We Build. We Protect.
Building and protecting is our ethos. It drives every decision related to strategy, structure, people, processes, and technology.
All organizations need resources that help them efficiently and consistently deliver on critical initiatives. We offer tailored solutions to meet our clients’ needs related to project management and security so they can provide for their stakeholders.
Our Purpose
Our group of collaborators are committed to partnering with your team to identify and overcome challenges. We walk with you every step of the way to identify threats in the organization as well as recognize opportunities for growth. At 7th Echelon, we provide a personalized solution by analyzing your situation, creating a project management plan, and then seeing the plan through.
Our Values
The only way to understand what challenges our clients are facing is to put ourselves in their shoes. To do this, we invest in building real relationships with everyone we work with. Solving problems extends beyond creating plans in a bubble. It requires close collaboration with your teams to overcome obstacles, improve their processes, and reduce risks.
Who We Work With
We work with businesses, state governments, and the federal government to solve a variety challenges and help improve their performance. Below are some of our customers.
Awards & Recognition
“The Fast 50 are those NMSDC-certified minority business enterprises that have shown the most growth and resourcefulness in order to scale and meet the needs of their stakeholders during times of uncertainty, based upon the highest average revenue growth rate* for 2019, 2020, and 2021.”
From the NMSDC Conference Website. https://www.nmsdcconference.org/2022/fast50
Hilton Supply Management selected us as a 2020 award winner for having ‘the greatest impact on economic development strategies designed to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship’.
The Houston MDBA Business Center, operated by Houston Community College honored us in 2019 as the Houston MDBA Construction Trailblazer Client of the Year.
Certifications
City of Houston Airport Concessionaire Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
City of Houston Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Statewide Historically Underutilized Business (HUB)
City of Houston Minority Business Enterprise
Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority Small Business Enterprise
National Minority Supplier Development Council Minority Business Enterprise
Small Business Administration 8(a)
Port Houston Minority Business Enterprise
Leadership & Team
Edgartt Melton
Chief Executive Officer
- Connectedness
- Input
- Restorative
- Individualization
- Relator
CliftonStrengths
Edgartt started 7th Echelon, LLC, in 2016. He has over two decades of experience in developing and executing strategic initiatives within organizations.
As a creative problem solver, he has the ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with cross-functional teams. He used his areas of specialty and experience to build a company that solves complex business matters organizations face.
Sharrell McKennie
Senior Director
- Learner
- Responsibility
- Relator
- Belief
- Developer
CliftonStrengths
Delivery Experience
Conducted internal contracting reviews, including policy procedures/guidance, and analyzed the risk within the programs and processes.
Designed and implemented a flexible, workable, sustainable Compliance Management System satisfying users’ and leadership’s compliance needs across multiple countries, cultures, languages, and remediation projects covering 2300+ sites.
Managed compliance delivery plan / self-verification / external audit process and Compliance Management System and Operating Management System conformance.
Credentials
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Human Services-Management of Nonprofit Organizations (Capella University)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA) (Keller Graduate School of Management)
- BS, Accounting (DePaul University)
Sophie Lockerby
Associate Director
- Harmony
- Relator
- Consistency
- Includer
- Responsibility
CliftonStrengths
Delivery Experience
Established and led a Salesforce Center of Excellence for 20+ organizations across the UK and North America business groups focusing on building a community of shared knowledge and engagement, instilling governance and standard processes for setup, resource acquisition, support, and various business system workflows, and utilizing the platform efficiently and effectively with varying use cases among the 20 business units.
Developed and implemented a strategic framework to establish improvements within the change management and business communication process.
Credentials
- BA, Mathematics University of Virginia (VA)
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
Rosettia Walker
Strategy Manager
- Relator
- Positivity
- Achiever
- Maximizer
- Empathy
CliftonStrengths
Delivery Experience
Launched and matured enterprise level Program Management Offices for federal agency and financial service company. Developed and implemented Lean Agile and traditional Program Project management governance framework for portfolio, program and project management inclusive of polices, processes, standards, oversight and compliance requirements, data-driven reporting, and program project management software implementation. Structured leadership governing bodies to manage the approval and prioritization of strategic initiatives, fostering collaboration across divisions and streamline decision making.
