Meet Jerry Hogge, senior vice president of business development at QinetiQ North America.
Hogge shared with WashingtonExec how he predicts federal budget cuts will change the M&A market, the effect of social media on teaming, as well as the launch of QinetiQ North America’s new aviation app.
Read about Hogge’s recent promotion here on WashingtonExec.
WashingtonExec: Please tell us a little bit about your background and new role at QinetiQ North America…how do you like it?
Jerry Hogge: This has been a very exciting change for me. At QinetiQ North America, I am responsible for business development and strategy for the services and solutions group within the company. Together with the Technology Solutions Group, QinetiQ North America has annual revenues of approximately $1.5B. My transition has been very pleasant and very busy. It’s a great organization with a strong leadership team and is positioned well in the marketplace. I am very pleased with my decision to join the company and am proud to be a part of such an energetic organization that’s focused on mission-critical challenges across the federal marketplace.
I feel my background and experience have positioned me well for my responsibilities at QinetiQ North America. I spent at lot of time in school earning advanced degrees in electrical engineering, industrial systems engineering and intellectual property law. I saw those three skill sets as key foundational knowledge to being a good general business manager. Over the years, I’ve had responsibilities in operations, engineering, sales and marketing, and contracts and pricing. Also, I’ve been successful at winning new business and running profitable businesses for three different companies. As I turn my focus exclusively to business development and strategy for QinetiQ North America, I believe that this broad mix of education and experience will aid me greatly in driving the business development team to achieve its goals.
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In a tight market where organic growth is an even greater challenge, firms are looking to acquire capabilities that accelerate revenue growth, create a market entry point with specific customers or segments, and otherwise differentiate them and position them for growth.
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WashingtonExec: Have you seen the M&A market change with federal budget cuts? Do you predict we will see more M&A activity this year and next?
Jerry Hogge: In a tight market where organic growth is an even greater challenge, firms are looking to acquire capabilities that accelerate revenue growth, create a market entry point with specific customers or segments, and otherwise differentiate them and position them for growth. These basic motivations for M&A activity persist through market down and up cycles, and I believe we will continue to see an active M&A market over the next two years particularly in the areas of cyber security, cloud computing and mobility.
WashingtonExec: How do you view social media in terms of QinetiQ North America’s overall capture strategy? Do you think it has changed the role of BD in the industry?
Jerry Hogge: One notable aspect of business development that has been impacted by social media is teaming. Teaming is a key part of the federal market competitive landscape and is typically facilitated through industry days, conferences, and normal course of dealings among business developers across the market. Social media resources, like LinkedIn as an example, accelerate connections and enable at least the initial phase of teaming efforts. Such tools make networking and potential team connections a much faster endeavor than previously possible.
WashingtonExec: What technologies are you most excited about launching or that you are currently selling at QinetiQ North America?
Jerry Hogge: There is no one, single technology or solution, but rather a robust portfolio of capabilities that I’m excited about. Prominent among these capabilities are our cyber security, cyber intelligence and cloud computing solutions. We have a competitively differentiated set of capabilities in these areas that have provided improved operational capabilities, secured mission-critical information, and delivered real value to our customers. I’m also quite excited about our logistics solutions that provide IT-enabled capabilities for our customers that help reduce lifecycle costs and improve on-time, on-budget, and on-scope performance. Finally, I believe we have a powerful suite of capabilities in modeling, simulation and training that are key to reducing development costs in developmental programs, essential in training personnel, and highly beneficial in reducing operational costs.
WashingtonExec: What is your favorite mobile device application? What’s on your iPad?
Jerry Hogge: Earlier this month, QinetQ North America launched its very first application on iTunes called Aviation Data Trainer™, and since I’m in the process of getting my pilot’s license, it will be an application I look forward to using. I’m proud to say that my 17-year old son is also pursuing his pilot’s license. It’s important to me to stay healthy and fit, so the RunKeeper app is one of my favorites. It’s user-friendly and can act as a real-time trainer while tracking my progress.
WashingtonExec: You went to undergraduate and graduate school at Virginia…what is your favorite spot?
Jerry Hogge: In addition to attending undergraduate and graduate schools in Virginia, I’m also born and raised in Virginia. There is so much beauty and history in Virginia and the D.C. area, and so much to choose from. It’s very difficult to pick just one place that’s my favorite. My family and I enjoy spending time in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as time by the bay and sightseeing in Washington, D.C.
WashingtonExec: What is something most people might not know about you?
Jerry Hogge: I’m an avid car enthusiast and enjoy racing cars on the track and spending time with other automotive enthusiasts at various events across the country. My first foray into driving a sports car on a race track was about 15 years ago, in a Nissan 300ZX. I still have that car, and have modified it for performance, and more importantly, for safety. Driving a car near its limits on the track in the midst of 25-30 other drivers all doing the same thing is actually an exhilarating and relaxing activity. When you’re on the track you simply cannot think about anything else; therefore it’s a great stress-reliever. Beyond driving on the track, I have a passion for all types and vintages of automobiles and have been fortunate to own many different cars over the years. Among them all, the 300ZX is still my favorite.
