our core focus and invest more deeply in the areas where we create the most value. Through collaborations with companies like Aegis and All Points, we can extend our reach while maintaining a single point of contact and a consistent service experience for every client. Relationships like this remind me that growth doesn’t always come from doing more; sometimes it comes from doing what we do best, and relying on friends we trust to do the rest.
But the lessons that meant the most this year weren’t about systems or spreadsheets. They were about people. I’ll never forget one day in our scanning department when a team member suffered a medical emergency. Her coworkers noticed something wasn’t right, acted quickly, and got her the help she needed. Their awareness and action saved her life. It was a powerful reminder that while efficiency may drive performance, empathy drives purpose.
That same principle shapes how we serve our clients. I’ve heard more about AI this year than almost anything else – in the news, at conferences, from vendors, and on earnings calls. Its promise as a tool for creating value is real, and we’re already using it thoughtfully to make our solutions faster, more accurate, and scalable. But after being greeted by one too many chatbots and virtual front desks this week, it occurred to me: a computer cannot replace the authentic experience of working with a real person who knows you, understands your needs, and can help solve problems in real time. And those are the primary reasons our clients choose to work with us. For as far ahead as I can see, when you call SRS, a real person will answer. Technology can accelerate tasks, but it’s our humanity that sets us apart.
As this holiday season begins, I’m taking time to appreciate the relationships that matter most – with God, my family and friends, our SRS team, and each of you who chooses to work with us. The greatest measure of a good year isn’t how much we accomplished – it’s how well we cared for one another along the way. Because true efficiency looks like stewardship – being faithful with what’s entrusted to us, and using it to serve others well.
My hope for you this season is that you find time for what truly matters: meaningful conversations with real people, simple joys that don’t require a power button, and unhurried time with the people you love most.
From all of us at Secure Records Solutions, Merry Christmas and warm wishes for a New Year filled with peace, joy, and purpose. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” -Luke 2:14
