At UNICON, we consider it a privilege to be trusted by our clients as a business partner and sincerely value the opportunity that our clients offer us to help them meet their business needs. At the same time, we appreciate the trust and confidence our associates have placed in us. To us, a service engagement or an employment association is not just about business. It is a heart-felt relationship, commitment and partnership!
UNICON’s KEY DIFFERENTIATORS
Our key differentiators include but are not limited to the following:
Proven Track Record
UNICON’s corporate vision is to be the best “IT Partner for Success” with both our clients and associates. Under this vision, we are committed to delivering superior client services as we understand that our success relies on the success of our clients. We pride ourselves in our ability to work in partnership with our clients to help them meet their set business goals and objectives. Our 100% success rate on project services since the inception of our company along with the client awards we have received speaks on its own about our capability and performance.
Operational Efficiency
We operate in a very efficient and lean manner compared to others in our industry. This advantageous position enables us to offer competitive pricing to our clients and better compensation/benefits to our associates so that we can achieve win-win-win business relationships with both our clients and associates. Much of our efficiency is due to our internal business applications and processes, which are part of our UniSource system. The system enables a seamless integration and automation of our workforce management, business management, and supplier/subcontractor management domains.
Flexibility and Adaptability
UNICON was founded and is still currently managed by former AT&T Bell Labs technical management employees. We understand first-hand the ever-changing IT challenges our clients are facing on a daily basis. Hence, we offer very flexible service terms to best align with our client’s business models and processes. We also challenge ourselves to stay current with the technology so that we can better support our clients for their continued growth and success.
Guidelines/Processes Compliance
We understand the criticality of following and adhering to the set guidelines, policies and processes of our clients. Our employee handbook states clearly our expectations and code of conduct. We also ensure that each and every of our client service related personnel is clear about our client’s specific rules of engagement and policies/guidelines. In addition, we are well versed in working with structured vendor management programs and is extremely diligent in ensuring we comply with the procurement guidelines/processes of all our clients. We recognize the need for these guidelines and metrics and have developed a business model that excels in these types of environments.
Professional Development
Due to the ever changing IT industry, we have created the UNICON Professional Development Center (UPDC) to offer both technical and professional trainings on a regular basis for our associates. Many of the courses are also made available to our clients and high potential job candidates. We are also an active participant in many national associations, which allows us to support our clients in remaining at the leading edge of these trends. Some examples of our affiliations include TechServe Alliance, Agile and PM communities, the Society for Human Resource Management.
Supplier Diversity/Tier-2 Program
We strongly believe in the value of supplier diversity and have put in place a well-defined process to engage qualified diverse suppliers wherever possible. We are proud to achieve a multi-million dollar annual spending record with diverse suppliers on a consistent basis. In addition, our tier-2/subcontract program has been viewed as one of the best in the area. Our success is due to our high standard of business ethics, well-defined tier-2/sub engagement processes and open communications. Both the Supplier Diversity and tier-2 programs offer us the opportunity to provide added value and increased capacity to our clients, while also nourishing the growth of small and diversity businesses.
Continuous Improvement
At UNICON we consider continuous improvement an integral part of our business operations. We apply Agile methodology for our daily operations with daily standup meetings, monthly team status readouts and quarterly retrospectives to identify and implement initiatives for continuous improvement. In addition, we proactively solicit direct feedback from both our clients and associates through our formal quarterly surveys. We are very pleased to receive consistent average ratings from both our clients and associates with above 9.0 (out of a scale of 10) score.
Community Involvement
As a company, we believe in giving back to the community. While we work hard to best serve our clients and associates, we also strive to play a part contributing to the improvement of quality of life in our community. For example, we are a long-time supporter/sponsor for many of the not-for-profit organizations including but not limited to American Red Cross, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Columbus Zoo, Prevent Blindness Ohio, Salvation Army and Ohio Food Bank.
