“Jose has been a wonderful addition to the newly formedUndergraduate Advisory Council in the College of Engineering,” said Gary May,Dean of the College of Engineering. “His insights are extremely helpful as wediscuss issues and initiatives designed to enhance the educational experiencesof our undergraduates.”

When choosing a school to pursue his dream of becoming a giftedleader, Sarmiento said the choice was no accident or quick decision. BeyondISyE’s high rankings and excellent reputation, Sarmiento believed Georgia Techwould be action-oriented and could provide him with the momentum to achieve hisgoals to make a difference in the world. As a student, Sarmiento’s drive, passion,and leadership skills have been very evident to his classmates and the ISyEfaculty.

According the Chen Zhou, associate chair forundergraduate studies at ISyE, “The most fitting word to describe Jose is ‘intensity.’ He is always intensely involved in whatever he is doing whether it is figuringout better strategies for IIE events, finding cases or projects to support hisclass work, or teaching incoming students how to land intern or co-opjobs.  Jose is smart, reliable, and modest. You can always count on him togive 100% to his activities and endeavors.”

Sarmiento’s desire to become an authentic leader was nurtured through his invaluable life experiencesgrowing up in Venezuela. Working in a market back home, Sarmiento sawfirst-hand opportunities to improve output and moral. He plans to put hisleadership and industrial engineering (IE) skills into action with a futurecareer in agriculture. He believes a degree in IE will give him the tools andknowledge he needs to solve problems with a systematic approach, whileempowering others. According to Sarmiento, the power of a leader is measured by howpowerful he makes those who follow him.

For students considering coming to Georgia Tech to studyat ISyE, Sarmiento encourages them to believe in themselves and theirpossibilities. In his opinion, persistence is much more important than gettingit right the first time.

“There is a way for you to encompass something muchbigger than yourself and it’s done through persistence, through courage,through always trying to move forward regardless of what happens,” reflects Sarmiento.

In addition to his studies and campus leadershipactivities, Sarmiento is participating in the Co-op program with Delta Cargo,where he is enjoying expanding his horizons as he gains real-world experience.He expects to graduate from ISyE in the fall of 2012.

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Since graduating, Sherri has been working as a consultantat Clarkston Consulting, and Eric is a software implementation consultant atPower Plan Consultants. They both share a common goal for the future: neverstop learning.

ISyE:  What prompted you to pursue yourundergraduate degree after being in the workforce for ten years?  Was it something you always wanted to do?

SR:  I would haveliked to go to college after high school, but it always seemed like anunrealistic option for me. I come from a family of a single mom with threekids, and no influential adults in my life had a college degree. Finances weretight and school was expensive. My mother doesn’t have a degree, but she has anamazing work ethic and a constant desire to succeed in life. She instilledthose values in me and my brothers, and it helped me to excel professionally. Iworked for a few companies and was always put on the fast track to management.I came to a point where I was on a great track to make a career out of retailmanagement. But I wanted more. I wanted something more challenging.  

ER:  I alwayswanted to go to school, but as Sherri stated, I didn’t really have theopportunity.  Although I had a relativelysuccessful career, I never felt that I was intellectually challenged at myjob.  After talking it over with my wife,then girlfriend, Sandra, we came up with a plan to send me to college.  Without Sandra’s encouragement and influence,I probably would have never gone to college.

ISyE:  What influenced your decision to study atGeorgia Tech?

SR:  Both Eric andI were attracted to Georgia Tech because it had the #1 IE program in thenation.

ISyE:  How was it that you and your sibling decidedto get your degree at the same time, and at the same school?

SR:  We both hadtoyed around with the idea, and then Eric started talking about really takingthe steps and moving to Georgia to pursue a degree from Georgia Tech. The morewe talked, the more we realized how much we could be there and support eachother. I was nervous about going back to school, but when Eric told me Iwouldn’t be alone, I knew this was the time to take the leap or I may never go.

