Greg Triguba, Principal of Compliance Integrity Solutions in Seattle, Washington, USA

Greg Triguba (greg.triguba@compliance-integrity.com) was interviewed in February by Adam Turteltaub (adam.turteltaub@corporatecompliance.org), Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & International Programs at SCCE & HCCA.

AT: Let’s start with your compliance roots. You began your career in the military. What led you to the service, and how were you introduced to a career in compliance?

GT: I have always appreciated those who serve and are giving something back. Both my father and older brother served in the military, so it was an easy decision that led me to nearly a decade of service in the Air Force.

When you think about the importance of compliance, ethics, and culture to organizational success, military service embraces these concepts in a meaningful way, and it provided me with an excellent career foundation. Core values such as honor, integrity, ethics, and teamwork are fundamental to serving, including the importance of compliance with the letter and spirit of regulations and guidelines that help drive the military mission around the world and make it successful.

My roles during this time were heavily focused on compliance and human resources management that included monitoring and auditing, training and communications, and other “people” programs. This experience provided me with a deep appreciation for how ethics and compliance play an important role in an organization, and was instrumental to instilling in me a passion for this work early in my career.

AT: Since that time, you have established a long and successful career in ethics and compliance in your civilian life. What has kept you interested and focused on this career path?

GT: When you find a profession where you truly enjoy the work, believe in what you are doing, and can see the positive impact and value it brings, it serves as a strong indicator that you have chosen the right path. This has been true for me from the beginning and has continued throughout my career.

I am passionate about this profession and feel fortunate to bring a deep background and skill set to the practice that has been very helpful and complementary to the work we do. Some important influences include artist parents who encouraged creativity, service in the military, a legal perspective as a licensed attorney, inspiration and insights gained from colleagues and mentors, and hands-on experience in both in-house and consultancy roles in ethics and compliance across industries, including retail, telecom, technology, financial services, transportation, nonprofit, construction, government, and insurance. All of this has helped to equip me with a greater understanding of how effective ethics and compliance programs and good risk management makes a positive difference in organizations across cultures on a global scale.

Over the years, I have gained expertise and insights on successful strategies and approaches for building and implementing meaningful programs from the ground up, as well as an appreciation for how partners and cross-functional groups within an organization contribute to its success. I have worked with, and been part of, ethics and compliance programs at various levels of development and maturity, including start-up programs, companies facing regulatory and enforcement challenges, and others that just want to enhance their program effectiveness. I am inspired by this work and value opportunities to contribute and make a positive impact on organizations in efforts to mitigate compliance risk, enhance cultures, and take ethics and compliance programs to the next level.