Citadel Consulting, Inc.

Citadel Consulting, Inc.

Posted January 3, 2001

HAITIAN BORN WILNER De DAYE
Making His Mark As An American Entrepreneur
When Wilner De Daye established his own computer consulting firm more than 19 years ago he says he didn't foresee the current trend for corporate "downsizing" and "out-sourcing." Instead, he simply believed he could make more of an impact and live his life more fully as an entrepreneur. "I wanted to leave something for my children and contribute back to my community," explains De Daye. "I could see that what I was doing for my employers, I could do on my own, and perhaps make a real impact, a difference in the lives of the people around me."

De Daye was born in Haiti. He moved to the U.S. with his parents at the age of 16 and attended Evanston Township High School. He later was graduated from North Eastern University with a bachelors degree in computer science, and went on to work for a number of major U.S. Corporations and government agencies.

In 1981, De Daye established Citadel Consulting, as a technology services company, providing consulting, systems integration, software development firm, which provides complete needs analyses and programming, as well as computer hardware, software evaluations, and a wide array of systems integration capabilities and applications software. This includes feasibility studies, system analyses and design, programming software development and control, technical and user documentation, conversions and solution development services worldwide.

On 01/15/87 Wilner De Daye and Thony Daye combined their expertise and completed all requirements for certification of ownership with the DuPage County Clerk to do Business as a Sole Proprietorship.
On 11/11/91, Mr. Wilner De Daye filed Articles of Incorporation with the State of Illinois Office of the Secretary of State as Citadel Consulting Inc., for the purpose of providing computer consulting services to small and fortune 500 companies to assist them in meeting their data processing objectives.
Born as Citadel Consulting, Inc., is a full service supplier of administrative services, managerial services, data processing services, offering system integration, custom application software development, contract staffing, temporary help, information technology, computer consultants, consultants, staffing services, recruiting, professional staffing, consulting, technical staffing, technical and computer mainframe support as well as application software. Citadel delivers a completed product ready for client use.

"Essentially, what we do is t install computer systems for our clients. As part of that installation, we also enhance the system so that it is tailored to the needs of the client. And of course, we then train our client on how to use the system and provide the necessary the systems support. For example, we provided the implementation of various financial systems for Briggs & Stratton. They now maintain an open contract with Citadel to provide consulting and support as the needs arise.

We are in the business of helping companies with their computer and management needs...

—Wilner De Daye, CITADEL president

Initially, Citadel operated as a one-person operation, taking on small-scale projects with corporate and government offices in the surrounding areas. Around mid 1980, Citadel began contract with large companies such as U.S. Steel, Spiegel, FMC, and CR Industries. These projects served as the springboard to Citadel's current success.

Today, the company is considered one of Chicago's premier minority-owned computer consulting firms, boasting a full-time professional staff of consultants, which includes business systems analysts, database/communication analysts, systems and software specialists, analysts and programmers.

NEW! Nonetheless, with its continuing growth and recent project awards, Citadel will soon create several new job positions. The company is seeking individuals with expertise in SAP, ORACLE, McCormack & Dodge - Millennium, GEAC, SDT, PDL, WINDOWS, Excel, Lotus D-Base, WP, Access, Novell, AIX-Unix, C++, Visual Basic, SDK, Power Builder, DB2, CICS, COBOL, Client-Server architecture, SYBASE, SQL, FOCUS/DB2, and FAXPRO.

In addition to helping create jobs for community residents, emerging entrepreneurs are encouraged and often helped along by Citadel.

Keith Coleman and Tim Jackson tell how De Daye not only provided the moral support but also the systems support that helped them launch one of only a few computer graphic services in the country to specialize in afrocentric art.

Coleman is an international marketing entrepreneur and Jackson, a Chicago cartoonist. For some time the two had wanted to fill a void in the market place for graphic art depicting African American and people of color. With De Daye's assistance through Citadel, the two entrepreneurs were able to digitize their art and market it as a computer software package which they named Afrocentrex.