Nationality of Our Team
Team Activity Photos
Leadership Team
President & CEO
Peichen Jane Lee
Jane co-founded UNICON International, Inc. in 1990 with the vision to build an IT consulting company that is viewed by both its clients and associates as the best IT partner for success. Under this vision, she diligently and successfully led the company to deliver superior client services through the development of win-win-win business relationships with the clients and associates. Prior to founding UNICON, Jane worked as a Technical Manager at AT&T Bell Laboratories responsible for managing large-scale IT projects with responsibilities ranging from project planning, software development, system integration, and client support to supplier management. Jane was the first Asian American female promoted to a Technical Manager position at the Bell Labs Columbus location. She has received many awards and has been recognized as the “Ohio Asian Technology Leader” and one of “Ohio’s Most Powerful and Influential Women.” Jane was also an invited speaker for many professional and non-profit organizations and was featured in several publications including Columbus CEO magazine, Minority Business Network USA, and the Columbus Dispatch newspaper. Jane has a Master’s Degree in Computer Information Systems and had attended the Harvard Business School OPM program and the Wisconsin Business Management training. She is a board member of the Buckeye Region Red Cross organization, and the very first ARC Bonnie McElvenn-Hunter member in the region. Jane belongs to the Women Presidents Organization, and is founding member for both the ARC Tiffany Circle and the Go Red for Women Group of American Heart Association.
Vice President
Michael McAlear
Mike started with UNICON in 1995 working as a senior system consultant at Alcatel-Lucent. While there, he worked on Alcatel-Lucent’s network management system for their GSM wireless offering, responsible for leading development efforts related to performance management and the integration with new cellular equipment. In 1998, Mike transitioned to a business role within UNICON’s internal staff. His initial focus was performing UNICON’s sales and support activities for Alcatel-Lucent. In this role, he helped significantly increase UNICON’s footprint within Alcatel-Lucent, while also starting its project services business. Over time, Mike continued to help UNICON expand its overall capabilities and client base. In 2002, he was promoted to a Vice President, where he is now responsible for defining UNICON’s sales and marketing strategies, while also managing overall service offerings. Under his direction, UNICON has dramatically increased its client base, regularly achieved double digit growth, and is now recognized as a top IT firm in Central Ohio. Mike possesses a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan, an M.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University, and an M.B.A. from the Ohio State University.
Vice President
Li-Hung David Lee
David joined UNICON in March, 2000 and assumed the responsibility as Vice President of Operations and Logistics since 2007. David is in charge of UNICON’s long-term operation strategy planning as well as daily operations and logistics support. He has successfully led UNICON’s operations to endure through various recent global economic crises. In today’s global market, David also leads UNICON’s oversea business development efforts with focus on Greater China. Prior to joining UNICON, David was responsible for telecom software application development and maintenance as well as new product introduction and integration as a Program Manager/Team Lead at Lucent Technologies, where he was employed for over 10 years. David brought with him a significant amount of experience in product deployment and customer technical support both nationally and internationally in the Telecommunication Industry. David has served as the Government Procurement Advisor to Taiwan External Trade Development Council since 2009. David holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from National Cheng-Kung University in Taiwan and a M.S. degree in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technologies.
Vice President
Chris Anderson
As Vice President of UNICON’s Solution Services, Chris is responsible for managing all aspects of UNICON’s project-based work. Chris joined UNICON with over 20 years’ experience in the IT industry. He has an extensive background in all phases of the project development lifecycle with particular emphasis on project management, systems analysis, software architecture, software development, and software verification. He has worked in the telecommunications, database, and medical billing industries in the private sector and has worked on permitting/reporting systems and grant management systems in the public sector. Chris holds B.S degrees in Systems Analysis and Mathematics from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and an M.S. degree from the Ohio State University in Computer and Information Science. He is also a former adjunct faculty member in computer science at Franklin University.
