Tobyhanna Army Depot, PA –
Tobyhanna Army Depot observed International Project Management Day on November 5 by shining a spotlight on some of its outstanding project managers and celebrating all project managers that contribute to the organization’s success.
Project management (PM) principles and the associated Project Management Professional certification were established by the Project Management Institute in 1969. The approach is used in government organizations as well as the private sector to drive efficiency. To date, more than 1,000 employees at the depot received training for the industry-standard methodology.
The principles of PM can be applied at any stage of a project, and are especially beneficial in the early stages, according to William Farrow, project manager for the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, a critical component of naval defense systems. The mission includes repair of Sea Sparrow launchers and directors as well as a burgeoning onboard ship component. Farrow says one particular aspect of PM has been most useful to him as a project manager.
“The PM framework encourages cross-functional collaboration. I meet weekly with customer representatives as well as internal stakeholders. This helps drive open communication and builds a team atmosphere, something not always present in such a large organization.”
Early in his career, Farrow worked on the depot production floor repairing avionics equipment. He says this time was invaluable.
“Working on the shop floor and now in Production Management gives me insight to both aspects of our mission. That experience helps me see the big picture.”
Farrow’s leadership praised his performance as project manager.
“Will's effective use of project management tools and practices enables the team to be successful,” said Jessica Carter, chief of the C4ISR Integration & Fabrication Program Management Division.
Although he’s relatively new to the depot, Randall “Randy” Herring is earning similar rave reviews for his leadership of the new asset management program (AMP), part of the Army’s Sustainable Readiness Model. Under the AMP, assets scheduled for repair are assessed prior to arrival at Tobyhanna, enabling the unit to plan downtime accordingly and the depot to proactively develop a repair strategy. Herring says his background prepared him well for the dynamic role.
“As a former Marine, I understand the needs of the end user and, as a former employee of the Defense Logistics Agency, I understand the complex process that takes place when an asset leaves a military unit for repair. My goal is to bridge the gap between these stakeholders and help ensure Soldiers are always ready.”
Leadership says Herring plays an important role in supporting operational readiness, most recently during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Randy led the effort to stock, store and issue critical oxygen tanks in the early days of the pandemic,” said Joseph Costanzo, chief of the depot’s Forward Support Program Management Division. “He exceeded expectations and ensured lifesaving equipment was delivered quickly to medical units. Randy continues to ensure military units are strategically prepared during these unprecedented times.”
Experienced project managers have also found value in learning PM. Linda Vislocky is a Logistics Management Specialist for the Electronic Shop Van (ESV) program, which enables Soldiers to conduct electronics maintenance in the field. Vislocky says PM has helped her consistently ensure warfighters receive a quality product that meets their needs.
“PM taught me to better plan, organize, and prioritize my projects. The standardized process allows me to identify risks and develop a mitigation strategy before the ‘risk’ ever happens. It also enables me to track my program from a schedule and budget standpoint,” she said, adding that PM principles are useful as well in her personal life.
Members of the ESV team praised Vislocky’s support of their mission.
“Linda fosters an excellent working relationship for this team. She is open to ideas to make our workload flow more smoothly and focuses on gathering the best information before making decisions for this important project,” said Tyson Gerhart, an electronics work leader for the ESVs. “Our team shares a common goal: supporting the warfighter.”
Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.
Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters.
About 4,000 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to empower the Soldier with winning C5ISR capabilities.