Coached over 35 project team in delivering results on critical internal and external programs and projects by collaborating on managing dependencies, developing business requirements, gaining funding approval for $42M annually, resolving stakeholder issues, formulating risk mitigation plans and implementing change management plans.
Credentials
- Master of Science in Marketing, MSM (University of Maryland, (MD))
- Bachelor of Science, BS, in Computer Science (Highest Honors) (Hampton University (VA))
- Master Certificate in Project Management (George Washington University (DC))
- Project Management Professional (PMP) (Project Management Institute)
- Lean Portfolio Management SAFe 6 Certification
- Agile Product Management SAFe 6 Certification
- Product Owner/Product Manager SAFe 6 Certification
- Operational Risk Management Fundamentals Certification, Risk Management Association
- Master Certificate Federal Government Program Management, ESI
Terra Fontenot-Beard
Senior Manager
- Significance
- Focus
- Belief
- Ideation
- Achiever
CliftonStrengths
Delivery Experience
Conducted internal contracting reviews, including policy procedures/guidance, analyzed the risk within the programs and processes, and determined if OCP complied with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) A-123 Guidelines, memorandums, and circulars.
Managed clients’ full accounting functions, taxes, audits, controls, procedures, and customer service. Coordinated the audit, joint interest, and financial audits for clients. Conducted annual compliance training for clients.
Credentials
- MS, Accounting and Finance (American Intercontinental University (TX))
- BS, Business Administration - Accounting (Texas Southern University (TX))
Griffith Kudedzi
Consultant/ISSO
- Strategic
- Responsibility
- Learner
- Futuristic
- Focus
CliftonStrengths
Delivery Experience
Coordinated and led information system security risk management, control assessment and compliance audit for organizations with diverse clients. Focused on improving Information system compliance, evaluating structures and procedures and initiating corrective actions, guide clients and recommend solutions and guidelines in implementing strategies to ensure effectiveness, develop responses to lapses in self-assessment procedures and conducting work-throughs and evaluating documenting evidence to satisfy controls.
Safeguarded client’s systems by reviewing and updating policy documents and processes to achieve data Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability and security; clients’ foremost goals.
Credentials
- BBA Accounting (University of Houston-Downtown)
- Certified Information system Auditor (CISA)
- CompTIA Sec +
- ITiL V4 Certified
Pearl Plumboy
Senior Consultant
- Strategic
- Achiever
- Competition
- Intellection
- Learner
CliftonStrengths
Delivery Experience
Planned and implemented external engagement strategies such as political outreach initiatives to engage internal and external stakeholders in collaborative efforts promoting company growth and development.
Assisted with developing and fostering internal relations and external stakeholders for Federal, state, and local government participants, community leaders, and members of organizations and institutions with similar equal opportunity objectives.
Credentials
- BS, Communication (Howard University)
- Certificate, Diversity, and Inclusion (Cornell University)
Karl Johnson
Analyst
- Strategic
- Positivity
- Achiever
- Responsibility
- Learner
CliftonStrengths
Delivery Experience
Resolved complex title issues, reviewed, and determined the best course of action to cure the title. Made curative recommendations and assisted clients with various title defects to achieve clear marketable/insurable titles.
Research and resolve title issues and discrepancies, reviewing title evidence, and curing title defects of record while partnering with the onsite legal team.
Credentials
- BS. Computer Information Systems (Grambling State University)
Tymia Taylor
Analyst
- Empathy
- Harmony
- Restorative
- Futuristic
- Individualization
CliftonStrengths
Delivery Experience
Processed and completed sensitive documents ensuring accuracy. Verified and corrected data to ensure the quality and integrity of the information in the system.
Credentials
- Crash Course on Python Google Certificate
- Automate the Boring Stuff with Python Udemy Certificate
Testimonials
Impressed with their attention to detail
Ed and his team bring an understanding of the complexities and needs of the most important people in our business, our guests. We have been impressed with their attention to detail, work ethic, and sometimes under less than perfect circumstances.
Delighted with their work
7th Echelon provided high-quality people that know how to execute a project. We can say without reservation that we have been delighted with their work.
Foresight, and out of the box thinking
It was a pleasure and we enjoyed working with owner Ed Melton and his team. We were so impressed with Ed's foresight, and out of the box thinking, we along with the project manager prime contractor, selected him to serve as a voting member for the selection of the general contractor for the $38MM project.
