Executive Spotlight with Lee Carrick

Editor’s Note: In the 01/21/2008 edition of ExecutiveBiz we had a chance to catch up with Lee Carrick, President of Perot Systems Government Services.

In his first public interview since taking over the reigns over at Perot Systems Government Services, Lee Carrick sits down exclusively with ExecutiveBiz to share his vision for continuing the momentum there as well as the delicate balance to be struck between growth strategies and the resources dedicated to execution. We also discuss the QSS integration, his leadership style, and what it is like to work for the Perot family.

ExecutiveBiz: Please briefly tell us about your background and how you got to Perot Systems.

Lee Carrick: I’ve been working in government services for over 26 years. I started my federal career in the Air Force working in space operations at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg AFB in California. I also worked with NASA at the Kennedy and Johnson Space Centers on the initial shuttle missions. On my next assignment, I went in a different direction and worked in the intelligence community for a few years. I followed with an assignment in the Pentagon working Air Force budgets and large system acquisitions. After I retired, I joined a small company which was known as TASC back then. Northrop Grumman bought TASC a few years later and I spent over 12 years with the company. I first took interest in Perot Systems’ reputation and value system. I joined Perot Systems to be part of their collaborative, agile, entrepreneurial, and global team.

ExecutiveBiz: What were you doing at Northrop?

Lee Carrick: I was leading NGIT’s enterprise solutions group, which focused on delivering IT solutions and professional services to the Federal government’s civilian agencies.

ExecutiveBiz: You’ve been at the job a couple of weeks, what are your top priorities for 2008?

Lee Carrick: I am very pleased to lead Perot Systems’ federal team. I believe I am coming in at a great time for me personally and for the company. Our business unit, Government Services, had a record year for new business development in 2007 and we are coming into 2008 with a lot of momentum.

I like the structure and culture of Perot Systems and my goal is to determine how to leverage, not only our business unit capabilities, but the entire scope of our corporate capabilities as well. We recently won a large contract at the Department of Education, EDUCATE, and this contract will allow us to utilize the best practices of the entire company. As we move forward, I want to ensure we strike a careful balance between our growth strategy and the resources we dedicate to executing our current business.

ExecutiveBiz: What is your biggest challenge in business today?

Lee Carrick: This is a dynamic market. There are many changes going on in this industry from recent changes in federal funding to the pending changes in the administration. I don’t have a crystal ball, but as much as possible, we want to gauge where federal contracting is headed in the future. It is important for us to stay agile so that we can keep pace with whatever comes next. In some cases we’ll be in the right place and in others, we won’t, so we must learn to adapt to the current trends.

ExecutiveBiz: What are some hot trends you are tracking and what will be some bright spots in revenue for 2008?

Lee Carrick: I see the government doing more outsourcing in areas that are not inherently government functions. We have seen senior IT talent leave the federal agencies for the private sector or retirement and this creates a strain on their resources. I want to be sure that Perot Systems is in a position to fill the gap in these agencies by providing outsourcing solutions that help streamline and refocus technology resources that meets their business needs. Some key areas for us in 2008 are defense, homeland security, and intelligence.

ExecutiveBiz: How do you describe your leadership style?

Lee Carrick: People oriented and results driven. As we move through the year, I will be looking to my team to help build our organization because everyone benefits from diverse ideas and opinions. I believe it is very important to chart our progress to ensure we are reaching our targets as a team. By measuring our success, we are able to make adjustments in the right places.

ExecutiveBiz: How is the QSS integration coming along?

Lee Carrick: One of my goals for 2008 is to complete the successful integration of QSS into Perot Systems. This has been a very good acquisition for us and we are very pleased with the results. Perot Systems is seeing the benefits of an expanded reach in our current target markets and a new presence in additional markets. We no longer view ourselves as Perot Systems and QSS; we are a fully integrated team.

ExecutiveBiz: What is your view of acquisitions in this next year?

Lee Carrick: Perot Systems is always considering options since we are a growth oriented company. We are looking for candidates that help us achieve our strategy.

ExecutiveBiz: What’s your approach to working with small businesses?

Lee Carrick: We do, we must, we always will work with small businesses. Small businesses bring new ideas and unique capabilities that we simply don’t have. Our federal customers require more small business content and we have worked hard to put together several strong strategic partnerships.

ExecutiveBiz: What advice would you give a CEO of a small business that wanted to partner with Perot Systems?

Lee Carrick: I encourage anyone interested in working with us to do their homework and be able to clearly define what capabilities their company offers and what they can deliver to improve our solutions for our customers. It is important for prospective partners to be able to articulate why I should bring them on the team. They need to have a good strategy, know their differentiators, and have a compelling list of proven capabilities.

ExecutiveBiz: What will your business look like in 2 years?

Lee Carrick: A very similar balance of IT solutions and professional services. Perot Systems is a growth orientated company which is one of the many reasons I came here. In the next two years, we plan to bring on new major accounts while also expanding our existing work.

ExecutiveBiz: How did your time at Northrop help you in terms of big company experience? How has that helped you or played in your job so far?

Lee Carrick: It’s been very helpful; Perot Systems gives me a different view in running a business in a similar market. My previous experience made it easier to transition into a company with a similar shared services and sales model. Wherever I go, whatever I do, I find there are very common ways of doing business.

ExecutiveBiz: You have been on the job for a few months, what has surprised you so far?

Lee Carrick: I am most surprised that the company truly is all of the things it represents on the outside. It is a very cooperative, very collaborative environment. Often, perception is not reality but I have been surprised to find in the case of Perot Systems, it is what it is. We have a good balance in our goals to deliver outstanding services to our customers, advance our people and expand our business. The company’s model, at its core, is very entrepreneurial and the team recognizes the importance of being supportive of each associate. I feel like I belong here.

ExecutiveBiz: What is it like to work for the Perot family so far?

Lee Carrick: Most companies have WebPages stating their values and integrity and in the Perot Systems culture, what you see is what you get. I witness their values at work every day in our company. The focus is to do the right thing all the time. It’s easy to lead here because I do what I know makes sense and with their streamlined operations model, I can act quickly. The consistent and frequent open dialog across the senior leadership team helps us to address issues and improve our business model. There is a clear understanding of values and performance expectations flowing from the senior leadership. If you need help on a project delivery or with an associate in need, you get that help quickly. There is a genuine interest in all our associates from the highest levels of our leadership team The Perots have done many things, which are never advertised, to help our associates that are in need. This is a good place to be.

ExecutiveBiz: What is something most people don’t know about Perot Systems?

Lee Carrick: I think the founding of our company is a very interesting story and it speaks to the heart of Perot Systems. In 1988, Mr. Perot and nine others, sat around his kitchen table and drafted a plan to develop what became Perot Systems. Their first order of business wasn’t to secure a list of potential new clients; instead they started by drafting a set of values to guide the company. Inside the company we refer to this as the “Perot Systems Way.” This year, 2008, marks our 20th anniversary and we continue to use that same value system.