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Crissy Klaus
"Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.” — Confucius
When Crissy Klaus (BBA '94) took on the
challenge of building a zero VOC (volatile organic compound) early
childcare center in midtown Atlanta, she heeded the Chinese
philosopher’s advice above as a personal mantra. The result is FIO360
(pronounced fe-oh), a three-story, 21,000-square-foot facility that is
100% green from its first-floor interactive children’s museum to its
rooftop playground.
The center’s name, which is as carefully
chosen as its organic menu and sustainable construction materials,
encapsulates Klaus’ beliefs about nurturing a child to become his or
her individual best. “‘Fio’ is Latin for ‘to become’ and ‘360’ is about
wholeness and coming full circle,” she explains. As for the nurturing,
FIO360 offers an above-standard caregiver-to-child ratio and is staffed
by a degree-holding team with, at minimum, five years’ experience. It
also is a national demonstration site for the Pyramid approach to early
learning, a four-step process that, over time, guides children from
basic understanding to more complex problem solving.
Klaus’ path to childcare industry leader is
as unlikely as it was unexpected. When the opportunity presented
itself, Klaus had just transitioned from a successful corporate
marketing career and had founded a thriving real estate company. “If
anyone had told me five years ago that I would be doing this now, I
would have laughed.”
This mother of two boys cites several
reasons for her professional success that date back to her years at
Robinson. While still studying for her degree, Klaus landed a job at
PepsiCo through the College’s Career Management Center. “Selling Pepsi
on Coke’s home turf taught me how to overcome obstacles,” she recalls.
Moreover, Klaus studied accounting prior to declaring her major in
marketing. The dual disciplines are an asset, she says. “Not only do I
know how to sell, I also know how to turn a profit.” Another attribute
of her Robinson education that Klaus values is the diversity of age in
the classroom, where she sat side by side with seasoned marketing
executives and young students who understood emerging trends because
they were living them.
Finally, Klaus holds herself, her team, and
her suppliers to the highest possible standards. “What you can do and
what you should do are not necessarily the same,” she says.
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