Focus @ SRI:
Procurement, including subcontracts, purchase orders, construction management, and satellite office support

Title:
Manager, Subcontracts Department

Day in the Life @ SRI:
Every day is a balancing act as new requirements converge with ongoing primary projects. A high volume of meetings and training is intermixed with my main goal—reducing costs through process management within government rules.

Before SRI:
My job history includes major construction projects with Bechtel Corporation, such as the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, huge projects in Saudi Arabia, and refineries and power plants in the U.S. More recent work has been in the space industry, with the Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope, Milstar, and the Anti-Ballistic-Missile Defense System. I also spent several years in a lab environment for Lockheed dealing with laser work, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

Academics:
BA in history and business law, University of California, Berkeley. Other undergraduate work at Stanford University and Oxford University, Mansfield College. Postgraduate work in contract law with numerous courses and institutions.

Why SRI?:
My background dovetails well with SRI's needs, and I have the opportunity to make a difference for the organization.

Inspiration
I like the variety of clients, projects, and the potential here. I like the focus on growing the business and working with the staff as we make changes in the procurement process.

Away from the Office:
I don't have that much time after work these days, but I enjoy the mountains and the ocean. I read a great deal. I would like to travel and fish all over the world.

Languages:
English—I haven't retained much of the German, French, and Spanish taken in high school and college.

Proudest Accomplishment:
Several work-related achievements were unique, such as designing and procuring a system to install 8 miles of the Alaska Pipeline without any equipment touching the tundra during the summer. Managing the subcontract for the bulk of the actual interceptor that hit its target in the last highly political Anti-Ballistic-Missile test is another. I have my small successes that I tout, but overall I guess I am pretty lucky just to be here.

Words of Wisdom for New SRI Team Members:
Work hard, ask questions, and learn the environment—not just in your particular lab or organization, but everywhere. Seek a mentor.

Best Read, Favorite Flick, Favorite Links:
Book: "Something of Value" by Robert Ruark; movie: "The Deer Hunter"; links: Dan Blanton Outdoor Ventures and NOAA coastal buoy reports