Located in the iconic “White House” building at 15165 N.W. 77 Avenue, in Suite 2009 lies a computer solutions company unlike any other. Southeast Computer Solutions (SCS) was founded 30 years ago by president and chief executive officer, Sonia Ferrera.
Born from Cuban descent, Ferrera lived in Fairview, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until she turned 15. Since then, she has lived in Miami and is currently a Miami Lakes resident in Royal Oaks.
SCS is a a company that provides Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to larger businesses. ERP is vital because it’s a software that manages a business’s activities. These responsibilities can include accounting, distribution, production, customer services and human resources.
SCS’s specialty is in processing the manufacturing of liquids and chemicals. A common software that’s used by this company, Sage 100, is a pivotal foundation used by companies to make better business decisions and increase profit.
But SCS doesn’t just stop at software; widely known for their holiday decorations, SCS plans out a three month long holiday decoration plan. The decorating is so intense, each holiday takes up its own warehouse.
Because of Ferrera’s birthday on Halloween, the whole office is ghoulishly decorated to resemble a haunted house. For Thanksgiving and autumn, a pumpkin patch sprouts up with crystal decorations. Finally, for the grand finale, the whole office is decorated (literally) from top to bottom for the holiday season. Ferrera even references it to look like New York’s Fifth Avenue during Christmas.
In addition to being a festive person, Ferrera is also a philanthropist and avid animal lover. She adopted a cat that was left by her owner in the dumpster behind her office. Sissy, the cat, is now an office mascot, making sure her presence is known to all who enter.
Ferrera raises money for causes she believes in, and tries her best to be an active member in her community. She even met Prince Harry during his Invictus Games in Orlando. Cancer awareness is also a big part of the company since many of the SCS family were directly affected by the disease. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, team members wear pink shirts and when Movember rolls around, the men in the office grow out their mustaches.
Although the holidays are over, celebrations do not cease. With football season coming to an end with the Super Bowl, SCS is planning something extra special to commemorate the occasion.
“I have a rule that people shouldn’t work the day after the Super Bowl,” Ferrera said. “So we come in at noon, have mimosas, and I cater in lunch and drink some more. The caterers make a sandwich stand shaped like a stadium. Everything is in the shape of a football or something.”
Although having a day off after the Super Bowl isn’t very common, Ferrera stresses the importance of these holidays and how it affects the office morale.
“We work hard here, but we play a lot. That;s the only way to do it.” Ferrera said.