ISyE:  Did you both have the same classschedule?  In what ways did you supporteach other with your work load?

SR:  Though wedidn’t always have the same schedule, were always there to motivate each other.We each have different skills and were able to combine those.

ER:  We always hada reliable study and homework partner in each other. We each have differentstrengths and skills, which made us a great team.

ISyE:  How do you think your “non-traditional”undergraduate experience compares to that of a traditional one?

ER: Our experience was very different than that of atraditional undergraduate experience. We missed out on the social side ofthings, like living in dorms and being involved in Greek life. It had been sometime since we had been in a classroom, and there were many times when we fellbehind in the information needed for the class. The age differenceautomatically makes you feel a little different. At first this seemed like anegative trait to have, but as we got to know more students, we realized we hada lot to offer them by having some real world work experience. We felt at timesalmost like an unspoken mentor. 

On the plus side, we were very focused and able toappreciate the value in learning the material. We viewed the classroom in thesame way we would a work office, and treated it with the same maturity andprofessionalism.

ISyE:  What was your favorite spot on campus?

ER:  The ISyE mainbuilding was near most of our classes where we did most of our studying, andthere was a microwave there.

SR:  Juniors was myfavorite spot on campus, and our favorite place to eat.  We were always looking for an excuse to gothere. Sadly, it closed.

ISyE:  What is your fondest memory of your GeorgiaTech experience?

SR:  Graduation dayat the Dome when Professor Chen Zhou walked over and shook my hand, congratulatedme, and wished me luck on my future. That was the moment I realized I did it!

ER:  The weekbefore we started at Tech, Sherri and I snuck into the IC building.  We walked around, looked at the classrooms,and talked about what we thought it would be like to go to Tech.  We were both so excited at the opportunity togo to such a prestigious school.

ISyE:  You both graduated with high honors.  What do you feel contributed to your academicsuccess?

SR:  Determination.We both knew how great the opportunity to attend college was for us. We hadboth had a challenging path just to get there, and knew that we were settingthe example for future generations. We didn’t want to just get through it, wewanted to achieve success.

ISyE:  What is the most important thing you learnedwhile at ISyE?

ER: Both of us agree that learning how to handle anyproblem presented to us was very important. In ISyE, you are given problemsoutside of your scope of knowledge. You have to be able to do research to findanswers, leverage all available resources , and break the problem down intosmall achievable pieces. You gain a special confidence after solving a fewproblems that seemed impossible in the beginning.

ISyE:  What advice would you give to a studentconsidering coming to Georgia Tech to study ISyE?

SR:  Be prepared tofind answers outside of the classroom. The professors give you work that isbeyond what is covered in the lecture, and you have to learn how to researchand solve problems on your own. It’s hard and can be frustrating at times, butit prepares you to have confidence when faced with something outside of yourcomfort zone—a valuable tool to have when starting a career.

ER:  Be prepared towork hard!

ISyE:  Can you tell us one interesting thing aboutyourself, that you don’t mind us sharing with the rest of the world?

ER:  I’mhappily married and the father of a three and half year old daughter , who wasborn my second year of college.  Myfamily has served as my support structure; I don’t think I would have done sowell at Georgia Tech if it weren’t for them.

Read the following interview to learn more about Breona.

ISyE: Finish the sentence: Few people know that…

BJ:  My two passions are dancing and Spanish.I am the vice president of the Spanish Speaking Organization, and a member ofthe Ballroom Dance Club at Georgia Tech. I studied abroad last summer in Spainand Mexico, and hope to travel back one day soon. If I could use my engineeringskills to assist in furthering the development of the Mexican infrastructure,it would be a dream.

ISyE:  Is there any one person who has been aninspiration to you or someone that you consider your hero? Who and why?

