The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Pinnacle Awards were announced Oct. 13, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place virtually Dec. 8.
Next is Business Development Executive of the Year (Public Company) finalist Robert Miller, who’s executive vice president of Defense & Intelligence at Parsons Corp. Here, he talks key achievements, primary focuses areas going forward, proud career moments and more.
What key achievements did you have in 2020/2021?
Formed in 2021, the Defense & Intelligence business unit concentrates Parsons’ strategic acquisitions into one cohesive unit. D&I has grown both organically and inorganically this year — winning new and recompete work across the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. The team has received over $4 billion worth of awards so far in 2021. Those key awards include:
- A $2.2 billion, 7-year contract by the Missile Defense Agency for Technical, Engineering, Advisory, and Management Support–Next Missile Defense Systems Engineering. Parsons has supported the MDA’s mission for more than 38 years. Under this contract, it will provide engineering, analysis and management support for the development of integrated and layered missile defense systems that defend U.S. and allied forces against ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missile threats, and advance the agency’s integrated air and missile defense, command and control, and battle management communication missions across the all-domain battlespace.
- A new 10-year, $953 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity effort to be performed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. This contract provides an industry team to design, mature, procure, integrate, operate and maintain Air Base Air Defense systems across the European and African continent areas of responsibility for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa.
- A $618 million task order by the General Services Administration for professional services that advance the intelligence community’s global cyber and intelligence technologies for C5ISR, exercise, operations and information services.
- Mobius Parsons Solutions Joint Venture, a partnership between Parsons Corp. and Mobius Consulting, LLC, was awarded a $567 million contract by MDA for the TEAMS–Next Systems Test Support contract. Parsons established a mentor-protégé relationship with Mobius Consulting, LLC under the Small Business Administration All Small Mentor/Protégé program. Parsons will provide test planning, execution and analysis services to span MDA’s test enterprise, including flight testing, ground testing, cyber testing, wargames and exercises foreign test support, and overarching organizational test support.
- A $28 million multiple-award contract to support the networks division (Code 55100) at the Naval Warfare Center, Pacific in engineering and technical services spanning naval, joint, allied and coalition operations. The new contract has an overall potential value of $68 million and will provide continuing command, control, communications, computer and intelligence surveillance reconnaissance systems engineering support.
What has made you successful in your current role?
The people I surround myself with. Success comes in various forms and not every success is tangible. It is about bringing people together for a common cause and driving results.
What was a turning point or inflection point in your career?
Joining Parsons has been a turning point for my career. I believe I operate best in a true meritocracy.
What are you most proud of having been a part of in your current organization?
Creating opportunities for new employees while delivering results for our shareholders.
What are your primary focuses going forward, and why are those so important to the future of the nation?
As the growth and business development lead for D&I, my team is focused on increasing One Parsons pursuits; winning larger, more technically complex programs and 100% of our recompetes; and expanding our portfolio of prime contracts, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity task orders, other transaction agreements and product offerings.
This industry-leading team will work together to deliver transformative growth for D&I by capitalizing on legacy Parsons programs; internal research and development; and the acquisitions of Polaris Alpha, OG Systems, QRC Technologies, Braxton Science and Technology, Blackhorse Solutions and Echo Ridge.
This collaboration will enhance our ability to pursue and win new work in high-growth segments, such as cyber, C2, directed energy, missile defense,and space; and support growth in mission areas, such as joint all-domain operations, C6ISR, information warfare/operations, electronic warfare, 5G, Indo-Pacific region expansion, weapon systems, and domestic and international aerospace programs.
I am personally excited about the potential opportunities within the aerospace market segment supporting the U.S. Air Force, Space Force, Space Systems Command, NASA, research laboratories and commercial space technology companies. I look forward to driving synergistic solutions from seabed-to-space that leverage our expanded set of solutions, growing our technology and furthering our nations most critical missions.
How do you help shape the next generation of government leaders/industry leaders?
By mentoring them to accelerate their learning curve to shortcut the experience to both successes and failures.
What’s one key thing you learned from a failure you had?
Trust your gut.
What’s the biggest professional risk you’ve ever taken?
Moving from one company to another to take a different role. The ambiguity of not truly knowing a company’s culture is always a risk.
Looking back at your career, what are you most proud of?
The people that I have met along the way and the enduring relationships that have been made. And the opportunities that I have enabled for others to have career changes.
What was your biggest career struggle and how did you overcome it?
Figuring out what comes next. I overcome that struggle by being constantly eager to take on new roles even if they are out of my comfort zone.
What’s your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Hire the best team possible! Ensure you have multiple people that can take your job. Support your team from the bottom up, and don’t operate in fear of doing something wrong.