Director of Sourcing
Davina Houchins
Davina is the Director of Sourcing/Recruiting at UNICON and has been with the company since 2012. Davina has extensive experience with regional and nationwide full life cycle recruiting and sourcing on a wide variety of positions covering both IT and professional services. Davina has earned several certifications and awards including, a Certified Professional Sourcing Recruiter (CPSR) certification by TechServe Alliance Organization and a Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) certification by AIRS, and she was also a part of the MBE Middle Market Executive Education Program with the Fisher College of Business Executive Education from The Ohio State University. In her sourcing management role, she supports her team with mentorship and developing best practices, while also playing a crucial role in participating in UNICON’s executive team developing strategies and implementing processes to further strengthen UNICON’s overall sourcing capabilities. Davina continues to lead teams by providing support and mentorship training as this has been her goal and passion for success.
Associate Director of Human Resources
Jennifer McCann
As Associate Director of Human Resources, Jennifer McCann is responsible for the HR functional areas of UNICON, including policy and procedure, benefits administration, and employee relations. Jennifer joined UNICON in 2015 as an HR Generalist and was promoted to HR Manager in 2020 and then to Associate Director in 2022. She has experience in both public and private sector and has worked in a variety of industries including banking, retail, government, and healthcare. Jennifer holds a MA in Labor and Human Resources Management from the Ohio State University and is a Senior Certified Professional with the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM-SCP).
Outstanding Value Award (2015)
Ohio Asian Technology Leader Award (2015)
America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies (multi-year)
Spirit Award for Outstandin`g Community Services (2014)
Legacy MBE of the Year Award (2019)
Top 100 Largest Central Ohio Privately Held Companies (2021)
Legacy MBE of the Year Award (2012)
IT Service Supplier of the Year Award (2010)
Top Ranked Diversity Staffing Firm (2011)
Minority Business Enterprise of the Year Award (2009)
Account Management, Quality Service Delivery Award (2007)
Service Supplier of the Year Award (2006)
Diversity Supplier of the Year Award Finalist (2006)
Excellence in Invoicing and A/R Award (2007)
Synergy Award with Nationwide (2021)
Outstanding Technology Team Award Finalist (multi-year)
Top 500 Diversity Owned Company (multi-year)
Top 10 IT Consulting Firm in Central Ohio (multi-year)
Top 10 IT Consulting Company in Central Ohio (multi-year)
Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalist (2000)
Visionary Award Finalist (2010, 2015)
High Quality Software Development and Support Award (2006)
# 1 Minority Women Owned Company in Ohio (2012)
2020
- UNICON Celebrates 30 Years in Business!
- Elevated to Tricentis Certified Partner
2019
- 2019 OMSDC Legacy Minority Business Enterprise Award
- Top 10 Minority-Owned Company in Central Ohio, Business First
- A Top Private Company in Central Ohio, Business First
2017
- Top 10 Computer Consulting Firm in Central Ohio, Business First
- Top Woman and Diversity Owned Business, DiversityBusiness.com
- Top 100 Asian Pacific American Owned Business in the U.S. (#2 in Ohio)
- Top 500 Women Owned Business in the U.S. (#308)
- Top 100 Privately-held Business in Ohio (#76)
2016
- Top Computer Consulting Firm in Central Ohio, Business First
- Top Woman and Top Diversity Owned Business, Business First
2015
- Outstanding Value Supplier Award, Honda of North America
- Ohio Technology Leader Award, Asian American Commerce Group
- Visionary Award Finalist, National Association of Women Business Owners
- Top Woman and Top Diversity Owned Business, DiversityBusiness.com
- Top Computer Consulting Firm in Central Ohio, Business First
2014
- Community Services Spirit Award, Ohio Recruiters Association
- Top Woman and Top Diversity Owned Business, DiversityBusiness.com
- Top Computer Consulting Firm in Central Ohio, Business First
2013
- Community Services Spirit Award, Ohio Recruiters Association
- Top Woman and Top Diversity Owned Business, DiversityBusiness.com
- Top 10 Woman Owned Business in Central Ohio, Business First
2012
- Legacy Minority Business Enterprise of the Year Award, Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council (OMSDC)
- Top 10 Computer Consulting Firm in Central Ohio, Business First
- America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies, Inc. 5000
- Top Woman and Top Diversity Owned Business, DiversityBusiness.com
- Top Diverse Woman Owned Business in Ohio (#1)
- Top Asian-Pacific Woman Owned Business in US (#7)
Sample feedback from our associates…
“Words are not enough to describe what UNICON means to me. UNICON is where I spent 10+ years of my professional life learning a lot from the best people in the industry. UNICON founders were not just business people but always wanted to see their employees succeed in life both professionally and personally. I will remain grateful to them for the experience and opportunities provided to me. UNICON has the most talented people I have ever worked with – Mike McAlear, Rich Johnston, and Chris Anderson. I not only learnt technical skills from them but also many soft skills necessary in professional life.I remain indebted to the mentor ship of these talented people. UNICON is the most professional and ethical company I ever worked with. UNICON always does the ‘right thing’, even if it means cutting down on the profit margins. What matters most to UNICON is the success of their customer and their employees. UNICON was,is,and will always be a family to me!.”
