Tom Saterfiel Reflects On 20-Year ACT Career

Tom Saterfiel ranks his contributions to the WorkKeys^® system at the top of the list for memorable career accomplishments.

   

Saterfiel, who retired from ACT in December 2010 after 20 years of service, was instrumental in the development of the WorkKeys system. In fact, he coined the name. “A group of us were tossing around possible names and had considered about 70 by that point. I pulled my car keys out of my pocket, and said ‘let’s call it WorkKeys.’ The idea behind the name was ‘unlocking your potential.’”

He started at ACT in 1990 as vice president, research. In 1997, he transitioned to senior vice president in what is now the Workforce Development Division. He served as vice president, corporate development, from 2005 until his retirement.

Saterfiel spent much of his time at ACT helping to build the WorkKeys system, which today consists of nine foundational skills assessments and three soft skill assessments. In the early days, he met with human resources managers and business leaders to determine the types of skills they sought in employees. “Developing the system took a lot of time and effort, but ACT was committed to making it happen. We now take a lot of pride in the fact that thousands of WorkKeys assessments are given every day.”

After the system was established, Saterfiel attended conferences and meetings around the country to educate companies and workforce development professionals about it. He knew he’d done his job well when conference attendees started telling him about WorkKeys. “We felt like we’d accomplished something that had started from a blank slate and had grown to an extensive system that now has advocates all over the world.”

Overall, Saterfiel feels fortunate to have worked at ACT. His retirement plans include spending time with family, traveling, and possibly teaching.

“It was a wonderful career for a kid from a little town in Mississippi who was given the opportunity to come to a world-renowned company and do some amazing things. I was in the right place at the right time and worked with some really good people to make a difference in the lives of many.”