BJ:  My mother is myinspiration. As a soldier for the Army Reserve, she is also my hero. She hasalways been there for me to encourage me in my pursuits, advise me when I havea problem, and give me confidence in my abilities. She is a strong woman whohas shown me that I can overcome any struggles that I may have in life.

ISyE: Tell me alittle about yourself. Where are you from originally?

BJ:  Originally bornin Flint,MI, I moved to Woodstock, GA in 2005 and where I attendedhigh school. I enjoy music, cooking, reading, rock climbing, and being involvedon campus to meet new people.

ISyE: What motivated you to come toGeorgia Tech?

BJ:  Georgia Tech is anamazing Institute and always in the top ten of public colleges in the nation.That reputation attracted me to Tech. In high school, I loved math and science,and I felt that Tech would give me an opportunity to pursue my interests and guideme to a career path that I would love.

I initially came to Georgia Tech as pre-architecture, butafter completing a Senior Project with two practicing architects, I decidedthat it was not my passion. Still fascinated with science and math, I decidedto pursue engineering. After much research, I chose industrial engineering, asit would offer me great flexibility in my choice of profession, and I wouldhave the opportunity to interact with both people and machines on a dailybasis.

ISyE: I understand that you participatein the Co-op program.  Tell me about yourexperience.

BJ:  I am in my secondrotation as a co-op at Manhattan Associates, a supply chain software companywhere I work as a consultant. My day-to-day job includes testing issues,creating reports for the issues, and participating in conference calls withclients to resolve any concerns they have.

ISyE:  What has been your favorite IE course so far?

BJ:  ISyE 2028. I learned the software “R”and found that Statistics is a powerful tool that can be utilized in everydaylife. Also, my professor, Heeyoung Kim, was enthusiastic about her position andmade me excited about statistics as well.

ISyE:  What is something every student should dowhile at Georgia Tech?

BJ:  Every student atTech should see a DramaTech play, go to a show at the Ferst Theater, spend anight in Tech Rec, and take advantage of the facilities in the CRC.

ISyE: Tell me about a favorite ISyE experience you have had.

BJ:  I found my probabilityclass quite interesting, especially after I started to fully understand it. Oneday, my professor was speaking on a particular topic and he proclaimed, “It’slike magic. It is magic, in fact. It’s probability!” It was one of the funniestmoments in my ISyE career.

ISyE:  What are your prospective careergoals?

BJ:  In the future, Ihope to help others through service and through my profession. I would like tohave a career that involves some travelling, holds my interests and challengesme, and also allows me to help humanity in some way - no matter how small orlarge. One of my biggest goals is to own a restaurant. It would be wonderful touse my engineering skills to be successful in the culinary arena.

ISyE: What was the last book you read for pleasure?

BJ:  Crossfire by Dickand Felix Francis. Now I am reading I’d Know You Anywhere byLaura Lippman.

ISyE:  What piece of technology could you not livewithout?

BJ:  I could not livewithout my laptop. I store all pictures, music, and documents on it and it hasbeen with me through all of my college years.

ISyE: What music do you listen to?

BJ:  I love all music. Especially JohnMayer, Teena Marie, Usher, NeverShoutNever, Reik, and Linkin Park.

ISyE: What is your favorite spot on campus?

BJ:  Campanile handsdown. It’s a reminder of the beauty and focus of the Tech community, and thechanging of the colors is reminiscent of the growth that each studentexperiences while at Tech.

ISyE: What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

BJ:  Life is what youmake it.

ISyE: What advice would you give a student considering coming to Georgia Techto study at ISyE?

BJ:  I would suggestthat the student keeps an open mind, studies hard, and explores differentoptions in the ISyE major, as well as the clubs and organizations at Tech.

During his time in ISyE, Jin was the recipient of severalprestigious awards including: 2010 INFORMS QSR Best Student Paper AwardFinalist for “Reconfigured Piecewise Linear Regression Tree for MultistageManufacturing Process Control”, Runner-up for the 2008 Best Poster Award for“Intermediate Adjustment Feedforward Control,” in the College of Engineering GraduateSymposium, and the 2007 Forging Industry Educational & Research FoundationScholarship.