“UNICON International is a dream come true company to work for. They have the best project to offer and the staff is amazing… I feel like i am part of a family, someone i can count on to send me to best companies and work on the best project. Every morning i get up and enjoy going to work actually.”
“I have been UNICON staff for over 11 years. In my entire career with UNICON as an Operation team member, in my daily work, I clearly observe and experience how UNICON strives to achieve its mission of looking out for the long term win-win-win relationship among our clients, associates, and Company. I am very proud to be one of the members of such an ethical company ! “
“I became a part of the UNICON family on August 14, 2013. I say part of a family because I feel always welcomed and I have been treated like the way a family treats you i.e., with respect and trust. I truly enjoy being part of this wonderful family. I have made great friends and valuable professional relationships here that I will cherish throughout my life. Being part of UNICON has given me great learning opportunities and has presented a path to advance my career in the direction I like to make progress.“
“I am appreciative and happy that I can work here with each coworker, and luckily I have opportunities to attend some projects with people from different country. These are unforgettable experiences to me.”
“I would recommend UNICON to friends and family after working with them for sure. The professionalism and individual attention is second to none. Keep up the great work UNICON!!”
“I really enjoy the company culture here. …I’m very glad and feel very lucky to work here as one of UNICON’s associates.“
“This has been my first job out of college and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to start my career. The people throughout the years have become my closet friends. I could not of asked for a bettercompany from the people to the values.“
“It is interesting to note that they not only focus on the on-boarding process but also in engaging folks to learn something new (like the Agile session) and something more than just their regular work (the Martial Arts session). They are always available should we need support and that tells a lot about their dedication, amicable nature and team work.“
“Working with Unicon has been a wonderful experience. I love the staff, they have been very helpful and extremely pleasant to work with. I greatly recommend Unicon as a wonderful company to work for to both my friends and co workers.”
“Unicon rocks..A great company to work with.”
