WT 360: The market from all angles

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Maximus embarks on new strategy via acquisitions and shifts Jul 07, 2022

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Maximus is just getting started on its new strategy for the next three to five years after a series of large acquisitions to reposition the company for new opportunities.

Those have taken place as the pandemic exposed multiple weaknesses in how services are delivered to citizens, but company no. 19 on our 2022 Top 100 sees those gaps as space to grow.

For this episode, CEO Bruce Caswell and federal business leader Teresa Weipert talked with Editor Nick Wakeman about the changes at the company and how Maximus is melding its old culture with new ones.

Inside Accenture's progress on integrating Novetta Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

Accenture Federal Services has used acquisitions to transform itself and sees its purchase of Novetta as yet another opportunity to reimagine the way it operates.

This episode of Project 38 is a deep dive into the journey company no. 13 on our 2022 Top 100 rankings is now on as told by Tiffanny Gates, former Novetta CEO and now AFS' national security portfolio leader; and Ira Entis, growth and strategy leader.

They update WT Editor Nick Wakeman on how the integration has gone, what's changed about the combined business, and the opportunities and challenges they see ahead.

Some market trends are driven by technology and others by evolving customer missions. Government customers want to make better and faster decisions. That desire drives decisions around data, technology and processes.

How L3Harris wears its 'Trusted Disruptor' hat Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

Company no. 10 on our 2022 Top 100 rankings views its embrace of disruption both within itself and from the outside looking in as necessary for the business and Defense Department customer equally.

L3Harris Technologies' move in that direction is the focus of this episode featuring our Ross Wilkers with Sean Stackley, president of the company's integrated mission systems segment and a former assistant navy secretary for research, development and acquisition.

Stackley explains what L3Harris means in talking about itself as the "Trusted Disruptor" and how these two moves by the company earlier this year are part of that identity: a new agile development group, and a partnership with investment firm Shield Capital to work with startup technology firms.

Embracing those dual-use technologies made in commercial markets but scalable for the government is key to L3Harris' vision of being the "Trusted Disruptor" and shows how the shape of innovation has changed, as Stackley explains.

Lumen's '4th Industrial Revolution' push in the public sector Jun 28, 2022

Show notes

Lumen Technologies' corporate mission is to help enterprise organizations capitalize on the convergence of digital, physical and bio technologies commonly called the "Fourth Industrial Revolution."

What that means for federal and public sector customers is a pillar of this episode featuring our Ross Wilkers' interview with Zain Ahmed, senior vice president of Lumen's public sector business.

Ahmed explains how company no. 31 our 2022 Top 100 rankings strives to ensure that agencies are not overwhelmed by their adoption and modernization journeys.

The discussion agenda also includes where things stand today on agencies' transitions to the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract, which was awarded five years ago and is intended as the government's main vehicle for modernizing their networks.

Parsons' view of both market and tech convergence Jun 23, 2022

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Parsons Corp. was born an engineering company in 1944 and remains such today in a world vastly different than the one it started in.

Company number 39 on our 2022 Top 100 rankings is also equally a software business in both its government and infrastructure markets as told to us by Peter Torrellas, president of the company's connected communities business.

Our senior reporter Ross Wilkers spoke to Torrellas in conjunction with Parsons' official unveiling of a new solution set and delivery model, which helps explain where the company is going and how it sees markets as becoming converged.

Regarding that word "converged" -- do any lines exist anymore between what is digital and what is physical? Wilkers asks that question too and Torrellas answered.

Why a Top 100 company changed its name after 33 years Jun 15, 2022

Show notes

Change is a prevalent theme among Top 100 companies as they constantly adapt to customer needs, technology trends and competitive pressures.

The focus of this Project 38 episode is NCI Information Systems' rebrand and relaunch as Empower AI 33 years after its founding -- a story that should resonate across the market.

CEO Paul Dillahay explains to Editor Nick Wakeman how that change was years in the making and is much more than just swapping out one name for another. It’s also not just about picking a strategy and sticking to it, but letting all of that transform a company.

Why we all need mentor-protégé relationships Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

Hot technologies come and go, but building person-to-person relationships is ultimately what drives success.

Marketing experts Mark Amtower and Sheri Ascencio share the story of their mentor-protégé relationship with Editor Nick Wakeman. While Amtower is the mentor, they describe a relationship where the value flows in both directions.

Their bottom-line advice is that everyone needs a mentor and everyone eventually should look to be a mentor. No one succeeds alone.

Sagewind Capital's story and strategy as a GovCon investor May 26, 2022

Show notes

Private equity in the government market is a two-way street in that many companies are looking for a investment partner to resource them, the latter of which also is looking for a business opportunity.

For this episode of Project 38, Sagewind Capital's founding partner Steve Lefkowitz and managing partner Raj Kanodia take our Ross Wilkers behind the scenes of how their private equity firm works with contractors to build and grow.

The conversation naturally turns to how the search for acquisitions goes for Sagewind's portfolio companies: Axient, By Light, Federal Advisory Partners, Gcom and Sigma Defense Systems.

But in a portfolio company is also step one in many ways, so Lefkowitz and Kanodia also explain how Sagewind works with businesses on organic growth and infrastructure they need to succeed.

CACI's DeEtte Gray offers her best advice to future women execs May 23, 2022

Show notes

DeEtte Gray, president of CACI International’s business and information technology solutions sector, counts herself lucky because she had role models ahead of her. But more work remains to be done even though female leaders have come a long way.

For this episode of Project 38, Gray explains to Editor Nick Wakeman how she acts as role model and coach to others . She shares her best advice for future female executives -- take on challenges, be courageous, be confident and be prepared.

Why enterprise solutions demand a higher level of focus in today's market May 12, 2022

Show notes

As president of CACI International’s business and information technology solutions segment, DeEtte Gray is responsible for delivering enterprise expertise and enterprise technology to CACI's customers. Her sector will account for about 45 percent of the company’s $6.2 billion in expected 2022 revenue.

That’s a huge piece of business to keep on a growth trajectory and in this episode of Project 38, she describes to Editor Nick Wakeman her strategy and how she keeps the business focused and pushing forward.

This includes her philosophy for picking contracts to pursue and building the capabilities that will differentiate CACI from competitors. The last thing she wants is to be in price shoot-out. Instead, she focuses on timing, competition, and CACI’s discriminators. And of course, you have to have the right answer to the question, “Why hire us?”

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