Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/699741
See the full interview online Q How did you start out in this industry? I started out in the aerospace and defence industry after a 21 years in the Royal Ca- nadian Air Force as a fighter (CF-18) and experimental test pilot. During my 11 years at our company headquarters in the U.S., I was exposed to multiple domestic and international pro- grams, including all branches of service as well as commercial aviation applications. This prepared me well to bring the best our company has to offer to the Canadian aerospace and defence sector. Q What is your role today? Today, I am thrilled to be leading a team of a highly innovative and motivated peo- ple as the president and managing direc- tor of Rockwell Collins Canada. Q What was your most challenging moment? Building the trust and confidence in the team, our customers, and the corporation to make the investments that resulted in a doubling of our sales, facility and staff within the first year. Q What was your "aha" moment or epiphany? I can't pinpoint the moment. What I have found is that you never know where oppor- tunities will take you. If you are willing to accept new challenges and go with the flow, there is no limit to what one can do. Q What is the one thing that has you most fired up today? The opportunities I receive to participate in national forums, such as with the AIAC as a board member or participating direct- ly on the National Defence Policy review round table discussion hosted by Minister Sajjan gets me fired up. Q What is the best advice you received? Follow your heart and be open to taking assignments that don't seem to be perfectly aligned with your career trajectory. Q What is a habit that contributes to your success? It is always about putting the people first. I have been blessed by having strong role models, mentors, and superiors through- out my military and civilian career, and now I am surrounded by talented and motivated employees that I rely on for any success that I enjoy. Q What people or organizations do you believe best embody the innovation mindset? Those who push boundaries and do what others have said can't be done. Elon Musk and Space X come to mind. Those driv- ing disruptive technologies in the areas of UAVs, cyber security, the Internet of Things, robotics and artificial intelligence are also good examples. Questions regarding Rockwell Collins Q How is your organization changing the game within your industry sector? Rockwell Collins is a leader in critical in- novative technologies such as next-gen avionics, connectivity in the aviation eco- system, networking for air land and sea, and simulation and training including live, virtual and constructive training. In Canada, we are developing next-gen com- munications systems – like wideband HF and networking. Q What are some of the biggest impediments to innovation in your industry? One of the biggest impediments to inno- vation is the lack of a vision and will to commit the resources needed to bring in- novative ideas to market quickly, yet in a safe and reliable way. In Canada, we are fortunate to have a highly educated work force and many small and medium creative enterprises that are doing great things – many of them featured in your Game Changer series. However, we are a large country and our business ap- proach and processes tend to be fragmented into regional or market segment differences. Q How has innovation become ingrained in your organization's culture and how is it being optimized? Rockwell Collins started working with a small very innovative company in Ot- tawa called IP Unwired that was creating a unique networking capability for global maritime operations in early 2000. These entrepreneurs and their employees became Rockwell Collins Canada (Ottawa) in 2006. Rockwell Collins is continuing to invest in our subsidiary here, and today we are seen as a centre of excellence for mobile ad-hoc networking and leading the devel- opment of an alternative to SATCOM. Q What is your parting piece of advice? Take calculated risks, fight for what you believe in, and stick to your guns. Jonathan Lee obst www.vanguardcanada.com JUNE/JULY 2016 39 President and Managing director Rockwell collins canada