Extracurricular Activities:Intramural sports wtith GDI
What career or personal update would you like to give to your fellow Florida Tech Panthers alumni?
After 35 years in civil service, in July of 2021 I retired. During my career I supported the Department of Defense, primarily the Air Force, providing leadership and original strategic insight combined with practical management experience and success in the difficult area of professional federal civil service. I excelled at exercising relevant strategic vision while delivering products. I took advantage of the broad job opportunities across the Department of Defense and moved five times. I was fortunate to have been selected to be the United States Air Forces Europe NATO planner/programmer, Ramstein AB Germany, Deputy to the Commander of the 56 Civil Engineer Squadron, Luke AFB AZ, Deputy to the Commander of the 86th Civil Engineer Group , Ramstein AB Germany, Deputy to the Command Civil Engineer, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, San Antonio, TX, Director of Staff, Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC), JBSA-Lackland AFB, TX, Director, Installations Directorate, AFCEC, JBSA-Lackland AFB, TX. I was lauded and rewarded throughout my career for taking action on matters relative to leadership, supervision, strategic management, administration, infrastructure management, program management, environmental management, international relations, and diplomacy. Throughout my career progression, I built credibility among my peers, forged productive associations with NATO and was recognized and rewarded for inspiring the cooperation and confidence in others. My record of success demonstrated natural leadership ability that built team spirit, cooperative behavior, and promoted team effort. I retired as a GS-15 with a proven track record of achieving high output and getting the job done. Currently, I work part time providing business development support to Tetra Tech, Tetra Tech is a leading, global provider of consulting and engineering services. We are differentiated by Leading with Science® to provide innovative technical solutions to our clients. We support global commercial and government clients focused on water, environment, sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy, and international development. With 22,000 associates worldwide, Tetra Tech provides clear solutions to complex problems. Leadership traits are timeless. What applied 3,000 years ago still applies today and will apply 3,000 years from now. Good leadership traits are agnostic to the profession. And leadership is critical to the success or failure of organizations. Organizations can survive average to mediocre leadership, but they can only thrive with good leadership. Those of us with age and experience have learned that finding your path is a natural struggle with few easy and absolute answers. We are all unique and need to find our path, not have our path defined by society or others looking for personal gain. If you are lucky enough to have an opportunity to be in a position of influence, please reach out to our youth. They need diversity of thought as a foundation of their journey so they can truly find their individual path. We need to help them grow so they can think for themselves versus listening to others who are telling them what to think.
How did your time at Florida Tech help get you to where you are today?
At FIT i was part of a small and nurturing academic community that helped me define myself and become an adult.
What is your favorite Florida Tech memory?
The rope swing in the jungle, Damaged Goods, crashing Greek parties, and honestly studying with classmates in the library.
Was there a mentor or professor who had a big impact on you personally and/or professionally?
My experience at FIT was very collegial and hands on. I owe my diploma to all the Civil Engineering Faculty and fellow civil engineering students.
Please share any advice you have for current Florida Tech students.
Attack life and your career with courage. Take calculated risks and volunteer for opportunities outside of your comfort zone. Isolation and fear of failure is a huge problem in personal decision making and team dynamics. Being decisive doesn't happen when you fear failure. Get comfortable with failure. Learn from failure. Don't repeat it but expect it. The tightknit campus & environment at FIT taught me the professional fundamentals- prepare thoroughly, perform decisively, ask for help, evaluate honestly, and adjust accordingly.
Please share your LinkedIn profile to connect with Florida Tech students and faculty.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-e-fitzpatrick-p-e-cfm-4a314451/
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