To learn more about Ran Jin,continue reading the interview that follows.

ISyE:  Ran Jin,what motivated you to achieve your career goals?

RJ:  When I was a kid, my father told me: “Youcan't expect to be both grand and comfortable.” Now, even if I am having great difficulty achieving my career objective,I feel being persistent seems to be the only choice.  I want to contribute something in my areawhen I still have the chance. 

ISyE:  Tell usabout yourself.

RJ:  I was born in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province,China. My hometown is famous for panda bear and spicy food. I received mybachelor’s degree in electronic engineering from Tsinghua University inBeijing, China.  Afterwards, I joinedProfessor Jan Shi’s research group at the University of Michigan where Ireceived a master’s degree in statistics, as well as in industrial engineering.

Outside of work, Ienjoy photography, kayaking, and reading books, specifically history andeconomics related. I enjoy cooking, and I seldom repeat what I cook because Ialways want to try something new. 

ISyE:  What influenced yourdecision to get your PhD at Georgia Tech?

RJ:  Professor Shi heavily influenced my decisionto pursue a PhD at Georgia Tech. I think the most important part of the PhDstudy is to find a good advisor. A good advisor can lead you to the objectivethat you want to achieve. A good advisor is a tour guide to help you quicklyexplore the areas that you might have interests in. Professor Shi is such agood advisor.  When Professor Shi decidedto join the faculty at Georgia Tech, I wanted to transfer with him, and I feelthat was probably the best decision I ever made.  Another aspect that drew me to Georgia Techwas the size of the ISyE faculty. I was happy to have so many faculty membersin our department, with flexible course choices and many research collaborationopportunities. 

ISyE:  Tell us about a favorite or most memorableISyE experience you had.

RJ:  I highly enjoyed the seminarsgiven by world class scholars invited to our department.  As a graduate student, the learning, dialog, andquestions with these scholars helped me understand what defines good research,and what makes that research outstanding in the academic society. 

ISyE:  What is something every student should dowhile at Georgia Tech?

RJ:  Go workout at the CRC! As astudent, balancing work and life is important. Besides, how many students from other schools have a chance to goworkout on an Olympic site?

ISyE:  Where was your favorite spot on the GeorgiaTech campus?

RJ:  The lawn beside the ISyE and InstructionalCenter buildings. From this spot, I enjoyed many picnics and beautiful views ofthe campus.

ISyE:  What have you been doing since finishing yourPhD last April?

RJ:  I moved to a new place andjoined the VT faculty.  Joining the VTfaculty is a completely new start for me. It means challenges, and alsoopportunities.  Being outstanding in thistop IE department of the country is not easy, but fortunately I have a lot ofgreat colleagues to learn from.  

ISyE:  Would you say that ISyE prepared you for yourcurrent position?

RJ:  ISyE prepared me for almostevery aspect of my current position. ISyE has one of the best industrialengineering programs in this country, with teaching and research beingperformed by some of the best scholars in the field.

ISyE:  What do you do to make learning more engagingfor students?

RJ:  I use multiple types of media,such as video and images, to help students link new material to informationthey already know.  I teach students howto solve real-world problems, rather than focusing on textbook problems.

ISyE:  What piece of technology could you not livewithout as an instructor?

RJ:  PowerPoint. Without the PowerPointpresentation, it is hard to use video, photos, or data plots to illustrate theideas behind the problems I teach.

ISyE:  Tell us alittle bit about your PhD thesis and current research.

RJ:  My thesis is about how to manufactureproducts with better quality.  To improvethe quality, we need to understand the relationship between the quality and theimportant factors to change the quality. Nowadays, the manufacturing system becomes more complex, and we may havelimited knowledge about this relationship from an engineering perspective.  On the other hand, the advancement of sensingtechnology gives us a data-rich manufacturing environment.  My thesis is about how to integrate theengineering domain knowledge and operational data to model the manufacturingprocess, and improve the quality.  Iapplied this methodology in the semiconductor manufacturing processes.

