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The CEOs and senior GovCon leaders of today weren't always sitting in the corner office. They weren't born in suits with a handbook for success and a direct path to leadership. In fact, before many of these executives came into positions of powers, they had rather humble beginnings -- no corporate family tree or unlimited access. Many had to find their way on their own with little to fall back on. This podcast will share the stories of high school part-time work, first jobs and early-career decisions, decades before the CEO appointments and the board memberships. We'll learn about the unconventional paths to success, the ones most of us can relate to.
35 Episodes
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In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," host Amanda Ziadeh sits down with Rohit Gupta, CEO of Aretum, as he shares his extraordinary journey leading a major GovCon company in the U.S. Before the executive title, before the acquisitions and AI strategies, Gupta's journey began in a one-bedroom apartment in Bombay — and a one-way ticket to the U.S. with just enough money to support him during his master’s degree program. Gupta discusses his upbringing in India, educational and career path that ...
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh interviews Scott Goldstein, senior vice president and fellow at Parsons Corp. Goldstein shares his unique journey from an Army infantryman to a major general in the Air Force, and finally to his current role in the private sector. Goldstein's story is marked by academic achievements, significant pivots in his career and impactful mentorships. He discusses his upbringing in Silver Spring, Maryland, the influence of his fath...
In this episode of “Humble Beginnings,” we sit down with Vernon Saunders, CEO of Freedom Technology Solutions Group, as he shares how he journeyed from grappling with a nearly paralyzing fear of public speaking to communicating boldly and effectively while leading with intention. His story is one marked by life in the military, navigating the transition to civilian life, and now bringing all of his experiences together in the world of GovCon. None of his successes happened overnight. From h...
In this episode of “Humble Beginnings,” we sit down with Garland Garris, Associate Director - Lead for Quantum Science, Zero Trust and Cloud Security at Accenture Federal Services, as he shares his journey from growing up in the coal mining town of Eccles, West Virginia, to finding a place in state and federal IT leadership. Through foraging with his dad, adopting a love of reading from his mom and learning an appreciation of faith from his grandmother, Garris built a growth mindset that refl...
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Brandy Durham, vice president of MANTECH's Data and AI Practice, as she shares of her upbringing in South Texas, and how her family's history of carpentry and military service instilled a strong work ethic and adaptability that shaped her career path. Growing up in a family of builders and as the first person in her family to go to college, Durham learned the value of creating something from nothing and supporting clients and employees ...
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Shawn Purvis, president and CEO of QinetiQ US, as she shares her upbringing in Northern Virginia under the values of "family, faith, hard work and doing good to others." Purvis' parents both worked for IBM, introducing her to computers and the world of technology around the age of 7. Outside of academics -- which came relatively easy for Purvis -- she talks about how she learned to be "comfortable being uncomfortable" as an introvert by...
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Rick Wagner, CEO of Agile Defense, as he shares about his upbringing in a factory town in Pennsylvania surrounded by a large family, strong work ethic and small town values. And while Wagner appreciated his small town and worked in nearby factories throughout college (amongst many other odd jobs during his youth), he knew he'd need to leave to reach his full potential. Wagner excelled in high school and received a scholarship to a...
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with two chief information officers in government who share their backgrounds, the lessons they learned early on and the impact their upbringings had on their current roles in public service. Mittal Desai ⏤ CIO of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ⏤ and Yemi Oshinnaiye ⏤ CIO of the Transportation Security Administration ⏤ moved up the federal space together and supported each other along the way. They’ve remained friends and champions...
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," Cass Panciocco, president and CEO of IntelliBridge, joins us to share a bit about his upbringing in working-class Boston, what it was like sharing a modest home with seven other family members, the work ethic values he learned at a young age helping his father at carpenter job sites, and more. Panciocco has worked most of his life ⏤ including through college, where he attended the University of Massachusetts and graduated with a bachelor’s degree ...
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," Jo Ann Bjornson, chief human resources officer at V2X, joins us to discuss her upbringing in a 900-square-foot house in a low-income suburb of the greater Washington, D.C., area. The daughter of an immigrant and U.S. military veteran, Bjornson connects her experiences to her sense of independence, work ethic and passion for supporting the military. Bjornson's path wasn't always clear, either. She had to navigate many complex parts of her academic life b...
