Meet Judy Marks, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Siemens Government Technologies, Inc., a federally-compliant U.S. organization and leading integrator of Siemens’ innovative products, technologies and services for programs within the federal government.
WashingtonExec recently had the opportunity to interview Marks. She spoke to us about her company and life has the CEO. She offered some predictions to challenges within the upcoming years and discussed how Siemens is staying ahead of the curve.
WashingtonExec: How do you think mobility solutions will impact the government’s operations in the future?
Judy Marks: Mobility is all about moving people and goods safely, efficiently and with as little environmental impact as possible. At Siemens, we focus on how to make cities, military bases and geographic areas more livable and sustainable, including the transportation element. This includes rail (light rail, high speed rail, etc), airport management solutions, parking systems, intelligent traffic management solutions and the command and control of all intermodal hubs to manage that traffic flow through the application of technology. Rail energy storage from Siemens and regenerative braking systems can save as much as 170 tons of CO2 annually. By implementing cost-effective and ready-made mobility solutions from a single source, all stakeholders benefit – the taxpayer, the environment and the U.S. government.
“Mobility is all about moving people and goods safely”
WashingtonExec: What sets Siemens Government Technologies apart from its competitors?
Judy Marks: Customers are looking for a trusted supplier who has off-the-shelf products, services and solutions that meet their needs and will be with them through the challenging times ahead. Their number one priority is meeting their respective mission. Siemens understands those missions and with our innovative technologies and solutions, we’re able to address the current national imperatives in energy, healthcare and infrastructure.
WashingtonExec: What do think will be the biggest challenge that Siemens will face within the next five years?
Judy Marks: The application of technology has the largest single effect in the federal marketplace. That’s what gets me excited about working for Siemens where we’ve been pioneering innovation for over 160 years. This market will continue to be challenging for those companies who don’t adapt their business models and offerings. COTS (Commercial Off-the-Shelf) will play a much larger role, so the availability of product, services and solutions that are ready now will be important. Financing and performance contracting will rise to a new level, as will innovative business models. This will require some innovation and risk-taking on the government side, but those leaders in the government exist and are very capable of succeeding.
WashingtonExec: What excites you most about your job?
Judy Marks: What excites me is the opportunity to develop and lead a talented group of employees to support and serve customers and their missions. It’s critical that leaders provide an environment where people can excel, be challenged with new opportunities and be held accountable. When you can provide that environment simultaneous with delivering results to your customers and shareholders, then that’s exciting.
WashingtonExec: What is the most influential book you have ever read?
Judy Marks: The Black Swan: the Impact of the Highly Improbable. As leaders, we all try to balance the need for strategic thought and action with tactical implementation. This book challenges the current framework of strategic planning by asking you to think about those major game-changing events and actions that would not typically enter the traditional analysis activity. In today’s environment, leaders are expected to anticipate many things, and this book proposed a different approach to the highly improbable, yet significantly impactful events yet to occur.
