Top 25 Execs to Watch in 2020

Jennifer Richmond, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Advancing National Security, Jacobs

Jacobs Senior Vice President Jennifer Richmond leads the Advancing National Security business unit, a $1.5 billion portfolio providing intelligence community, Defense Department and special operations organizations with innovative and high-end technical solutions.

Her portfolio organically grew by 20% in fiscal year 2019, with such wins as a $38 million classified intelligence contract discovering, exploiting, mitigating and managing vulnerabilities in electronics and implementing new technologies and prototypes to enhance reliability, and the Army’s $785 million Huachuca Training and Support Contract providing critical military intelligence training.

2019 was a remarkable year of transformation for Jacobs and Richmond’s Advancing National Security business unit. The year featured key milestones that unquestionably shifted the company’s market focus, industry position and corporate culture.

“With the acquisition of KeyW — combined with our current portfolio — we have expanded on our fully integrated solutions helping our clients achieve cost-savings, improved performance, resiliency and redundancy,” Richmond said. “We understand the criticality of our clients’ missions today, while helping prepare for tomorrow.”

The expanded offerings of Advancing National Security is one of the reasons Jacobs grew exponentially in 2019, according to Richmond.

Jacobs also made a bold commitment to inclusion and innovation by launching its new branding and new tagline: “Challenging today. Reinventing tomorrow.” The culture of inclusion across Jacobs is highlighted with initiatives such as TogetherBeyond. This unity found in inclusive and innovative environments has led to dramatic changes in its leadership and diversity portfolio. Richmond emphasized this as another key contributing factor to her organization’s growth.

“Our company is about people,” she said. “It is about the solutions our employees provide and how their solutions change critical outcomes.”

Richmond acts as co-chair of the Jacobs Women’s Network, one of seven global Jacobs employee networks, and she believes inclusion and equality drive profitable growth and serve as a critical differentiator for Jacobs.

“Our solutions — coupled with our values — help articulate what we stand for with our people, clients, shareholders and communities,” she said.

At the end of Jacobs’ historical 2019 year, Richmond believes inspiration, innovation and inclusion are key to its success in 2020.

Why Watch:

Richmond’s portfolio is at the center of Jacobs’ strategy to become a leading provider of differentiated technical solutions to intelligence community, DOD and special operations organizations with a focus on cutting-edge capabilities in highly secure environments that support critical missions.

Richmond’s team was also recently awarded a role to provide intelligence analysis services for the Defense Intelligence Agency under a multibillion-dollar, 5-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract — one of many growth opportunities ahead.

In addition to her focus on growth, Richmond is committed to creating a work environment where employees can bring their whole selves to work with a shared goal of being a company like no other.