INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC)
Patricia L. Nilo
Principal Technical Advisor
Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC)
Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Patricia L. Nilo has more than 30 years of experience in CBRN defense. In January of 2006 she accepted the position as CTC’s principal technical advisor for CBRN defense programs. Her key previous CBRN experience includes serving as the acting deputy assistant to the secretary of defense for chemical/biological defense and as the chief of chemical and commandant of the U.S. Army Chemical School.
Q: Could you give MMT readers a little background information about your company?
A: Concurrent Technologies Corporation [CTC] is an independent, nonprofit, applied research and development professionalservices organization providing innovative management and technology-based solutions to a wide array of clients representing state and federal government as well as the private sector. Established in 1988, CTC operates from more than 35 locations with a staff of over 1,500 employees.
Q: What are some of the key services you provide?
A: The CTC CBRN team provides critical technologies, products and expertise through the superior application of research, development, testing and evaluation. We are strategically positioned and staffed to provide experts in CBRN/WMD defense, technical and analytical support, doctrine and training development, training support, test and evaluation, battle lab and force modernization, and analysis.
In addition to these force readiness thrust areas, CTC offers a wide range of services and capabilities including advanced materials and manufacturing; command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and energy and environmental sustainability.
Q: What makes you stand out in the market?
A: First, CTC is focused on providing quality solutions for our customers. We do this through detailed quality processes that center on our ISO 9001—quality management—and our ISO 14001—environmental management—systems. We were the first nonprofit R&D organization to be simultaneously certified to both of these international standards, achieving this distinction in 1998. Since that time, additional locations have been added to the certification scope, and all CTC locations conform to ISO practices and procedures.
These certifications and our aggressive search for the best qualified people guarantee the product we deliver to our customer is exactly the solution they were seeking.
CTC is a matrix organization which allows us to tap into the unique qualifications of each of our 1,500 employees. Many of our accomplishments are realized through successful collaborations with our military, academic and industrial partners. In addition, as an independent, non-profit organization, we can provide unbiased solutions and advice to our clients.
Q: You mentioned your accomplishments with military partners. What are some of your innovations in this area?
A: Recently in the CBRN arena, CTC has developed an accredited training and research program designed to provide novice, intermediate, apprentice and advanced laboratory technicians with knowledge and skills to work in a chemical surety or biological safety level laboratory. CTC also developed programs to enhance the critical skills needed by the responder community in response to threats posed by weapons of mass destruction. Incidentally, these programs provided accredited-associate through Masters’ degrees in the science of disaster response. We have produced a guide book designed as a ready-reference and operational guideline for DoD CBRN responders and incident commanders involved in military operational sensitive site exploitations. CTC developed and delivered advanced explosives search dog and tracking dog programs, transitioning the course materials to the DoD. Additionally, CTC analyzed existing military working dog deployment facilities and procedures, and developed a plan to verify training standards that serves to certify military working dog teams for follow-on assignments to austere theaters.
CTC has the capabilities to incorporate a mix of both technical and non-technical factors that provides workable solutions. A few additional areas we are involved with include digital command and control systems, fuel cell test and evaluation, system design, software engineering and many others.
Q: How are you positioned for the future within the military?
A: Working closely with DoD clients, CTC assists in developing innovative advanced technology solutions that satisfy the needs of our clients and emphasize increased quality, enhanced effectiveness, and rapid technology transition and deployment. We stand on our strong record of success and welcome further challenges from military clients. ♦