1. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS
LEADING CHANGE
As Director of Technical Services for the Bearcom, I created a system engineering team
to supplement branch locations field service operations. The existing structure was
eighteen separate and independent field branch locations. As each branch sales
department sold new complex equipment systems for two-way radio customers, each of
those service branches would deliver and install those new systems. That process was
broken is the worst kind of ways, most relied on the sales team to configure and order
all required components. The existing model for building and deploying new
communication systems was a slow cumbersome process that was not standardized
throughout our 18 service branch locations. There were often many reworks required in
the field at enormous costs to the company, creating delays to system activation and
customer frustration. With no in-place method to validate those orders, they were often
incomplete missing small but critical items that were expensive and whose cost was
absorbed by the service department. Another deficiency was that the sales order would
under value the required technical service man hours requires for installation leaving
that burden once again on the service department who additionally varied widely
between locations on skills and qualified personnel. After a thorough analysis, I created
a single system integration team from existing and new hire talents supporting all
branches. I developed a business model to create a system engineering team at the
corporate depot location to document, build, and install all branch complex systems. My
business case, cost analysis, capitol expense along with man power requirements were
presented to executive management and then to branch managers. I was able to sell
the idea and convince senior leadership that the small investment in additional
manpower would streamline the process, reduce errors and increase productivity and
profit. – I obtained immediate approval to proceed. Talent recruitment was a crucial
task, picking from the best untapped internal personnel to the interviewing and hiring of
external candidates the team was quickly formed. Within a month the facility was ready
and began diverting all complex sales into this team for design and approval before
customer proposals were priced & presented. The first few sales were small efforts,
good trials for the new operation. Within several months these efforts proved correct,
reducing average deployment costs by 80 man-hours, decreasing initial testing & turn-
on failures by 95 percent and increasing profitability by 65 percent per deployment.
During the next two years these new capabilities were directly responsible for an
additional $10 million in new revenues and service department profitability of 35+
percent .Through these efforts I was able to create future company revenue growth with
a long term strategic plan to develop new business lines, develop core employee
capabilities and expand into additional customer bases. This lead to the creation of a
marketing and business develop function with my consultation on access into Military &
Federal markets. The resulting successes in the following first year were tremendous,
the new capability led to increased sales across all branches, even those with service
departments from the advanced corporate capabilities, larger - more complex systems
were undertaken and my personal reward was a promotion to a new position as Vice
President of Technical Services.

2. LEADING PEOPLE
Strong leadership skills have been important characteristics of mine in the creation of
motivated and dependable technical and engineering teams for a variety of support
levels and organizations. As Vice President of Bearcom, I provided daily leadership &
guidance to technical staff of 110+ at 18 geographically dispersed sites through
knowledge of management techniques, methods, theories, principles, and labor
relations concepts, to assure optimum utilization of personnel, equipment, and space for
the accomplishment of technical operations. Company service department morale was
low, no standard to evaluate performance, monitor costs or develop staff existed and
employee turnover was high. My analysis first focused on the bottom line – how much
did it actual cost to run the service operation and what was my profit margin. I
developed a labor ratio model for five skill levels as the related to the types and
complexities of workers tasks. I then related that to the monthly service ticket billing
that each technician created. In short time I was able to identify revenue shortfalls per
employee to develop a production improvement plan for those in need. Also training and
certification deficiencies were identified leading to new employee opportunities for
personal and professional advancement. That grew into new business opportunities
with industry partners as our corporate capabilities grew. The positive outcome of my
analysis was to identify superior performers, which lead to salary increases to ensure
our service departments didn’t loss these key staff members. Within six months service
revenue grew across the board, positive results that created a new problem – a demand
for equitable reward. This lead to a new opportunity to share results within the service
department and employ performance metrics. Key monthly performance goals were
developed - highest revenue producer, most products serviced in both field and bench
shops and an additional recognition for an employee recognized by customers or
company staff for outstanding performance. The end result was a marked improvement
in employee morale, performance and most importantly pride in their work. Every month
my service department staff anxiously awaited the posting of monthly performance
metrics, often reminding me of deadline. The reward was a cohesive, motived and high
performing group of productive employees. My CEO was so pleased with the results
that a companywide reward system was developed, allowing senior staff to give spot
awards, typically handing out gift cards in recognition of outstanding performance.

3. RESULTS DRIVEN
As a FEMA emergency manager and disaster response staff member, my effectiveness
in decisive decision making has been instrumental in reduced restoration times of
critical national telecommunication assets through decisive actions. The tempo and
speed required in my duties in the Region Response Coordination Center to establish
common operating pictures for senior staff & make life safety decisions are key factors
of my current position developed from my extensive knowledge of the who, what, when
or where type relationships. During the Deep Water Horizon oil fires and contamination,
the initial response was limited and the scope & scale was underestimated. The State
of Louisiana Emergency Manage agency engaged their support. As the oil spill grew
and requirements for communications assets were exhausted, I was contacted to
consult and advise on possible support actions. The critical issue was that this man
made event did not meet the legal requirements under the Stafford Act which drives the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) support actions. Since this effort
didn’t require deployment of federal assets, I engaged my contacts among the effected
states and my adjacent FEMA Region to discuss a wide area communication
coordination operation. I was able to create an immediate adhoc team to develop,
design and deploy the first of its kind multi-state, multi-region response network linking
first responders within days. Due to finite deployable assets, I assessed the most critical
elements, reached buy-in from key agencies and immediately began the coordination of
those multistate system assets. This required the rapid creation of Memorandum of
Agreements/Understanding, I had already developed these in anticipation of a disaster
need, shared with the State agencies and began the interface of a six state Gulf Wide
Interoperability Network (GWIN) from Texas to Florida. Additional coordination was
required and I enlisted the help of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to
assist in the frequency coordination to prevent radio interference from adjacent users
and to establish temporary licenses for new operating locations. Has it not been for the
outreach and relationship development efforts across multiple states and regions, the
impact of failed communications could have seriously affected the outcome, instead it
was a success recognized by Congress and the emergency management community as
a whole. The resulting system is still in use today facilitating multi-state operations along
the Gulf Coast.