“I joined Unicon 2 years back …They are really good in keeping the promises; Unicon’s staffs are really nice and willing to hear us for any concerns; Unicon helped me in my immigration successfully done; It’s one of the great consulting companies with a huge client list; Proud to be part of Unicon family.“
“I’m happy to be a part of such a great network of people, who truly care. I am comforted in knowing from experience that if I or any of my consultants or candidates need anything, whether it’s an issue with work authorization for example or a personal issue, UNICON will be there to listen and to help support us in any way that is possible because that is how UNICON does business and always has. …. It’s that feeling of caring and reliability that makes UNICON so unique and makes people want to be a part of this culture.“
“UNICON has supported me in so many ways over the years. It’s the kind of company you know always has your back. I have learned so much from UNICON about how to be successful in my job. A lot of that comes from the atmosphere at UNICON. Our president Jane built this company from the ground up. She put in years of hard work and it shows. It shows in the way she encourages all of its employees to strive for the best service we can provide and to keep reaching for the stars even when they are hard to see. She inspires me to always put my best foot forward, and David has given me the tools to do that. Working at UNICON has taught me the importance of hard work, diligence, discipline, and loyalty. It truly is my second family, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I would not be the person I am today without UNICON.“
“UNICON has supported me in so many ways over the years. It’s the kind of company you know always has your back. I have learned so much from UNICON about how to be successful in my job. A lot of that comes from the atmosphere at UNICON. Our president Jane built this company from the ground up. She put in years of hard work and it shows. It shows in the way she encourages all of its employees to strive for the best service we can provide and to keep reaching for the stars even when they are hard to see. She inspires me to always put my best foot forward, and David has given me the tools to do that. Working at UNICON has taught me the importance of hard work, diligence, discipline, and loyalty. It truly is my second family, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I would not be the person I am today without UNICON.“
“Unicon’s dedicated and helpful staff made the transition back to working part-time incredibly simple. I was back to work in no time in the field I love. Unicon worked with me to create a desirable schedule, good pay and the flexibility of benefit selection that was just amazing.“
“I served UNICON-International close to 2 years and One thing which I never forget in my entire career is the way HR and admin function works. They were awesome and any administration, logistic issues were helped and solved by HR team in less than 24 hours and they are very prompt in replying to emails and concerns within short notice which I have not seen in any of my employers in my 23 years of experience.“
“Unicon was one of the many vendors I interacted with last year in my job search. I liked them so much I made them my employer. They aesthetically improved my resume but did not massage it. They promised me the benefits and delivered on them even before they had made a cent on me. These things show their integrity and commitment. They are open to feedback at all the levels. I met Unicon’s CEO, Jane Lee, briefly and first thing she asked me was if I had any feedback. These are all signs of an organization that is strong from within and will continue to flourish. What Unicon can do better? May be bring their consultants together in somewhat formal setting to bring a sense of belonging and strengthening the Unicon brand.”
“When I first joined Unicon in 2007, I could never imagine myself stayed with it for 8 years given the facts that I worked with about 10 companies before. Besides honesty, knowledgeable employees, the thing impressed me the most is the management team.”
“Since I’ve started working at UNICON I have continuously felt the wonderful family values that are instilled here. I’ve truly never worked at a place where the company actually cares about me as a person and not just an employee. This a fresh breath of air for me. Working at UNICON makes me want to give 200 hundred percent in all I do for the company. UNICON is a positive work environment and they want you to grow as an individual. They encourage you stay up to date in various technologies so you can be more valuable as a recruiter. I have learned very valuable job skills by UNICON. They have has given me opportunities to grow with the company. I truly enjoy all the personal development that UNICON has given me in order to make my day to day job functions fun and useful. I’ve especially enjoy gaining personal development from “Lunch and Learns” and recruiter trainings. UNICON is a great work environment I’m truly thankful for all the staff and I enjoy being mentored by excellent staff. I truly hope I am as valuable to the company as UNICON is for me.”
“I have had nothing but a positive and nice experience with Unicon.“
“I have been with Unicon for 3 years now and have not faced a single issue. The manager I report to now and the managers I worked with in the past at Unicon are really helpful, encouraging, willing to help always and address any concerns I have. The HR staff is really helpful and respond quickly to any requests or questions I have. I could not have asked for a better company to work for to begin my career.”
“I have been with Unicon for 3 years now and have not faced a single issue. The manager I report to now and the managers I worked with in the past at Unicon are really helpful, encouraging, willing to help always and address any concerns I have. The HR staff is really helpful and respond quickly to any requests or questions I have. I could not have asked for a better company to work for to begin my career.”
…their immigration policies which is crystal clear, sit back and relax not worrying about your work status. They don’t fool like other companies I have seen and play with your immigration status.