My current research involves engineeringdriven data fusion in manufacturing system modeling and quality improvements,with specific interests in the variation reduction in product realization andmanufacturing scale-up, and quality engineering based on high definitionprofile data.

ISyE:  What is your favorite book?

RJ:  Modern History of China, byTsiang, Tingfu. The reason why this is my favorite book is that the author hasa completely new angle and new evidence to show the history of China from years1840 to year 1911, with only 50,000 Chinese characters (It could be verychallenging even with 500,000 Chinese characters).   I believe this should be the first book toread to understand the Chinese modern history. Dr. Tsiang’s personal experiencesare also interesting to me. He was a faculty member at Tsinghua University inthe 1920s, where I completed my undergraduate degree.

Recently, I have been reading Economic Imperialism, by Wuchang Zhang.

ISyE:  What is the best piece of advice you everreceived?

RJ:  Actually I got two from myadvisor Prof Shi about how to work efficiently:

“Have a beginning and an end.”

“Only Handle It Once”(OHIO)

ISyE:  Tell me a little about yourself.

CP:  I am a second year undergraduate student at ISyE and have loved every bit of it!  The PS program really drew me to Tech because it is like a family- the connectedness and kindness of the program really shines through.

ISyE:  What motivated you to come to Georgia Tech?

CP:  Georgia Tech had a perfect balance of a work hard/play hard mentality that I couldn’t find at other schools. The classes are very rigorous and challenging, but the sports are always there to cheer on the Yellow Jackets! I also wanted to go to a place where I could find some diversity and try something new- something I didn’t have in upstate New York.

ISyE:  What piqued your interest in becoming an industrial engineer?

CP:  Throughout high school, I have always loved working with numbers and anything scientific. However, at the same time, I loved business and the decisions that are made in the business realm of companies. Therefore, ISyE was the best combination of the things I enjoy, and it is something that I can be happy about the rest of my life.

ISyE:  Who is your favorite professor and why?

CP:  I would definitely have to say John D. Cressler who is currently teaching COE 3002 for management and technology, as well as the Honors Program. He really cares about every student learning the material and gives that extra push. He wants to see every student succeed to the best of their ability.

ISyE:  Favorite IE course so far and why?

CP:  I have just started taking ISyE courses this semester, my first course being ISyE 2027. It is interesting thus far.

ISyE:  What is something every student should do while at Georgia Tech?

CP:  Study Abroad! Georgia Tech has an amazing study abroad program, and there is something for everyone’s taste. After my freshman year, I decided to go on the Oxford Study Abroad program which was definitely the greatest experience of my life. The places we traveled, the friends we made, and the fun we had surpass anything I have ever experienced before. The Office of International Education works with each student to give them the best experience they could ever imagine.

ISyE:  What are your prospective career goals?

CP:  I really want to concentrate in financial optimization and then find the perfect school to get my MBA. From there, I just want to find a job that will make me happy, which could include non-profits, managerial positions, business transactions, or something in the amusement park industry.

ISyE:  What are some of your non-academic interests?

CP:  I enjoy being on the Student Center Programs Council concert committee, which plans the homecoming concerts and other live performances throughout the year. I also enjoy sports, hiking, travelling, working with disabled children, playing percussion, listening to music, and exploring Atlanta.

ISyE:  How do you spend your free time?

CP:  I really enjoy trying new things with friends, whether it be different kinds of foods, exploring new places, or running distances I have never ran before. However, sitting down and taking a quick rest is always nice too!

ISyE:  What was the last book you read for pleasure?

CP:  Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Objectivism at its best.

ISyE:  What piece of technology could you not live without?

