Most of the top executives seemed closed-minded (without really knowing it) and it was a difficult company in which to effect change (if you were not a top exec). People seemed very scared to say anything that might disagree with management. It was not the type of company that rewarded behavior other than what the people at the top wanted. It has worked for them for many years, they are a successful company, so perhaps this is why they seemed reluctant to change. Suffolk would truly go from a Good to a Great company, in my opinion, if they stepped out of their comfort zone thinking. They do not need to hire expensive consultants to make improvements.
The company did not seem very female friendly and seemed to overlook some hard-working, intelligent female resources, in favor of males with less experience and know-how. The work ethic is strong at Suffolk, which is good, however, if one did not work a 12 hour day, one would not get ahead at Suffolk. You were considered lazy if you did not get up at 4am and think about work until 9pm. They consider themselves a family-oriented company but don't realize that if you squeeze so much time out of an employee, there is no way that employee can have a healthy family life. This is one of the major items that Suffolk is in denial about.