The Bosnian War, which began in 1992, lasted nearly four years and displaced over 2 million people. In this episode of Humble Beginnings, WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh sits down with guest Mladen Brkic, who came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1996 from Bosnia at 18 years old. Today, Brkic is chief financial officer and senior vice president of ULTRA Intelligence & Communications, but prior, his career journey took him around the globe. Tune in as Brkic shares a bit about his childhood...
WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh sits down with guest JR Williamson as he shares his unique ⏤ and at times challenging ⏤ upbringing, as he moved nearly 21 times by the age of 15, largely due to his family dynamic. Still, the senior vice president and chief information security officer at Leidos considers himself a native Northern Virginian. He candidly discusses the role his mother played in his and his siblings' lives, working multiple jobs to provide while struggling with mental illness. Will...
WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh sits down with Brian Price, CEO and co-founder of Kion, as he shares his upbringing in the 2,000-person small shore town of Crisfield, Maryland, "still stuck in the 1970s." Price, an only child, gained early work experience and people skills at his uncle's coffee shop in high school. Gordon’s Confectionery, 100 years old and still running today, served about a third of the town daily and was Crisfield's gossip center. After graduating as Valedictorian of h...
WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh and co-host Mark HuYoung, managing partner of executive advisory firm Northwind Partners, sit down with guest Doug Wagoner, CEO of LMI, to discuss his upbringing in Alexandria, Virginia, and ultimate progression to the corner office. Wagoner, an only child, grew up in and around his parents' family business. He learned the meaning of hard work at an early age, spending every summer working at the family business till his freshmen year of college. In this e...
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we chat with Gil Smith, senior director of Government Health Program Development at Philips (and a rancher), about his upbringing as a latchkey kid in a broken home in Rhode Island. Always the "new kid," Smith attended nearly nine different schools growing up before settling in a welcoming high school while living with his grandparents in Pittsburgh. His story is a unique one, navigating different family dynamics and ways of life, while harvesting bit...
WashingtonExec's Amanda Ziadeh and co-host Mark HuYoung, managing partner of executive advisory firm Northwind Partners, sit down with guest Jon Rucker as he shares a bit about his upbringing in Northern Virginia as the son of a teacher and electrical engineer, and how these experiences impacted him. Rucker, CEO of Ultra Intelligence & Communications, also discusses the life lessons he carries with him, from his father’s work ethic to his mother’s approach to finding solutions to li...
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we sit down with Sev1Tech CEO Robert (Bob) E. Lohfeld Jr., as he shares tidbits about his upbringing in Maryland, the influence his grandmother had on his life and his foundational interest in all things international. Lohfeld talks about the impact transferring from a big university to a private liberal arts college had on his education, his urge to move to Spain after college and his ultimate start in international logistics. Tune in to hear ho...
In this episode of Humble Beginnings, we chat with Richard Sawchak, CEO of Systems Planning and Analysis, about his upbringing in Scranton, Pennsylvania, his very first job as a paperboy, and mentors who influenced his life. Rich also shares the "humble beginning" of his father, who was a banker without a college degree and ended up retiring as the CEO of a small regional bank. He also shares the story of his grandparents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine and settled in Northern Penns...
In this episode of Humble Beginnings, we speak with Highlight CEO Aarish Gokaldas about his family history and upbringing in South Africa during the apartheid. We hear how Gokaldas' family immigrated to North Africa from India and eventually made their way south, and what it was like growing up in a racially segregated country. Eventually, Gokaldas and his family would move to the States, starting a new life in a new country ⏤ but without its minor setbacks, restarts and transformations...
In this episode of Humble Beginnings, we chat with Rancher Government Solutions' CEO Paul Smith about his Baltimore, Maryland, upbringing, and ultimate rise to leadership. Smith and his seven siblings all worked their way through high school and college after attending Catholic parochial school as children for its values, proximity and affordability. While Smith's first job after graduating from Loyola College with a Business Administration degree was with Exxon Office Systems, he spent time ...
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