Company and Executive Women Worth Watching® 2014 Award Winner
Sandia National Laboratories
Jill M.
Hruby
HEADQUARTERS: Albuquerque, New Mexico
WEBSITE: www.sandia.gov BUSINESS: Federally funded research and development center
“Anticipating issues,
finding the positive in a situation, and being determined have SERVED me well.”
REVENUES: $2.6 billion EMPLOYEES: 10,000 TITLE: Vice President, International, Homeland, and Nuclear Security
How has education affected your career? My engineering education has done two tremendous things for me: allowed me to work in areas that interest me and satisfy my curiosity, and provided me with the foundation to think through complex problems.
EDUCATION: BS, Purdue University; MS, University of California, Berkeley
FIRST JOB: My first job after
What does it take to succeed and stay competitive in your position/field? Staying current on both technical developments and national security trends. Constantly focusing on the most important issues, while not ignoring the routine—this is a difficult balance. Never being afraid to express opinions and ideas, and being willing to adjust.
M
Y ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE BEGAN AS A COLLEGE STUDENT WORKING IN A FOUNDRY IN THE 1970s. My summer project was an engineering modification on the factory floor. In that place, at that time, the factory workers didn’t like any engineer to be on the “floor,” let alone a twenty-something female. It was not a professionally kind environment, and it went as far as sabotage. Things happened—drawings disappeared and screws were removed overnight. I learned to establish recovery plans, and I successfully completed the project without drama. I learned not only how to anticipate issues, but to be determined without developing a negative attitude. There were at least as many supportive people as there were those determined to drive me out. I actually worked there a second summer. The rest of my engineering career has been in a research and development environment, much different than the foundry. The obstacles have been more subtle, but altogether not too different. I became a leader by working with and through exceptional people. Anticipating issues, finding the positive in a situation, and being determined have served me
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obtaining my degrees was at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory doing calculations for building energy savings.
MY PHILOSOPHY: Be positive and determined, and don’t forget to laugh. What I’m Reading: The Round House, by Louise Erdrich well. Today, I manage an organization with over one thousand people as well as a complex business unit. I have added a few more coping skills, especially humor and authenticity. Humor is important for me. I live by the notion of taking my job seriously but not taking myself too seriously. Laughing with others is wonderful, and I try to bring my sense of humor to work with me every day. It is a natural way to stay positive even when the situation is difficult. Over the years, I’ve discovered that people want to know their leaders. I spent most of my career staying private, even while interested in others. I willingly expressed my opinions, but not my feelings. My behavior was driven by being different, since I was usually the only woman in my work group at my level and did not want to accentuate the differences. I did laundry, cooked, worried about daycare, kids, and getting homework done—and I kept it to myself. Over time, I have become more comfortable sharing my life and feelings. It seems to help others understand they can be real people and be successful. What is most important to me now is to create a work environment where all women and men can bring themselves more fully to work everyday.