“For the past three years my experience working at UNICON has been good. The people are very committed and dedicated to the UNICON way of business which is very high ethical standards, equality, and fairness.“
“My relationship with UNICON has been nothing but positive, and when recommending contract firms, as well as considering future assignments, UNICON will be my choice. In a word, UNICON has been EXCELLENT. Thanks for the opportunity.”
“UNICON has been nothing but enjoyable the past 8 months I’ve been here and I truly am lucky to work with such a great company outside of college.”
“UNICON is a great company to work for they truly look out for their each and every employee. Their work environment is extremely positive, The recruiters and Account Managers work and support you all the time.”
“I appreciate the confidence and trust they have over their associates. My skills and ability are valued and brain expanding opportunities are provided. Huge emphasis puts on the quick responses with possible alternatives and suggestions they come up with. Unicon understands the importance of nonimmigrant employee needs with various types of visa status and helps them at their best; can’t ask for more. It is a good place for consultants to work.“
“I really enjoyed my time spent working for UNICON. They assisted me in advancing my career to the next level and providing the right amount of support to make me successful in the role they placed me in. I really owe it to them for giving me an opportunity to pursue my desire to get into IT Project Management.”
“I have been associated with different companies in past before Unicon Intl. The reason I have joined was the policy of the company about Green Card assistance, Payroll processing on time, direct interaction with associates for their any issues to resolve.“
“I will be honest with you; I am forced to write this review because my conscious does not allow me to let this opportunity pass. Here is my story. I started with Unicon way back in 2000 when I got hired from my home country to a better life. Unicon paid for the airfare and sent me to a great job in Denver. A year later economy took a downturn and I got laid off. Unicon tried its best to find me a job but market was not responding. Meanwhile, Doubleclick (Google) offered me a full time job and I departed. Seven years later I contacted Unicon and they took me right back in. I started working in Nationwide while Unicon took over my green card process as well. I worked for Unicon for next three years until my decision to move to Canada. While I was in Canada, Unicon continue to sponsor my green card even when I was not working for them. I lucked out and after coming back to Columbus my first choice was Unicon. During all these years I never had any issue related to my performance, my benefits or my paycheck. Unicon was always supportive and responsive to any inquiries that I threw at them. I have worked for 3 other companies including a multinational bank, a startup and a technology company but have never seen the level of support that Unicon has provided. You don’t find companies like this very often. They are fair and yet supportive to a level unheard of…. Thank you Jane and Mike for creating such a fantastic company!”
“Last year was a rough year for me…In those 14 months I spent 14 days in various hospitals, had a heart filter placed and removed, spent a year+ on blood thinners, had 5 emergency room visits…What I needed most during this time was local, on-the-ground support and this UNICON family became that support network for me. Jane, David & Mike made sure I took care of myself first and my job second, HR helped me with the always-complicated insurance issues and medical leave applications, and every single person in the company sent me an email, text or called to say, “I’m thinking or praying for you.” When you have that kind of support, compassion and generosity then the stress of the situation and the long road to recovery doesn’t seem so daunting. And that is what the UNICON way means to me.”
“UNICON is an outstanding company to work with. They keep good relationships with clients.”
”I cannot say enough good things about my experience with UNICON… Every single member of the UNICON staff made me feel welcome. I was not an outsider, I was the newest member of this family. Everyone was genuinely happy to have me join the company and helpful every step of the way. I came from a company where I was constantly treated disrespectfully by upper management and it left me feeling disheartened most days. I have never once felt that way at UNICON. I couldn’t be happier that my path lead me to UNICON, a company that truly values and respects the hard work of it’s employees. Jane is an endlessly supportive and open President. She wants this company to succeed and it makes me want to work hard every day to help make that happen. Not everyone can say that about their work, but I am lucky to be able to.“
“My relationship with UNICON has been nothing but positive, and when recommending contract firms, as well as considering future assignments, UNICON will be my choice. In a word, UNICON has been EXCELLENT. Thanks for the opportunity.”