The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards were announced April 15, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place virtually May 27.
Next is Chief Executive Officer Award finalist Peter Smith, who’s president and CEO of AMERICAN SYSTEMS. Here, he talks career turning points, professional risks, career advice and more.
What was a turning point or inflection point in your career?
I grew up and went to college in Massachusetts, and I started working for AMERICAN SYSTEMS in 1980 as a test engineer in our Newport, Rhode Island, office. A couple of years later, another opportunity within the company presented itself, so I moved to Northern Virginia and started work as a program manager.
Coming to this area opened up a whole new world of opportunities supporting different programs and customers across the federal government. It also brought me closer to our corporate office, allowing me to learn more about the business and business development.
Again, new worlds opened up, and I was afforded the opportunity to gain a much broader perspective around federal government contracting. While I still love New England, I am certain that my career would have been different had I not moved to Northern Virginia.
What has made you successful in your current role?
The first half of my career was spent working direct on programs for federal government customers. Many of those years were spent working in field offices and traveling to customer sites. During that time, I came to understand how working on programs, supporting customers and being in the field can leave people feeling somewhat detached from headquarters.
That experience gave me an important perspective as a CEO. I try to visit with employees at our major population centers at least once a year (COVID-19 notwithstanding). I also try to be as transparent as possible regarding company performance and decision making. This is especially important to me in that we are an employee-owned company. I have found that effectively communicating across the company builds trust, fosters community and increases buy-in—all of which are fundamental to our continued success.
What’s the biggest professional risk you’ve ever taken?
Some would argue that I took a risk staying at AMERICAN SYSTEMS for over 40 years. Perhaps. There were two things that have kept me here all this time. First, I love being a part of an employee-owned company. It is a unique and different experience being a part of an organization that encourages you to think about the business from the perspectives of both an employee and a shareholder. We are all accountable for the success of the company, and we are also the beneficiaries of that success.
The second is that the company has consistently offered me progressively challenging opportunities to advance my career. I have been a subject matter expert, a program manager on ever more complex programs, and an executive with increasing responsibilities. What more could you ask for?
What’s your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Put yourself in position to be successful by planning ahead. Always hire and train your replacement. If management knows there is someone ready and available to fill your current role, you become much more attractive as someone to promote. Which leads to the next piece of advice… learn the business. As you work to master your own area of expertise, look across the company and develop an understanding of the other aspects of the business.
People who start in operations need to develop an understanding of the business functions. People who start with a business background need to understand operations. That leads to the next piece of advice… be a team player. With a good understanding of what is important to other areas of the business, you put yourself in an excellent position to develop “win-win” outcomes across the organization.
Finally, surround yourself with smart, capable people and let them do their job. You will never master it all, and if you have people who follow the thoughts above, the organization will scale nicely as the business grows.