CP:  Transistors- they are literally in everything.

ISyE:  What music do you listen to?

CP:  I love all kinds of music, but I really appreciate bands that can perform live. The experience of a live concert cannot match that of a disc.

ISyE:  What is your favorite spot on campus?

CP:  Bobby Dodd Stadium; there’s nothing like game day.

ISyE:  Tell me about one of your accomplishments?

CP:  My greatest accomplishment occurred in ninth grade. Unfortunately, I used to be a very obese child growing up, but in ninth grade I decided to change that. I was fed up being so out of shape. Throughout the next six months, by watching what I ate and going to the gym four times a week, I was able to work off sixty pounds. Ever since then, I have been able to maintain a proper weight/muscle ratio.

ISyE:  What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

CP:  Wherever you go in your future, never forget where you’ve been and the people that have touched you. 

ISyE:  Is there any one person who has been an inspiration to you or someone that you consider your hero? Who and why?

CP:  I would definitely have to say my parents. They have sacrificed so much to raise my family and make sure that all of us succeed. I will definitely model my family style off of them.

ISyE:  Finish the sentence: Few people know that...

CP:  I have eight brothers and sisters- five of which are adopted; three from China, and two from Guatemala.

Aka alsovolunteers her time to help African refugee families as they adjust to a newlife in the United States, specifically encouraging them to further theireducation.  In addition to her volunteer work, Aka is a member of theStudent Alumni Association and the African Students Association at GeorgiaTech.

To learnmore about Aka, continue reading the interview that follows.

ISyE:  How are you contributing to EWB-GT’sfundraising efforts?

AA:  I have been helping the fundraising team on aproject to implement a clean water distribution system in Cameroon,Africa.  I have been making phone callsand distributing information to potential sponsors who may be interested insupporting this trip, and EWB-GT in general. Gifts in support of this project will assist with travel expenses, aswell as the cost of construction for the water distribution system, solar pump,and storage tank.

ISyE:  For any of our readers who would like to helpsupport this project, where can they go for more information?

AA:  That would be great!  Anyone who wishes to make a donation to the GeorgiaTech Foundation in support of EWB-GT can contact Nancy Sandlin, the director ofdevelopment for ISyE, at 404-385-7458, or nsandlin@isye.gatech.edu.

ISyE:What have you enjoyed most about working with EWB-GT?

AA:  EWB-GT is 100% run by students.  It is amazing that students can take whatthey learn in class and apply it to such a great cause.  For example, Georgia Tech students areresponsible for designing the water tank and water distribution system whichwill be used in Cameroon. 

ISyE: Howdo you plan to apply what you are learning as an ISyE student to EWB-GT?

AA:  As an industrial engineering student, I planon working with the team to offer more efficient and cost effective ways tohelp those in need.  For example, I canuse statistical data to determine how much water a community needs each day, orto assist in finding out the probability of disease in the water.  I hope to have the opportunity to travel withEWB-GT, and work on location. 

ISyE:  With the strenuous work load from yourclasses, how do you have time to volunteer?

AA:  It is always easy to find time for things welove.  When I have a little free timeaway from my books, I find time to do what I am passionate about.

ISyE:  What motivated you to pursue a degree inindustrial engineering?

AA:  I have always known I wanted to be anengineer, but I wasn’t sure in what capacity I wanted to pursue thisfield.  My strength lies in mathematicsand problem-solving.  As an industrialengineer, I can use my strengths for the good of humanity, helping underprivilegedcommunities, which is where my passion lies.

ISyE:  What are your hobbies and interests?

AA:  I enjoy Agbadja, a traditional dance from myhome in Togo, and listening to soukousse and zouk music, popular music in Africanculture.  I also like to travel andexplore other cultures.  On my last visitto Africa, I visited Benin, my family’s native country, to learn more about myheritage. 

ISyE:  What is your favorite thing to do on the GeorgiaTech campus?

