Log Partner Review: AAI Services Corp.

 

Lavin joined AAI Services in February 2006 from Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc., where he was director and general manager of the defense logistics group responsible for providing tailored, comprehensive logistic solutions to its customers. Before that, he was director of Air Force programs, where he led sales, marketing and aftermarket activities for all Honeywell Defense and Space programs with the U.S. Air Force.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Arizona State University. Lavin belongs to the board of the Professional Services Council, or PSC, the principal national trade association of the federal government’s professional and technical services industry.

I joined the U.S. Air Force after graduating from high school. Having grown up in a small town primarily involved in agriculture, I was looking for options to continue my education. At the gas station and auto repair shop where I worked, my boss was a Vietnam veteran who had served as a jet engine mechanic for the Air Force. He spoke to me often about the benefits of military service. When an Air Force recruiter came to the station one day, I asked him for more information while filling his gas tank and joined up on the spot.

After basic training and additional jet engine mechanic training in Chanute, Ill., I spent the remainder of my four years stationed at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, eventually receiving an honorable discharge at the rank of E4. While serving in the Air Force as a jet engine mechanic, I had the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the back shops, the docks and the flight lines.

I can credit this experience to my continued career in post-delivery sustainment services. Even then, I took great interest and pride in fixing things, working closely with the end user to understand requirements, and understanding the complex supply chain that led from the vendor to the aircraft.

This experience taught me a lot about being a part of a high-performance team. On the flight line, there is an immense feeling of gratification when your team has worked together effectively to get the aircraft down the runway. This team philosophy is important to me today as president of AAI Services Corp.—building a group of talented experts that work well together.

It also made clear the necessity of creating and adhering to robust, repeatable processes and comprehensive technical data. During my time in the service and in my subsequent career, I frequently saw deviation from established and proven processes result in wasted time, effort and materials. At AAI Services Corp., we focus on continuous improvement including our company’s Textron Six Sigma program and Capability Maturity Model Integration, or CMMI, to ensure that our procedures are mature and producing high-quality results.

I was lucky in the tremendous experience, training and educational opportunities I received in the service. America’s military is the strongest in the world because of its emphasis on developing leadership within its ranks. Its colleges, training curricula, tools and techniques prepare the next generation of logisticians for not just the technical attributes of sustaining America’s weapons systems, but the innovative contracting methodologies and techniques that will need to be employed for success. At AAI Services Corp., we share this commitment to growing our capabilities by leveraging and expanding the skill sets of our employees. By crafting training and development opportunities for our logisticians, we can provide high-technology solutions to our customers’ requirements for supply chain management; maintenance, repair and overhaul; contractor logistics support; and performance-based logistics. Further, we can tailor these solutions by leveraging public/private partnerships and other modern strategies to ensure the best outcomes.

This same commitment to development also enables our members of the military services to witness excellent examples of leadership on which they can model their tactics and techniques. I certainly benefited from serving under great leaders who motivated and rewarded their teams and kept them on track, on schedule and focused on the mission. These traits had a tremendous influence on my own leadership style. I think it’s important to give my team members a clearly outlined mission and delegated set of responsibilities, the necessary data, and the authority they need to get the job done. Then I support them in those actions.

At the highest level, AAI Services Corp. is all about supporting the mission. This becomes clearer when you’ve performed the mission yourself— many of us are former servicemembers, currently belong to the U.S. Army National Guard or Reserves, or have loved ones serving.

We also have the added responsibility of knowing that our own coworkers are out in the field working shoulder-to-shoulder with our customers. AAI Services Corp. deploys and rotates employees in and out of theater to provide performance- based logistics and operational support for key programs, including Shadow tactical unmanned aircraft systems support in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Through the close relationships we have forged with our customers, we gain priceless feedback on their requirements so we can perfect our approach and continuously improve our results. With this unique opportunity to work alongside our customers, we are constantly grounded as to our responsibility—teaming with them to help America’s warfighters achieve their missions safely. ♦

For more information, contact Mr. Paul Lavin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .