On March 16, WashingtonExec hosted “Get Off the Bench” author, longtime industry CEO and board director Sid Fuchs at the International Country Club in Fairfax, Virginia, for a candid, closed-doors discussion on his life lessons of personal and career development.
Fuchs joined over two dozen senior GovCon executives for an intimate dinner and Q&A, focusing on the importance of people and leadership lessons he’s learned throughout his career.
Attendees received a signed copy of “Get Off the Bench” as well as a white paper Fuchs has authored titled “Navigating the Journey: Life Lessons of Personal and Career Development.”
“It was an honor to spend the better part of the evening with such a high powered group of executives,” Fuchs noted. “This is the fourth time we’ve held this event and the questions and discussion topics continue to be centered on market dynamics, continuing challenges in the labor environment, and the impact of world events on the GovCon Industry.”
“The takeaway that I tried to stress was that the landscape is not declining, but rather, it is changing. You have to see the world today as no different than it has been over the past 30 years when it comes to volatility, uncertainty and change”
Fuchs’ perspective stems from his over 35 years of experience building and transforming engineering and technology companies and organizations.
Today, he is board chair at Eutelsat America Corp., sits on the board of directors for NT Concepts and Buchanan & Edwards, Inc. and is on the board of advisers for INADEV. He also an adviser and public speaker on topics including leadership, board governance, networking, M&A and business strategy and operations.
“Throughout our personal and professional lives, we often underestimate the power of relationships and networks,” said Kathie Powers, chief financial officer and corporate secretary and treasurer at Riverside Research, who attended the dinner. “Sid hit upon all the important aspects and what they can bring to each of us from his experiences. His insights resonated with me, and I appreciate the conversation and connections with those in attendance.”
The dinner also allowed attendees to connect with Fuchs and with each other, serving as a valuable networking opportunity for members of industry.
“It was a privilege getting to spend the evening with one of the industry’s most accomplished leaders,” said attendee Ray Khuo, chief human capital officer at BlueHalo. “Time well spent learning from Sid Fuchs’ accumulated wealth of knowledge and experience speaking on topics ranging from the current and future state of the market to valuable lessons learned and insights on the art of networking from his book ‘Get off the Bench.'”
Before retiring from full-time industry positions in 2019, Fuchs most recently served as president, CEO and director of MacAulay-Brown, Inc. (MacB). MacB was acquired by Veritas Capital and merged with Alion Science and Technology in August 2018.
He then joined Alion’s senior leadership team, serving as chief operating officer to help lead the integration of the two companies until September 2019.
He has also served as the president and CEO of OAO Technology Solutions (acquired in 2010), the CEO and a director of ATS Corp. (acquired in 2012) and the president and CEO of TASC, a Northrop Grumman subsidiary serving the U.S. defense and intelligence community
Fuchs is a former CIA officer and a graduate of the CIA Special Operations and Training School and the CIA Intelligence Analysis School. He graduated from Louisiana State University with BS and MS degrees in mechanical engineering.
“Having the opportunity to listen and learn from Sid, who has built an enduring career navigating a variety of industries was a highlight of this WashingtonExec signature event,” Khuo added.
WashingtonExec hosted Fuchs in November when he spoke with members of the GovCon community about professional growth. WashingtonExec plans to hold more of these events in 2023, with Fuchs and other prominent industry CEOs as guest speakers.