AA:  The Georgia Tech Christian Campus Fellowship(CCF) is a great place to meet fellow students and make friends here oncampus.  I enjoy attending the CCF eventsand listening to their guest speakers.

ISyE:  How do you hope to contribute to society,making the world a better place, as an industrial engineer?

AA:  Using my skills as an industrial engineer, Ihope to work with disadvantaged communities, helping them gain access to suchbasic needs as clean water, food, and healthcare. 

For Johnson, his transition from the combattheater to the basketball arena isn’t as broad a leap as one might think. Infact, in a recent interview in the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) Johnson stated that, “you should neverbe surprised that an industrial engineer [IE] is anywhere,” particularly givenISyE’s status as the number-one ranked graduate program in industrial engineeringin the nation. IEs take real-life situations, Johnson explains, “and throughour analytical talents, we make them better.”

Believing that the value of any level education at Georgia Tech, regardless of the field of study, is measured by the success of its graduates around the world, Johnson is committed to helping students pursue their goals at Tech and take their skills into the world. To that end, he has endowed two scholarships at Georgia Tech -- the Ronald L Johnson Scholarship for African American students who have financial needs and are pursuing a degree in the Stewart School of ISyE and the Ronald L Johnson Roll Call Scholarship Endowment Fund. Johnson shared that he feels blessed to have the opportunity to do this, and he thinks “that it is right to give back when I've been blessed with so much.” 

Priorto earning his master's at Tech, Johnson graduated from the United StatesMilitary Academy at West Point, where he received a bachelor of science degree with a concentration in Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering.  He is also a "Jedi Warrior" graduate of the Army's elite School of Advanced Military Studies, where he earned a Master's in Strategic Planning. Johnson has received executiveleadership and national security training at Harvard University, GallupUniversity, George Washington University, the University of Virginia, and theCenter for Creative Leadership. He was an Army War College Fellow at the JointCenter for Political and Economic Studies.

Inthe interview that follows, Johnson explains how his IE degree has helped himboth in his military career and now in the NBA and what his relationship toGeorgia Tech means to him.

 ISyE:  You have had quite an illustrious career as a two-star general and then with the Army Corps of Engineers before heading theNBA's referee operations. How has your IE degree helped you as a two-stargeneral and working in the Army Corps of Engineers?

R.J.: I would like to think that mysuccesses from the day that I left GeorgiaTech to the day that I retired fromthe military were somehow influenced by my experiences at Tech in many ways.The diversity of the student body, the rigor of the Masters in OR program atTech -- all of that helped me. To be specific, as the Gulf Region division commanderin the Corps, understanding a systems approach to a large-scale program/projectmanagement in Iraq made it clear that field commanders, governmentrepresentatives, and the Iraqis should have input to what we were doing IF thisreconstruction was going to add value. Understanding how to synchronize all thepieces of the nation's largest public engineering firm as the Deputy CommanderGeneral (DCG) was key to success of the Corps. Also, as the DCG of the Corps, Iwas the lead for our Lean Six Sigma efforts.  There is no doubt that mycredentials from West Point and Georgia Tech were key in making me desirable toboth Lockheed-Martin and the NBA.

ISyE:  How has your IE degree helped you do your jobas the NBA’s senior vice president of referee operations? 

R.J.:  Georgia Tech has given me some quantitative skillsthat are critical to evaluating our performance. Understanding what data tellsyou, as well as what it does not is critical to success. Having the OperationsResearch and Systems Analysis (OR SA) degree from Tech also gives me understanding that allows me totake a systems approach in my position. In other words, it is important to seekinput from other basketball operations folks before implementing solutions oreven making assessments.

ISyE:  Do you have a formal procedure for schedulingyour referees? If so, what is it? 

R.J.: We do have a formal process inscheduling our referees that is not much different from how airlines crews arescheduled. We do not use the classic "travelling salesman" algorithm,nor do we attempt to solve any linear programming scheduling problem becauseour crews have constraints and restraints that are not conducive to a simplesolution.

