From Air Force to Digital Defense

Editor’s Note: Shane is another team member with a service background who enjoys continual learning. His combination of experiences enable him to understand customers’ needs from multiple perspectives. This is really beneficial because addressing cybersecurity risks means understanding what is needed immediately. But it also means holistic thinking: making recommendations that will ensure solutions are future-proofed, and beneficial to the organization as a whole.  

Tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to NetCentrics…

I have been working as a DoD contractor since my retirement from the Air Force in 2008.  Over the past 13 years, working for both large and small companies, I managed a wide array of programs as a Program Manager. In addition, I supported the corporate side of the house as the Director of Operations. The ability to see “both sides” of the organization, customer facing and corporate facing, provides a unique approach in the way I am able to manage programs/projects/people and customers.

Joining NetCentrics has given me an opportunity to excel and learn as I support our government customers. The years of combined program management and corporate management definitely prepared me for my role here as a Business Development Executive. Bringing the NetCentrics’ team capabilities to our government customers is an exciting challenge that I look forward to each and every day!

What does a “day in the life” at work look like for you?

My day-to-day operations directly support the BD team. I wear many hats from capture management and proposal management to opportunity development and customer relations.  Each day is very busy, and the phone never stops ringing!  Since the pandemic started, I have worked from my home office in New Jersey. But lately, with people returning to the office, I have been able to begin to have more face-to-face customer engagements, which I believe is so important: having the ability to sit, face-to-face and discuss opportunities.

What is your favorite part of your work, and why?

This role is exciting for me as I am learning new skills. Business development brings with it very new challenges, especially given my background as a program manager, where I was focused on the operational realities and what may or may not work within the confines of cost, schedule, and performance. Supporting customers from a business development perspective helps me look beyond the crisis at hand. NetCentrics’ specialized teams allow me to look for real opportunities that solve customer cybersecurity issues now and in the future.

What are some trends/developments/or opportunities you see in our industry and how do you think NetCentrics should respond? 

One word seems to ring true these days, and that is cybersecurity. NetCentrics is in front of these needs, working with our customers and industry partners to address some real challenging issues.  Of course, SolarWinds was a real eye opener from a Cyber Risk Management perspective. That attack really forced organizations to strengthen their ecosystems; however, the risk to infrastructure through ransomware attacks only grows by the minute. For example, the risk to operational technology is definitely growing. The solutions NetCentrics develops for our customers address very real, and very critical needs!

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I enjoy spending time outdoors with my wife. We love to mountain bike, kayak, and hike all around the tri-state area.

We spend time hiking and biking through the historic areas around Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It is amazing to discover just how much history is preserved throughout this region and we try to take it all in as much as we can.  We also spend a great deal of time kayaking the many lakes and rivers throughout New Jersey.