Users can import hundreds of illustrations into popular computer applications such as WordPerfect and PageMaker. In less than six months the venture is being hailed a success in corporate and small business markets.

Still, Citadel's greatest contribution continues to be its work with major corporations and government agencies. The company is an SBA 8(a) certified company, and is also a certified MBE by the State and Chicago Regional Purchasing Council. Its participation as a prime and sub-contractor is always a valued asset, and at the same time enables corporate and government buyers to meet minority purchasing goals with an experienced, reliable firm that is creating employment and worker opportunities as a result. Currently, Citadel is working as a sub-contractor for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to redesign its entire Human Resources/Payroll System. According to CTA policy , the multi-million dollar project has a 30 percent minority and female business participation goal.

De Daye's life exemplifies the myriad effect of entrepreneurship and the vital role it plays in our society and communities. There are few other careers that allow an individual's desires and efforts to blossom and serve to improve the quality of life for so many others.

De Daye admits, "If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. There is so much that I am involved in that I couldn't do if I worked as an employee for one company." De Daye points to his work as a volunteer for the homeless, the school board and the Haitian American Community Association. "Even the work we do with other entrepreneurs and small businesses and the corporations and government agencies are all important contributions. Entrepreneurship gives me the freedom to be that someone."

You need a skilled partner on your team. You need CITADEL...

Co-Owner Wilner De Daye

Wilner De Daye: CITADEL of software solution Talking To The Boss

by Janice Rosenberg

Wilner De Daye:

As a small business owner, you can buy a personal computer, collect any number of expensive programs, watch your kids play countless intricate interactive games and still have no idea how to make computer applications work for you. That's where Citadel Consulting, Inc., in Glendale Heights, comes in.

There's no limit on how small a business CITADEL will work with...

"There's no limit on how small a business we'll work with." says Citadel co-owner Wilner De Daye. "In fact we prefer to work with small companies because we can help them buy software, teach them how to use it and watch them grow."

Daye came to the United States from Haiti when he was 16. He graduated from Evanston Township High School, and learned, computer applications both on the job and in college. He was working at a consulting firm when a project manager suggested he try going independent. Daye liked the idea, and was fortunate to know a number of consultants who were willing to show him the ropes.

That was in 1981. At first most of Daye's work was as a subcontractor on job's at big firms like:

U.S. Steel, Spiegel, FMC Corp., Packaging Corporation of America (PCA), GD Searl, and many others. As companies became familiar with his work, they began calling him directly.

While Daye emphasizes his interest in working with small businesses, to date much of Citadel's work has involved doing consultation and giving support for SAP, and Dun & Bradstreet financial software at fortune 500 companies.

Software is the thing that lets Web sites talk to other Web sites. The IT world is moving to a Web services infrastructure, where components, tools, and applications are available online.

Daye concentrates on specific aspects of mainframe work, it's easy for companies to pass Citadel's name along to others in need of similar assistance. At present , 80 percent of Citadel's business comes from referrals, and the company has open contracts with a number of large firms.

"I like that king of arrangement," he says. "It gives us constant work."

When it comes to what Daye calls the "PC arena," Citadel's marketing strategy is more intense. It involves mailings and follow-up phone calls to carefully targeted groups. "We focus on one group for an entire quarter," Daye explains. "

For instance, we just built a new software program for automotive services that does estimates when someone brings his car in

for service, so we've been focusing on the kinds of businesses that would use it."

Growing gain

With some small companies, Citadel starts from scratch, helping owners buy software that will grow with the company. In these cases, Citadel does a feasibility study, installs the software and train employees.

"A lot of companies have PCs but they have no way of knowing what to do with them, "Daye says. "We teach them what to buy, how to get from one machine to five machines and how to network everything together to get their work done. It's more creative than working with fortune 500 companies that have a specific task for us to do on their mainframes."

Currently, Daye has five employees who do both technical and sales work. Daye also handles technical and marketing aspects of the business. This year he plans to hire at least two salespeople and would like his staff to grow to ten by next year.

