Chris Gros
Chief People Officer, Crimson Phoenix
As chief people officer at Crimson Phoenix, Chris Gros has focused on building a unified employee experience. He works to bring companies together, develop leaders, strengthen engagement and create practices that allow employees to focus on their customers’ missions.
Under his leadership, Crimson Phoenix has integrated seven companies while continuing to invest in its people, and Gros’ biggest recent achievement has been leading the integration of those companies over the past three years. Crimson Phoenix is now fully integrated across HR policies and procedures, healthcare and benefits, retirement plans, systems and employee programs.
What began as seven organizations now operates as one company with a consistent employee experience. This accomplishment reflects the dedication of employees across Crimson Phoenix and their shared commitment to building a stronger organization.
“I’m incredibly proud of our HR and Recruiting teams and thankful for the backing of our private equity partner, Godspeed Capital, and a supportive C-Suite and leadership team made up largely of former owners and employees from the original seven companies,” Gros said. “Everyone has come together with a shared commitment to advance Crimson Phoenix, take care of our people, and support our government customers and their missions.”
Gros also believes one of the best ways Crimson Phoenix can support government customers is by taking care of its employees so they can remain focused on the mission. For the HR and recruiting teams, that means being responsive, solving problems quickly and removing unnecessary distractions. When employees know they can get the support they need, they can spend their time and energy serving customers rather than navigating internal issues.
Why Watch
In 2026, Gros and his team have focused on strengthening the employee experience while recruiting and retaining the cleared professionals Crimson Phoenix’s customers need. The HR and recruiting teams have recruited and onboarded more than 120 cleared professionals this year.
Additionally, Gros spearheaded the development of the internally led Crimson Leadership Program, now in its third iteration, and replaced traditional annual performance reviews with quarterly check-Ins. These programs build stronger managers who can effectively lead and support employees, allowing their teams to remain focused on their clients’ missions.