In Memory of the Most Distinguished CEO

The Late Justin Dignam was an all-around amazing individual; a CEO of a successful business, a husband and father at home, a water polo coach and contributor on the pool deck, and a friend in life. Through his interactions with clients, employees and partners, Justin touched and impacted the lives of people everywhere he went. Justin’s compassion had no ‘off button’ and would not easily give up on people. He believed in the mantra ‘be good to people’ and did what he could to help, even with the smallest gestures, everywhere he would go. In an era where a man’s word doesn’t always carry meaning, Justin’s word gave people in his life confidence, security and love daily. He was a man of his word.

" Big Fish’s HCM technology platform, iSolved, accommodates the needs of the entire employee life cycle from candidate to employee separation. "

Justin founded Big Fish Employer Services in 2003, propelled by his desire to control his own destiny and sheer grit. Justin was fueled by a determination to improve the quality of client service he had experienced when working with the ‘big name’ payroll companies. Justin launched Big Fish from a spare bedroom in his Anaheim Hills home. Commitment and loyalty, both in his business and personal endeavors, is what grew Big Fish Employer Services into the multi-million-dollar company it is today. Justin harnessed his compassion for people and translated that into his business, placing an emphasis on building relationships with clients. Today, his daughter Taylor works for the company as a Business Development Consultant and carries on the family legacy. Taylor’s goal is to honor her Father’s legacy while continuing to grow Big Fish.

Big Fish’s HCM technology platform, iSolved, accommodates the needs of the entire employee life cycle from candidate to employee separation. Their clients love having one technology for applicant tracking, onboarding, time & attendance, benefits administration, talent management, employee engagement, learning management, payroll, human resources, and reporting. They don’t need third party systems with clunky integrations and fragmented customer service which results in finger-pointing and unresolved problems. At Big Fish, they service the clients end-to-end with all they need for payroll & HR and can change their service package as their needs change.

Giving back to the community in any and every way possible was of utmost importance to Justin. The general mantra of ‘be good to people’ deeply resonated with him during his life. Justin sponsored and contributed to numerous charitable organizations; Habitat for Humanity, Patriots & Paws, Ronald McDonald House, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma society to highlight a few. Beyond monetary donations, Justin was always known as ‘the giving one.’ Justin also donated his time to organizations close to his heart. He dedicated countless hours coaching water polo through various USA Water Polo lead events. Justin ignited this spirit within Big Fish Employer Services by creating several programs to give back to our community, which all continue to live on. Encouraging the staff to give back, Justin created the “Feed the Brave” campaign which encourages employees to invite a first responder, military personnel or police officer they have encountered to lunch.

In addition to continuing to provide diligent service to the clients and their evolving needs, Big Fish is aware that the conversation surrounding payroll and HR has changed since Big Fish first was founded. Big Fish has been on the front lines of this conversation, realizing that HR should not be separate from payroll, rather they should function in unison. For those reasons, they are rolling out their newly offered HRMS (Human Resources Management System) services designed to make HR and payroll a simple and integrated solution for new, established and growing businesses. Keeping Justin’s spirit alive, the company wants to grow hand-in-hand with their customers for years to come by offering unique solutions and services.