A continued steady focus on supporting the Warfighter is one of the key guideposts for Picatinny Arsenal's largest organization as it moves forward.
That is one of the bedrock principles expressed by Barbara Machak, acting director of the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, or ARDEC.
With the recent retirement of former ARDEC Director Dr. Gerardo Melendez, the acting director position will rotate for 120 days among Machak, John Hedderich and David Castellano until a permanent director is appointed. Machak's term began May 30.
"We still have Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and special operators protecting our freedom," Machak said. "We must stay focused on our mission. They depend on us."
ARDEC is one of the U.S. Army's premier research and engineering facilities, receiving recognition for its emphasis on quality improvement with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the Shingo Bronze Medallion for Operational Excellence.
"We have never rested on our laurels," Machak said. "We used those awards to benchmark ourselves and look for areas to improve.
"With each or those, you get feedback on areas where you needed to improve. We took that feedback, as well as interviews with our customers, and we have used that in our strategic initiatives."
Machak said she believes ARDEC is well positioned for current and future challenges.
"We proved value through all of the support that we gave to our Warfighters through this last 13 years," she said. "We've proven value by winning 34 out of 100 of Army Greatest Inventions that were voted on by our Soldiers.
"We have worked our Baldrige framework for our processes and our business results. We are poised to react and also guide the Army into the future."
As a manager, Machak said she believes in sharing information, reaching as much consensus ahead of time as possible, and challenging ourselves constantly to improve.
"Just because you did something one way, it doesn't mean it always has to be that way," she noted. "Everybody has to look and what they are doing and ask, 'Does that make sense?' You can't be afraid to change it."
Recent news stories have depicted large organizations whose cultures have tended to keep problems bottled up a lower levels, sometimes leaving senior managers in the dark.
"My philosophy has always been to have an open, two-way communication between employees," Machak said. She noted various communications channels, such as town halls, open-door sessions, and meetings with both the supervisors and employees in groups.
"My message is, 'We hired you so that we could hear your voice.' And we know that bad news doesn't get better with time."
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The Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers.
RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.
Related Links:
Biographical information about Barbara Machak
ARTICLE: Barbara Machak appointed acting deputy director at RDECOM
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