As the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Contract Professionals, Inc. (CPI), Steven York (Steve) is responsible for CPI’s strategy for growth and profitability and for the vision for the brand, as well as for the company’s operations. Steve has a proven executive management track record and more than three decades of experience in driving sales and growth in the workforce solutions industry.
The heart of CPI, Steve believes staffing is all about building and maintaining relationships. His goal is to improve the quality of life for both the civilians and veterans CPI represents.
Steve is a Michigan native and a U.S. Air Force veteran, serving from 1968-1976. He served his first four years in Aircraft Maintenance achieving the rank of E-5 or Staff Sargent and the last four years, as a member of the Michigan Medical Recruiting Team.
It was his military recruiting, training and experience that led Steve to a career in the workforce solutions industry. An entrepreneur and natural leader, Steve launched CPI in West Bloomfield, Michigan, on March 2, 1982. CPI began with a focus on Department of Defense clients, and that vision turned to rapid growth and development. CPI expanded and moved offices several times in the early years, finally building a corporate headquarters in Waterford, Michigan, in 1990.
Today, Steve oversees the corporate offices and four branch offices across the United States. The company is proud to represent some of the most progressive and cutting-edge corporations in the world. The CPI team employs hundreds of civilians and military veterans each year.
A master fixer, fearless change agent and world-class senior executive, James (Jim) Cowper has more than 37 years in the staffing business. Jim specializes in creating exceptional business growth through strategic vision, asset maximization and operational excellence. He has produced top-line revenue in excess of $2 billion and EBITDA greater than $190 million in the human capital technical services industry.
Jim began his career in the staffing industry at Contract Professionals, Inc. (CPI) in 1983, laying the groundwork for the success the company enjoys today. With more than $30 million in revenue, CPI is poised for significant growth through the next decade.
Jim returned to CPI in the last quarter of 2014, igniting strong leadership across all levels of the organization. As Jim looks to the future, he will continue to maximize profits and position CPI for sustainable business growth through mergers and acquisitions.
Dedicated and well-respected, Jim is at his best when he is developing and executing game changing business objectives. After his initial tenure at CPI, Jim went on to have a long career at TAC Worldwide Companies, launching the $125 million TAC Automotive Group. He was responsible for leading the $250 million engineering services business in the United States and United Kingdom. While he was at TAC, he was responsible for managing 19 offices and 180 staff members.
A Crain’s Detroit Business 40 Under 40 recipient, Jim was also recognized for his business innovation by being inducted into the TAC Worldwide Companies President’s Club and by receiving the Top Revenue and EBITDA awards.
Most recently, Jim has accepted the following awards on behalf of the CPI team:
- Crain’s Detroit Cool Places to Work for 2016-2021
- 101 Best and Brightest Places to Work for Local, Elite and National 2015-2019
- Veteran Owned Business of the Year Award, SBA, Michigan 2016
- Michigan Business CEO of CEO’s Award 2016 – Steven E. York
- Michigan Business Transformative Leader Award 2018 – James L. Cowper
- Marketing & Sales Executives of Detroit, Platinum Award 2016
Jim is currently the chair of the board at DFCU Financial Credit Union; a member of the board of directors at University of Detroit Jesuit High School; advisory board member of the National Veterans Business Development Council (NVBDC.org); and a past member of the advisory council for the Josephine Ford Cancer Institute.
Jim is also currently a member of the University Club at MSU and the Huntsman Hunt Club.
A past sponsor of PAL/THINK Detroit and the March of Dimes, Jim’s previous associations also include the Engineering Society of Detroit, the Society of Automotive Engineers, and the Michigan Minority Business Development Council. A life-long Michigander, Jim proudly graduated from Wayne State University, Detroit, with a BA in 1982.
Jay Vorobel is the Executive Vice President for Contract Professionals, Inc. (CPI). Jay brings more than 30 years of sales and corporate management experience to the CPI team. He plays a pivotal role on the CPI team; providing support and strategic managerial input to the president and management team.
Jay identifies and leads new business development initiatives and opportunities. He has been responsible for securing in excess of $450 million worth of revenue within the defense and automotive verticals over the last two decades.
He also participates in all aspects of quality programming, and he is responsible for executing the tenets of the corporate business objectives, which includes monitoring financial strategies, budgets and forecasts to maximize profits and productivity.
Jay acts as a primary adviser to the president, providing data and general guidance on various strategies, which support the effective achievement of corporate goals and objectives. He also provides support, instruction and information to all operational departments. In summary, Jay embodies what it means to “be CPI.”
Michael Borg brings more than 36 years of hands-on experience in information systems, information technologies, infrastructure design and operations to Contract Professionals, Inc. (CPI). As the Vice President of Infrastructure and Facility Security Officer (FSO), Michael oversees the architecture and implementation of all operational and business support systems the organization uses to operate and manage corporate and remote offices.
As an FSO, Michael is a liaison to all government agencies, and he is the security focal point and subject matter expert as it relates to CPI’s security program. Michael is also required to fully understand the complexity of the requirements levied by the CSA and outlined within the NISPOM/DCIDs.
As VP and a member of the board of directors, Michael has spent more than three decades working to provide CPI with leading-edge technical, infrastructure and managerial support in order to advance the mission and goals of the company.
During the early years, Michael was responsible for ensuring the security and reliability of a dynamic company-wide multiuser computer system. This included managing all the servers, network equipment and all IT and office infrastructures.
A steadfast and capable leader, Michael will continue to shepherd CPI’s facility clearance and security program in order to secure and protect CPI’s reputation as a company of the future.
For the past 25 years, Patricia Wilson (Tricia) has been providing strategic financial resource management services at Contract Professionals, Inc. (CPI). Tricia assists in the development and monitoring of financial strategies and budgets. She is also responsible for business and financial forecasting in order to maximize profits and productivity.
Tricia sets a “gold standard” for the performance of the CPI accounting department. She works to develop and conduct training activities with the accounting staff, in order to ensure that individual and group objectives are met.
Tricia began her career at CPI in 1998. She worked as a staff accountant, learning every aspect of CPI’s financial processes and procedures. Her comprehensive financial knowledge and in-depth understanding of the CPI culture has helped pave the way for the expansion of CPI’s accounting department today.
As an avid user of new technology and the latest accounting processes, Tricia has worked to update accounting systems in order to ensure the most efficient and secure operations for both clients and workers.
She is also a skilled tax adviser and keeps abreast of all changes in state and federal tax regulations, working hard to ensure that CPI stays in compliance year in and year out.
A vital part of the CPI team, Tricia takes special care to ensure she understand the needs of every single client and CPI team member, whether its during the business day, or after hours.
Tricia’s ability to prioritize initiatives and motivate her team, combined with her loyalty and expertise make her a crucial and invaluable part of the CPI management team.