4. BUSINESS ACUMEN
While employed as Vice President of Technical Service with Bearcom, I assumed a
position that in the past had been managed by senior technical personnel who
advanced within the company and eventually assumed the Director of Technical
Services position. Though highly qualified in technical aspects, their lack of business
management experience left a large technical services operation as a stale, low profit,
low opportunity function within the company. Newly hired, the CEO tasked me with
changing the business model, expanding into new markets, and increasing core
capabilities with the service departments. The company was privately own, the result of
merging several small similar business into a national footprint. Its operations included
new equipment sales, rentals, service and repairs. My analysis of revenue streams
revealed that corporate support cost centers were intermingled with service revenue
generating branches. That caused several office function to be permanently cost loss
operations, where in effect they were not profit centers but internal support functions
tied internal corporate sales and rental operations. Once those were reorganized and
shifted out of the service department, I was able to establish a clear model of
profitability goals for the eighteen branch cost centers. A deeper analysis revealed that
many of the branches had zero control over cost for parts and materials, unlinked
between the supply ordering function and the discipline to properly include those items
on service tickets. I created a tracking system for monthly visibility on the ratio of parts
costs vs. billing. Training and education was implemented company wide, after several
months, several location remained with failing cost ratios. As I followed up, specific
individuals were identified as not following policy, often to keep prices low to customers
with personal relationships of service staff, in essence reselling our capabilities to
competitors. Terminating these employees led to immediate improvement across the
braches, a stable business model and operation had been created. Additionally I
implemented monthly performance reports for each branch entailing labor ratio
profitability per technician, parts ratios and overall profit margins. Profit margin goals
were update as guidelines for all service managers, driving performance review based
goals and bonuses on those margin. The next crucial step was business development,
a function that had never been performed for any corporate function. Their current
model for advertising was the Yellow Pages. I was able to identify internal staff talent
and created an immediate internet web presence. I hired a technical sales person to
response to request for proposals (RFP) focused toward technical services. After
several quick small wins to validate these new business opportunities, I was asked to
consult with the sales departments to explain that process and train then on how to take
advance of these opportunities. Within months, corporate wide revenue and staff was
growing due to the culmination of business successes. I lead the creation of a business
development and marketing office. Soon internet ordering was stood up along with
customized storefronts for large repeat customers with standardized product requests.
Within a two year period, we had grown revenue by $10m annually and expanded into
complex, large scale deployments. Our reputation and market visibility led to new
partnerships with product vendors and access to higher end product with exiting
vendors. I became the adhoc corporate tour guide, leading potential customers, vendors
and suppliers through our operations, selling our capabilities explaining the refined
processes from the beginning of an order, the supply chain processing through the
facility, product order handling, service operations and engineering & system
development. The service successes and opportunities I created shifted the entire
corporate foundation and business operation. I remain friends with the owner and CEO,
company growth continues long after I left.

5. BUILDING COALITIONS
During the course of my career, I have successfully established and maintained
coalitions and communicated with diverse groups as an engineer, manager, director,
negotiator, speaker, facilitator, and member of a special projects team. I have also
created and maintained a vast professional network that I often leverage to build
alliances and gain support of key programs and initiatives. In fact, I did exactly that
while serving as a Technical Advisor and Coordinator with the United States (U.S.)
Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency Region
Six office. My challenge was to build relationships between various levels of federal,
state, local and tribal emergency communication professionals as part of an overall
interoperability strategy. Complicating this effort was the fact that all key stake holders
were in stovepipe organizations with little exposure to higher, subordinate and lateral
agency operations. Many individuals only had casual contact relationships with others
via professional organizations. These engagements did not promote best practices,
lessons learned or foster coalitions between these different levels of government. To
make matters worse, these organizations were in direct completion for the same funds
and grants and the relationship seemed to be adversarial by default. Needless to say,
this was highly counterproductive and hindered my efforts to bring them together.
Additionally, DHS FEMA was in a very awkward position by having to evaluate and
award grands to these same organizations. Gaining approval between these agencies
to share their submittals was often rebuffed, even when told of the duplication of efforts
or requirements. There was already a decrease in available funds and FEMA wanted to
create an interoperable communications environment while balancing the needs of the
emergency management community. I began by building productive relationships with
the head of each state agency’s communication programs, representatives from their
professional organizations, supporting federal agencies, and individual officials from
representative disciplines by reaching out to them to share the agency’s vision and
goals regarding the benefits of common interoperability. The Regional Emergency
Communication Coordination Working Group was stood up with specific interoperability,
advisory and relationship goals and meetings both in person and via teleconference. I
then communicated the requirements for creating support memorandum of
understandings and agreements, advocating the agencies sharing critical resources to
enhance the capabilities. The results were interoperability buy-in, developed consensus,
and established coalitions to broaden the community of emergency communication
officials and the process of providing mutual aid to agencies experience resource
shortages during disasters.