RELI Group has had a busy few months. In addition to being named one of the 2025 Elev8 GovCon Honorees and earning recognition for its commitment to veteran hiring and retention in 2024, the company has made significant leadership changes. Vishal Tulsian joined as President and COO, and Saeed Elnaj was named Chief Information Officer. RELI Group also announced that Founder Mohammad (Sam) Elias would resume the role of CEO. We caught up with Sam to find out what these developments mean for RELI Group as it continues to position itself for mid-tier success.
Founder-led, Growth-focused
Leading RELI Group as a founder-led company has always been about more than charting a course. It’s about fostering connections with customers and partners while showcasing the value proposition of an emerging business. With the company entering its next phase as a successful mid-sized business, Elias recognized the importance of retaking the helm to solidify the vision and guide the organization through this critical juncture.
“We have a good story and a clear path ahead to success as a mid-tier as a thought-leader in the industry. My role now is partially to focus on who we are and have become, but also to take us out of our comfort zone, to ensure we are successful with that discomfort.”
As RELI Group looks to the future, it aims to attract talent at all levels who have successfully navigated the challenges the company now faces.
Culture and Community
RELI Group’s culture is deeply rooter in its founder’s values and upbringing, emphasizing community and giving back. “There are certain people we attract who are focused on volunteerism and fundraising and being engaged with organizations where support is needed. As we grow, that will continue and expand.”
One of the company’s key focus areas is supporting veterans and those transitioning from military service. “We make a concerted effort to interview and put priority on veterans as part of our way of giving back to those who have sacrificed the most for our country.”
Beyond hiring, RELI’s comprehensive benefits, internal training programs, mentorship opportunities and commitment to work/life balance helps all employees achieve their career goals. “When we hire veterans who have dedicated their careers to service, they are coming into an environment that is equally committed so they get that extension of their service and civilian lives, and the opportunity to continue to give in support of federal missions.”
A consistent message to RELI’s hiring team and managers is to hire for the company, rather than a specific contract. “We want people to come, to grow and to stay. Their work with us doesn’t end when a contract does, so we do a lot of cross training to ensure there are resources around them. We connect employees with different projects and people so they can add skills and insight to their breadth of knowledge.”
Eyeing Partners as a Growing Mid-Tier
Relationships and trust – built with both partners and customers – have been the foundation of RELI Group’s success. “Ultimately, it comes down to several things: our relationships; our domain knowledge; and the in-depth understanding we have of our customers. These elements are critical for success.”
As RELI Group moves into 2025, it will continue focusing on healthcare and national security while also expanding its reach into civilian agencies. “We have a high number of SMEs within the company who can turn what we have learned, the challenges we have solved, into solutions for other agencies.”
Depth of Experience and Insight
RELI Group brings extensive knowledge in cybersecurity, data management and data analytics; program compliance; fraud, waste and abuse reviews. The company also explores emerging technologies, including AI and ML.
Beyond addressing fraud, RELI Group employs policy analysts and experts who understand programs from inception to implementation. They analyze program structures, rules and intentions to identify issues, such as system vulnerabilities or users exploiting processes. This proactive approach enables the team to raise red flags, curb problematic behaviors, and save agencies significant amounts of money – often preventing abuse before it occurs.
“That money saved can be directly contributed back into the program, to help those who need those services. We know in some cases abuse is unintentional, so learning and education is also part of the solution.”
Constant Innovation
For RELI Group, growth goes hand-in-hand with innovation. This includes improving processes, developing new systems, and providing training to enhance efficiency. “Our goal is to ensure programs are doing what is intended, providing ROI for the government and delivering as intended for citizens.”
The company also contributes to the industry through thought leadership. Whether participating in seminars, appearing on podcasts or publishing white papers, RELI Group shares its insights to improve programs across the board. “If someone else can make a program better or implement something new based on intel we have provided, that also equates to success for us.”
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