ISyE:  What is your biggest challenge as the personresponsible for NBA referee operations? 

R.J.: This is a leadership position.Leading a highly competent and specialized group of people is very difficultwhen you haven't done what they have done. What I do bring to the job is provenleadership and a calm style that is necessary to deal with the emotions ofour game.

 
ISyE: What are the logisticsquestions/issues in scheduling the NBA referees?

R.J.: Of course there are logisticalchallenges associated with getting crews in place. Many think that referees goto games where they live -- not true -- our NBA referees are rapidly deployableLeague-wide. They go where they are scheduled, regardless of where they live.We are able to overcome some of the challenges of weather and flightcancellations by having work rules which require referees to be in place far inadvance of our games. Therefore we will know far enough in advance whether tosend in a replacement referee in the case of transport challenges orinjuries/illness. The biggest advantage we have is the dedication of ourofficials -- they will do whatever it takes to get to their games.

 
ISyE:  What motivated you to come to Georgia Tech to pursueyour graduate degree?  

R.J.: I met a Georgia Tech professor,the late Griffin Callahan, also a West Point graduate, and he sold me on theISyE's ORSA program.

ISyE:  Describe one of your most interesting momentsat Tech? 

R.J.: There are six -- the first wasbeing admitted and accepted in a conditional status; the second was Tech basketball;the third was graduation; the fourth was being named a Distinguished Grad; thefifth was meeting the young man who received my scholarship; and the sixth andmost recent is endowing my scholarship - forever.

ISyE:  In your interview with the AJC, you statedthat your education at Tech taught you how to think rather than what to think,can you give me an example or tell me why this is important to you? 

R.J.: This is a very important concept. There is a lotof "training" that you can receive in the classroom that teaches youmethods of solutions to problems. All you need to do is to just do a lot ofproblems. In my graduate education at Tech, we were often assigned problemsthat had no simple or "elegant" solutions. You had to know HOW TOTHINK about the problem and some possible ways of solving the problem basedupon what you already knew. Knowing HOW to think allows people to findsolutions that are NEW. Knowing what to think oftentimes limits you tosolutions that already exist.

ISyE:  What advice would you give a student startingthe program today? 

R.J.: Carpe Diem!  You are getting a greateducation and you can expand that education by getting involved in the entirecollege experience. Trust me – Georgia Tech is a great place to learn and agreat place to expand your horizons. Get involved. Get to know your classmates- embrace the diversity at Tech. Your classmates will be leaders of industryaround the world. The relationships you build today will be of great help toyou in the future.

ISyE: What do you read for pleasureand what are you reading now? 

R.J.: The NBA Rule Book --I'm still learning.  For pleasure, I just finished the 52nd Floor - Thinking Deeply aboutLeadership by David A. Levy, James E. Parco and Fred R. Blass; With Honor in Hand by Terron Sims; Outliers: The Story of Successby Malcolm Gladwell; and Private byJames Patterson.

ISyE:  Finish this sentence: Few people knowthat....... 

R.J.:  1. I am avery private person.  2. I work very hardevery day to get better.  3. I goanaerobic Monday through Friday to improve my fitness (I work out instead of goto lunch each week day unless I'm forced to attend a lunch meeting). 4. I won’tfeel that I have been successful until I have the title "Dr" in frontof my name.

 ISyE: Is there any one personwho has been an inspiration to you? If so, who, and how did they inspireyou? 

R.J.: I have three. CW4 (Ret) Don Lesch- he saw something in me that I never saw in myself and dared me to go to WestPoint, which tricked me into actually doing it. Also -- every soldier andcivilian that I have ever had the privilege of leading -- they selflessly servejust to get it done. Finally - my son, Ian. He is learning how to become a man.He does it in a very brave way and in his own way, but it scares me sometimes.