From Navy Officer to Sr. Business Development Manager, Steve Vincent Helps Teams Succeed

Our Military Voices series provides an inside look at the incredible work veterans and service members across our company are doing every day by highlighting their stories, advice, and insights.

Today we are sharing Steve Vincent’s story!

Employed by TIAG in 2012, Steve Vincent has excelled in his role as Project Manager, Sr. Business Development Manager, and now Technology Partnerships Manager. In addition to being a talented leader and collaborator with an exceptional record of personal and professional responsibility, Steve is a sought-after public speaker on the unique challenges faced by military Veterans as they transition from active duty into civilian life.  

Before he was building and directing diverse teams and bringing projects to successful completion, Steve spent 25 years serving in the Navy on progressively more complex and demanding assignments. 

Although Steve had at first planned on being a police officer, he felt that he needed to see what else was out there in the world. He had always had an interest in the military, especially in the Surface Warfare community and driving ships. So in February 1988, he was officially commissioned as an Ensign. While he had many assignments, the highlight of his career was serving as the Commanding Officer of USS GERMANTOWN (LSD 42), a $1B amphibious warship. He was ultimately responsible for the ship and the 350 Sailors and 450 Marines that served on it.

“Two weeks after taking command of USS GERMANTOWN, my team and I experienced a major mishap that caused nearly $1M in damage to the ship,” Steve shared, “The ensuing investigation clearly identified systemic personnel, training, and equipment deficiencies. The Admiral I reported to looked at all the circumstances and chose to keep me  in command with a mandate to ‘fix it’. I had some fantastic people on my team and together we spent the next 16 months addressing a range of underlying issues. When I eventually turned the ship over to my successor, we had restored competency and professionalism to the ship. I left it better than I got it. The ship was involved in high-tempo operations in the Arabian Gulf and they didn’t miss a beat when I left. I always felt my job was to train my subordinates so that they could think for themselves and operate without me if necessary.”

Steve credits the military training he received in leadership, problem-solving, resilience, and adaptability to his success in the private sector.

Steve’s final active duty tour was as Commanding Officer of Navy Operational Support Center Kitsap in Bremerton, Washington. In this role he oversaw the training and support for about 900 Navy Reserve personnel. Steve was asked to serve as the Navy’s liaison to a non-profit called Hire America’s Heroes that was working to help educate employers on the value of a veteran while simultaneously helping veterans better understand their value proposition. 

When it was time for Steve to transition off of active duty and back into civilian life, the economy was in a downturn and he had no idea what he wanted or if he could even get a job.

“The transition was tough,” shared Steve, “I was fortunate to have an array of mentors who had been through it before and who provided regular feedback and encouragement.” 

Because of his own difficult transition, Steve works hard at TIAG to ensure that military veterans have every opportunity to succeed. His favorite part about working for TIAG is the chance the company gives him to advocate on behalf of veterans and help them make the transition smoothly—and ideally to also join the TIAG team. 

When asked how his time in the military affected him, Steve shared, “I learned how to ask good questions and be part of a team. I learned that I’m rarely the smartest person in the room, but many times I’ve been the senior person in the room. I learned the meaning of accountability and responsibility.” 

“Not every day was sunshine, but it was an amazing experience. The best part about transition was the chance to be at the dinner table at the same time, every day, and not miss any more special family events.”

In his role as Technology Partnerships  Manager, Steve supports TIAG’s federal government strategic growth efforts and routinely meets with organization CIOs and technology experts to help shape business requirements and identify the appropriate technology solutions. He also leads TIAG’s growth efforts for human performance technology solutions for the Mobile Resilience “mRes” mobile app and the Warrior Performance Platform (WP2) in conjunction with TIAG’s strategic technology partner, CoachMePlus.

“I really enjoyed interacting with smart and talented young men and women who are eager to prove themselves and grow. When I think back on my time in the military, I sometimes miss that. But I’m also glad to not have to get up at 2 a.m. to go stand and stare into blackness for hours on end!” 

At TIAG, we proudly serve those who serve and not only do we encourage military veterans to work for us…we are actively recruit them! One out of every four employees is a veteran and our Military Voices series shares their stories and experiences. Through this series, we hope to inspire our community and provide a unique perspective on leadership, teamwork, perseverance, and more.