Accounting Technology, Class of 1993HC: You have had quite the journey professionally and personally since you graduated 30 years ago. Can you tell us a bit about your career since graduating from ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ·?
JP: It was my OJT placement as an accounting student that gave me my start in the aerospace industry. Often, when people first start out in their career, they don’t always understand exactly what it is they want to do. Thankfully, ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ· gave me strong practical knowledge of finance and accounting, which I utilized to find my way.
I spent my first two years at Vector Aerospace in the finance department working on cost control, and after that, I moved into interior control/purchasing. In 2000, I took on a new role in the company’s customer service team, and my education served me well in that role too, as we were responsible for producing cost estimates for customers. A good portion of my time in that role dealt with finance. I stayed in customer service for about seven years, which led me to an opportunity to take on a leadership role for the entire customer service group.
Approximately two years later, I took over some of the company’s operations in South Africa and Kenya, which gave me global exposure, leadership opportunities, and travel experience. In 2012, I was promoted to the role of Vice-President for the customer and technical services group, where I took over the rest of the company’s global footprint, which included operations in South Africa, Singapore, Australia, Kenya, and the United States.
Shortly after, the organization I was working for was sold to AirBus, and I became President of the Atlantic division, a role that I held until 2017 when the company was purchased by Standard Aero. After that time, I still had a similar role but a different title – Vice-President and General Manager, which is the role I currently hold.
HC: It is incredible how long you have been with, and grown within, the same company. Would you have any advice for alumni on the importance of growing your skills and lifelong learning?
JP: I think it’s two-fold. First, it is obviously important to find an organization that is doing work that you are genuinely passionate about, and second, it is the people in an organization who truly motivate you to stay. This industry has certainly been a calling for me, but it has absolutely been the people I have worked with who have been so important in my career journey. Being continuously challenged in your organization and having opportunities to learn and to grow within an organization are key. Those things allowed me to constantly find ways to challenge myself.
HC: How did your time at ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ· help you fulfill these goals in your career?
JP: I think the best thing about ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ· was the practical learning aspect and the hands-on education. ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ· gave me the foundation I needed to enter an industry and make my way and continue to grow. The learning structure at ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ· was great at preparing me to approach my work in a practical, common-sense way.
HC: Your story and journey since your accident is a very inspirational one – could you share a bit about that?
JP: Of course. There are a couple things I would like to share from what I’ve been through. To start, my education at ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ· gave me the ability to find a great career, and that career gave me the ability to travel the world and meet so many different people. Both my career and traveling allowed me to see and experience different things and challenges in life, which broadened my overall life perspective. My career and all the people I met through my work and my travels gave me a deep appreciation of my work and my career.
After the accident, the first few weeks were a major struggle mentally – trying to come to terms with what happened and the state I was in. Hearing the words “paralysis” and “quadriplegia” were big. I didn’t know then what I know now, and I went through a very dark period. It was really the people that I met through my professional career and the outpouring of support from them that gave me the strength to continue my battle and fight each day.
What I experienced has caused a significant life change, one where I literally have had to learn everything over again, from brushing my teeth to combing my hair. To this day, I can’t dress myself, so it is a continuing battle. When I think about it, my perseverance and strength is rooted in the career I had, the people I met, the support I have received, and the growth I experienced in that career. As strange as it may sound, I give a lot of credit to my career for the success I’ve had so far in my recovery, and I give a lot of credit for my career success to ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ·. I know it sounds different; how does an accounting technology course at ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ· help me battle through a major medical challenge? But again, as I lay in a hospital bed and contemplate life and the next steps in my recovery, much of my resolve to work hard stems from the challenges I faced and successfully overcame in business, grounded by the strong education I received at ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ·.
For me, all of it is tied together. Running a multi-national business meant that a lot of big challenges landed on my desk, and the way that I battled through business challenges is the same way I am battling through my post-accident recovery. At the end of the day, the basic foundation that ¶Ä²©ÍøÖ· gave me is also helping me take a practical approach to my battle through this.
HC: Do you have a piece of advice you would give new alumni entering the workforce?
JP: The one thing I would say is to have the strength and confidence to take a risk. Don’t be foolish about your risk, but taking a calculated and educated risk, and making sure you follow it through, provides so many opportunities to learn and grow. An inability to take a risk will limit you from getting where you want to be.