Besides his work with Citadel, daye is involved in community activities. He teaches photography once a month at his daughter's elementary school, an obligation he says he never misses. He has also been a member of the St. Matthew's school board.

But perhaps dearest to his heart is his involvement with the Chicago-area Haitian community, consisting of about 25,999 people.

Daye is co-chair of a new organization, the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce of Chicago. The group's goals include encouraging U.S. companies to invest in Haiti and helping Haitians start businesses here and in Haiti. Daye has applied for a chance to travel with a U.S. State Department mission to help evaluate hoe the country can rebuild.

"We're trying to put our foot in the door and help them move into the 20th century," he says.

Plans like these remind Daye of the one problem his busy company creates in his otherwise exciting and satisfying life: Fifty percent of his work involves travel. "My wife and daughter tell me I stay away too much," he says. "I have clients all over and if we manage to go to Haiti with the U.S. Department of Commerce or the State Department, that will add to my travel time. But it's still something to look forward to. It will be rewarding to help bring that country back from the brink of destruction."

Nonetheless, with its continuing growth and recent project awards, Citadel will soon create several new job positions. The company is seeking individuals with expertise in SAP, ORACLE, McCormack & Dodge - Millennium, GEAC, SDT, PDL, WINDOWS, Excel, Lotus D-Base, WP, Access, Novell, AIX-Unix, C++, Visual Basic, SDK, Power Builder, DB2, CICS, COBOL, Client-Server, SAS, SYBASE, SQL, FOCUS/DB2, and FAXPRO.

Willie C. Doss CITADEL Senior Management Team Talking To The Boss

Willie C. Doss :

Reverend Willie C. Doss Joins Citadel Consulting, Inc.
November 11, 1998 02:44:00 AM ET

GLENDALE HEIGHTS, Illinois., Nov. 11 /BossNews/ -- ( http://www.citadelconsulting.com/) Today, Rev. Willie C. Doss, joined Citadel Consulting, Inc. Rev. Doss will be a member of the senior management team reporting directly to Wilner De Daye, Citadel Chairman and CEO. Rev. Doss will initially focus on refining and expand Citadel's Marketing business strategy.

"Rev. Doss brings perspective and experience to Citadel," said Wilner De Daye. "In the last few years we have transformed Citadel Consulting, Inc. into the leader in e-business. Willie will lead and help us clearly define and broadly communicate the benefits of our marketing efforts in the e-business and e-government."

"This is an incredible opportunity for me to work with one of the most exciting small business companies in the Chicago area, and with one of the most visionary business leaders of our time," said Doss. " Citadel is laying the foundation for the way we do business in the future and market our services to our current and future customers. I look forward to playing a role in helping Citadel to become a household name."

Rev. Willie C. Doss Director of Christian Education, Assistant Pastor at Saint John Church-Baptist. He was previously president of W. C. Doss Consulting while pursuing a Master Degree in Divinity at the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before joining Saint John Church-Baptist, he work tirelessly in the Chicago and Joliet community helping the unfortunates.

Doss's marketing experience spans several technical companies.

Willie C. Doss, director of business development for Citadel's Large Business, says SAS ERP-Reporting Solution new services could make Citadel's services that much more attractive to potential customers. For that reason, Doss says, Citadel is considering pursuing a strategic relationship, training with SAS Corporation that would result in new SAS reporting tools features being embedded in the ERP services. "Their strategy is right on," Doss says. "They're creating solutions that allow people to be creative, mobile, cost efficient rather than having to be connected to their PC creating reports using ABAP." - Tony Daye

About Citadel

Citadel Consulting, Inc., is a technology services company, providing consulting, systems integration and solution development services worldwide. Citadel a full service supplier of administrative services, managerial services, data processing services, offering system integration, custom application software development, contract staffing, temporary help, information technology, computer consultants, consultants, staffing services, recruiting, professional staffing, consulting, technical staffing, technical and computer mainframe support as well as application software. Citadel delivers a completed product ready for client use. For more information about Citadel, please call 630-668-2184.