Below represents a sample of activities on projects and organizations that I directly influenced, lead, or otherwise was a "key driver". The described efforts are presented in chronological order.

The below represent only efforts of which I personally managed, both for projects and organizations; i.e., they do not include lower-level contributions – managerial or technical. Nor does the below address management positions I’ve held where no specific innovation or "special circumstances" were present; i.e., if all went "well", it is not represented.

It should be noted that no successful operation can occur without people who are dedicated and motivated. Even though I "lead" the below efforts, nothing would have been possible without the people involved. In the cases where I "took over" I was not afforded the luxury of choosing "new" people for the most part; I needed to work mainly with the people already assigned.

1. Naval Tactical Data Systems (NTDS) – MODEL IV LINK 11 Upgrade

This project involved the development & fielding of a new Link 11 upgrade to the Fleet. It was critical to the Dam Neck Naval Base commander that the initiative worked as planned. Shortly before the fleet exercise was to commence it was determined that the operational program then undergoing test wasn’t going to make it.

I was called in to "take over" and get something fielded that would meet the needs of the exercise. My thought was that if we could take an operational program that met the needs of the ship, but one that had the old Link 11 implementation, and "translate" the old communications protocols to the new, it might just work.

It did and the exercise went off as planned and successfully.

2. Naval Tactical Data Systems (NTDS) – Restructured NTDS Project

This project embodied the concepts of what today is called "Object Oriented". The project was initiated from an architectural premise aimed at creating the ability to construct any given US Naval ship’s operational program from a universal library of tasks.

This innovation allowed the Navy to "field" operational programs quickly, effectively, and at a cost significantly less than prior approaches. I was the program manager of the project while, at the same time, being the manager of all programs (i.e., head of the Project Management Office).

An expansion of this program evolved into the ACDS program – the same concepts & architecture applied to a much wider platform base.

3. Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS)

My arrival on the program was precipitated by significant problems of cost, schedule, and quality being visible. My company, TRW, was a subcontractor to a major prime (Raytheon). All "sides", including the USAF (i.e., the customer), were operating in a manner such that failure was certain.

Both the prime and my company replaced the current PMs. The political environment had "gone south", of course. The solution involved "fence mending" with the prime and the customer, methodology enhancements, personnel re-alignments, and technical "shoring up" of requirements, design, development tools, etc.

Put into place was a true "badgeless" working environment of all parties. Technical and political issues were quickly solved and both the prime and my company was awarded letters of commendation from the USAF.

TRW was awarded a special award fee resultant from our efforts in turning around the program.

4. Pave PAWS

This project was actually 4 separate efforts to deploy phased array radars to 4 specific radar sites. Four operational programs were required; each being slightly different.

I initiated a short study that resulted in an architectural enhancement allowing for a single operational program to serve all 4 sites. The cost reductions to the USAF were significant.

The concept was proposed to the USAF, they accepted the concept, and the project was finished ahead of schedule and under cost.

5. Cobra Dane

The PM on this project was a direct report to me. He had been the lead technical person on the Pave PAWS project (see above). The methodology I had instilled in the team earlier was used. The project finished several millions of dollars under the original estimate and 5 months ahead of schedule.

I negotiated with the prime (Raytheon) to operate in a manner new to all parties. They were the prime, we were the sub, and all their software people reported to us. Everybody "won".

I negotiated the initial contract and, as a result of the terms and conditions agreed upon, TRW received an additional $500k in award fees over and above the profit derived from this FFP project.

6. Information Systems Organization

This organization was comprised of 3 separate efforts – all centered on the providing of MIS products & services to the customers. One of the projects, Enterprise Information Systems (EIS), had 22 separate subcontractors and 5 geographically separated sites of performance. Other projects included EMIS and MISTS; both similar in nature.

This organization was correctly perceived to have both performance and financial difficulties. I was placed in charge of the organization to "turn it around". When I arrived I found a DSR running at 240, schedules not being met, labor categories defined in the contract not being adhered to, customer interface issues, etc.

The technologies ran from LAN installation, setup, and operations to project management systems support to financial reporting systems and to all places in between. Therefore, no simple, single solutional approach was applicable. Therefore, I established many small teams consisting of both ourselves and the customers on each of the teams. Each team was able to bring focus to the needed solutions.

Within 4 months, the DSR was running at 45, schedules were being met, and the technical quality more than met expectations.

7. Air Force Logistics Command Local Area Network (AFLC LAN) Program

This project fell under my organizational control. The project had been moved to my organization just as the original options on the contract were completing. The project was up for "re-bid".

It was clear that this was going to be a cost "shoot out" among the various competitors seeking to take the contract from us.

I approached the company with a concept to create a special "profit center" operating with a unique overhead and G&A structure. This approach was approved. It resulted in our being able to bid (and perform) the job at a fraction of the costs required had the new structure not been approved. The magnitude of the effort was several hundreds of millions of dollars. We won the re-compete by $100k.

8. Integrated Networks Division

In TRW’s operating structure "divisions" report to "groups". A division of the company, from a group different than the one in which I operate, was moved from one group to "mine’. Of course, it was in financial difficulty – severe financial difficulty.

It had 2 main thrusts – the provision of Local Area Network products, the Ulana project, and the Naval Academy Data Network (NADN) project.

NADN additionally suffered from schedule and quality issues. The original schedule was for just under 12 months; when I took over it had been going on for 2+ years with no end in sight. It was to serve 3,000 personnel at the Naval Academy.

The Ulana effort maintained a staff of approximately 200 persons. These mostly waited for orders to come in so they could build the components. So to keep the people busy, the prior management team had the personnel "build to sales projections". This created significant warehousing costs.

After conducting a detailed analysis of the operations, I determined that $1M/month was being lost on the Ulana effort alone. Through collaboration with other managers I was able to place all but a few necessary people in other jobs. They were placed there with the agreement that upon receiving an order, they would return to build the components required and then return to their new "permanent" assignments. I further leased out the warehouses to clients thus reducing the space costs and instituted a "build to order" business approach.

In 5 months, the above actions (plus many smaller ones) changed the business picture from a $12M/year loss to a positive $5M "paid" profit.

While the above was in operation, I took over the NADN project in Annapolis while still managing the Ulana "get well plan". In a little over 6 months, I had the entire data process architecture redone, installed, and operational. This was accomplished with a team of approximately 20 very dedicated people.

9. SEI CMM Evaluations

A major division of the company underwent its first SEI CMM Software Capability Evaluation (SCE). It failed and a significant new business opportunity was lost.

I was asked to relinquish my "organizational" responsibilities in favor of doing an expedient "restructuring" of the processes & methods of that division. Within 4 months of the "failure", we invited the same team of SCE evaluators back to perform another SCE. Level 3 was the result.

Subsequently, I have performed process "restructurings" for several of the divisions within the company – all successful.

10. Guardrail System 2

This was a program managerially out of control. The PM was replaced by a very competent PM. He requested that I support him in the establishment of a "new way of operating". Software development & integration methods were upgraded and an "objective" progress measurement approach (which I had developed years before and have used since) was installed.

The new approaches provided for the necessary process enhancements that went far to the resultant success of the program.

11. Space-Based Infrared System Low (SBIRS-LOW)

Our segment of the company was responsible for the ground system part of this program. It was behind schedule, over cost; i.e., "the usual suspects". The PM had just been replaced. The customer was convinced that the ground portion was the true "culprit". The new PM requested my support.

We installed a new/tailored software development approach with objective measurement techniques (see Guardrail, above). Within 3 months the team had overcome prior "obstacles". The customer was now convinced that if the entire program worked as did the ground portion, all would be well.