Vivid Learning Systems’ Matt Hammer Announced by the Mid-Columbia Leadership Development Association (MCLDA) as Executive of the Year
The Mid-Columbia Leadership Development Association honored Matt Hammer, President and CEO of Vivid Learning Systems as Executive of the Year during their Year End Recognition event on June 13th at the M Hotel in Richland, WA.
The MCLDA provides leadership development opportunities to help organizations discover, develop, and showcase leadership talent. Under the MCLDA, the Executive of the Year Award recognizes a senior executive who has gained significant recognition for managerial and leadership accomplishments.
Matt Hammer was awarded Executive of the Year for his involvement and leadership in the Mid-Columbia community. In 1994, he co-founded Imageworks, a creative firm focused on brand development, with partner Nick Bauer. Matt grew Imageworks from two to twenty employees and ensured the business remained a viable, profitable entity within the community. Ten years later, Vivid Learning Systems, a leader in the e-learning space purchased Imageworks in 2004.
Matt became CEO of Vivid Learning Systems and Imageworks in 2009 and has been an instrumental factor in the company’s continued success.
Matt Hammer was recognized as an inspirational leader who championed change, reinvigorated the company and took it in a more successful direction. He shifted the focus back to the core capabilities, where success had been found in the beginning. As part of this initiative, he reinvested in the company's products, people and infrastructure, positioning the company to become a leader within the industry.
Under his guidance, research and analysis, efforts were commissioned to acquire critical business data, enabling strategic decisions to be made and plans to be executed. Matt also sought the advice and guidance of leading industry experts, crafting a vision founded in logic and supported by continual growth and innovation. His clear, direct communication style enabled him to articulate his vision to others. As a result of his infectious passion, the team rallied around the new vision and new energy was breathed into the culture.
In addition, Matt is heavily involved in the community serving as a board member on the Three Rivers Community Foundation and is a founding member of the Washington State STEM Education Foundation. He is also a founding member of People Learning About Destructive Decisions. Through his positive community activism, he continually builds trusting, lasting relationships and strives to treat all as equals from his interns to his peers within the business community.
About MCLDA
Mid-Columbia Leadership Development Association is a chapter of the National Management Association. MCLDA’s mission is to "Develop Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.” Through chapter-based experience, MCLDA provides leadership development opportunities to help sponsoring organizations discover, develop, and showcase leadership talent.