PEO EIS welcomes new deputy project managers

Summer is always a season of transition for our organization and this year is no exception. We have welcomed several new deputy project managers, and we would like to introduce them to you through these brief interviews.

ARIC SHERWOOD, DCATS

Aric Sherwood recently joined PEO EIS as deputy project manager for Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (DCATS), which is supported by more than 400 people. He grew up in Punxsutawney, a small town in western Pennsylvania. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the 3d Ranger Battalion for four years. He previously worked for Assistant Secretary of the Army - Acquisition, Logistics & Technology, Defense Information Systems Agency and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

HAVE YOU READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

I just finished James Kerr’s “Legacy,” which explains why the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team is the best in the world. It’s about selecting the right people. If you are the best rugby player in the world, but your personality doesn’t mesh with the team’s, you don’t become an All Blacks. At USSOCOM, we had a saying: we would rather hire the right person and train them to do the job than hire a qualified person that doesn’t fit.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

My grandfather, a child of Irish and German immigrants, is a self-made man. He is not a millionaire, but he made a very comfortable life for his six kids and wife by working hard in the construction industry. He never met a person he didn’t like and sees value in everyone. I aspire to be more like him. Everyone has value. We need ditch diggers just as much as bankers.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED?

I don’t crave the spotlight and am not concerned about my legacy. I would much rather promote the people who are doing the work so they get the accolades. My job is to deflect face shots that are coming our way and take responsibility for the things we are not doing well.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?

When I served in the Army Rangers, we read a lot of paperback books about the Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrols in Vietnam. I would love to go back and meet some of those Rangers.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU RECEIVED?

Do the things you have to do and then do the things you want to do. I fail at this all the time. If you get up in the morning and do the things that need to be done that day, the rest of the day is yours.

MARTY ZYBURA, GFEBS

Marty Zybura joins PEO EIS as deputy project manager for General Fund Enterprise Business System (GFEBS), with a workforce of more than 200 people. A New York Giants fan, he grew up in Garfield, New Jersey, a blue-collar town in northern New Jersey. After graduating from West Point, he served in the U.S. Army for 27 years, retiring as a colonel. His last position in the Army was chief of staff to the U.S. Army Contracting Command. He has three years of experience as a civilian at Assistant Secretary of the Army - Acquisition, Logistics & Technology, where he worked in the Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management office supporting the PEO EIS and PEO Command Control Communications-Tactical (C3T) portfolios.

YOU HAVE 17 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE ARMY ACQUISITION FIELD. HOW HAS ARMY CONTRACTING CHANGED?

The Army is better at building requirements, but there is still room for improvement. If you don’t do that correctly, you are not going to get the rest of the acquisition right. After the “Gansler Report” was released in 2007, the Army enhanced its oversight of contracting and improved the contracting workforce’s training and leadership. When it was released, there were no general officers in contracting. Today, you have a number of Army general officers who understand contracting. For example, the U.S. Army Contracting Command is led by a two-star.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR INDUSTRY?

Don’t be intimidated by the policies and regulations. If you have a good idea or process that will help Soldiers, try to do business with the Army. We want new vendors with good ideas to compete for work.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO YOUR CAREER SUCCESS?

Persistence. Every day presents different challenges. You have to understand how challenges affect the mission and people in the organization. I have also had great mentors. I learned a lot from Col. Stephen Bianco, the former commander of the U.S. Army Contracting Command Korea. When I was a young major in one of my early acquisition assignments, he provided steady leadership to an organization undergoing a major transition.

HAVE YOU READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

I am reading “You’ve Got 8 Seconds.” People have short attention spans. If you want to get a message across, you have to understand your audience and be quick in getting to the point. At the Pentagon, I learned how important that is. Information provided in response to Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) requests is critical because senior Army leaders may make funding and program decisions based on content provided in an Information Paper. It is important to provide succinct and focused information.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU RECEIVED?

My father told me, “Nothing is free. You have to earn everything you get.” Even if you are not currently in your dream job, you should always try to do your best at the job you are in.

MIKE PAYNE, ES  

Mike Payne is the new Deputy Project Manager for Enterprise Services (ES). A Red Sox fan, Payne grew up in Worcester, a small city in central Massachusetts. After graduating from Penn State with a major in mechanical engineering technology, he started his civil service career in 1989 at Fort Belvoir supporting Mobile Electric Power. Before joining PEO EIS, he was chief information officer at PEO C3T.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO YOUR CAREER SUCCESS?

I have a get-it-done attitude. When senior leaders tell you what needs to be done, they don’t like to hear “this is why we can’t do it.” You have to figure out how to spend the money and get it on contract.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN PEO EIS?

I enjoy coaching people and look forward to developing the next generation of acquisition leaders. When a program meets a milestone or is successful, it’s important to find something more challenging for the strong performers on the team. That motivates people. If you slow down career growth, people leave. PEO EIS has a culture that provides opportunities for growth.

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ARMY ACQUISITION?

You need strong soft skills. When I was at Mobile Electric Power, Ms. Kelly Alexander would pull engineers aside to coach them how to develop their soft skills. She taught me how to get people engaged in meetings. If you are leading an Integrated Process Team (IPT), you have to make sure every participant is providing a little input. Program managers have to develop strong relationships with the contracting officer and budget lead. Be transparent with the acquisition team. If you go behind a person’s back, you lose trust. And when you lose trust, it’s gone forever or very hard to get back. If you are open with the contracting officer and budget leads and bring them to meetings, they will understand what leadership wants and help you figure out how to get it done.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR INDUSTRY?

Be open with us. If we release a draft solicitation, don’t just say, “Well, if that’s what you are looking for, we will give it to you.” Tell us, “We can give you a better product if you structure your contract this way.” In Northern Virginia’s IT job market, you are continually losing people to competitors. Tell us how we can structure our contract so we can hold onto a workforce for the full period of performance.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

My parents. They always pushed me, but they didn’t push me too hard. They didn’t say, “You better come home with ‘A’s.” They said, “Try your best and we will always be here for you.” When I was 14, I told my mother I wanted to try scuba diving. She let me try even though I almost drowned twice as a kid. I became a certified scuba diver at the age of 14.