Across the American Inno network of publications that covers 45 cities across the U.S., the Fire Awards highlight innovative organizations that have had a year worth celebrating. Honorees can include later-stage tech pillars, growth-stage startups, accelerators, venture firms, meetup groups, nonprofits, etc.
From firms that have garnered investment, unveiled a new product, secured a big client, made a significant acquisition, expanded or pivoted — the Fire Awards are intended to recognize organizations that are having a positive impact on New Mexico's economy.
With those criteria in mind, Albuquerque Business First and New Mexico Inno put out a call for nominations for potential award recipients. The Albuquerque Business First team and New Mexico Inno reporter Collin Krabbe reviewed the applications. Investment, new products and expansions over the past year were all considered.
A special ceremony celebrating the 2022 Fire Awards recipients was held on May 4 at Explora and sponsored by Comcast Business, Mesa del Sol and Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union.
Meet the Blazer Award winner: City Mobile Group.
A company’s definitions of what constitutes a banner year can come in different forms.
Planned expansions, big funding rounds and key C-suite hires are just a few examples.
Or, maybe it’s multiplying your headcount by five in the span of a year. That’s what City Mobile Group, a healthcare staffing organization that connects healthcare professionals with medical facilities in need of workers recently did. During that same 12-month period, it also broadened its presence, expanding from four states to 15.
As for its revenue, that increased by more than 700% last year. Judith Breckenridge, the founder of City Mobile Group, attributed that growth to the firm’s people and said that “everyone that’s involved in our company just works tirelessly.” The company has a “lot of community partnerships here in New Mexico,” she added.
That rapid growth across multiple categories was why City Mobile Group was selected as the 2022 Blazer Award recipient. This award is intended to go to the one Fire Awards honoree who truly set the local economy ablaze over the past year.
Breckenridge launched City Mobile Group in 2019. She moved to New Mexico initially for a contract job and “kind of fell in love with it,” she said. Its headcount stands at more than 100, but Breckenridge said they would like to see that grow to at least 200.
City Mobile Group’s level of growth has come as a bit of a surprise for Breckenridge, who said she didn’t expect there would be so much demand.
“I will say, that I knew there would be a need,” she said. “I [would not] have anticipated this type of growth.”
While the medical staffing sector is already a billion-dollar industry, Breckenridge expects the industry to grow. When asked what types of medical staff are currently most in demand, “all of them” was her answer.
Applying for temporary medical positions works much like any other job, with an initial application followed by a job offer, documentation and relocation. Professionals using City Mobile Group’s services can access contract opportunities and individual assignments.
In terms of how the firm connects professionals with workplaces, Breckenridge said a lot of it happens simply by word of mouth, which was another thing she didn’t anticipate. Without specifying which ones, she said she is working with some of the major health care systems in New Mexico to help with staffing shortages.
City Mobile Group works with multiple types of health care industries that include hospitals, nursing homes, correctional facilities, outpatient facilities and state contracting, according to its website.
