Q&A with Nicholas
Nicholas is a Defense Key Account Manager at Radiall USA.
Q. How long have you worked at Radiall?
A. I’ve been at Radiall for 2 years and 6 months.
Q. What did you do when you first started at Radiall?
A. I first started as a Key Account Manager for Lockheed Martin.
Q. Can you tell us more about your current role?
A. As key account manager, I was given the opportunity to visit a variety of US defense customers. Pairing that with my prior knowledge of US defense acquisition, I learned more about the commercial side of the US defense market and found market space where Radiall can utilize its people, facilities and tooling to obtain more market share. Now I do business development for Radiall in the US defense market.
Q. What do you like most about your work?
A. I phrase it as Radiall lets me play with all their toys.
Radiall allows me to define my own role. I have regular tasks and responsibilities that are part of my job title and I prioritize those first. However; I’m not limited to just what my job title is.
If I see an opportunity for the company and I can define it, I'm given the opportunity to present that business case to decision makers in the corporate structure above me. They don’t go ahead with or “green light” all my ideas but I appreciate a management team that listens!
Q. What characteristics are essential for developing innovative products for demanding applications, like Fortero?
A. Identifying a market need that Radiall can address is the first step in new product development. Next comes quantifying the need and building a business case
With Fortero, we spotted customers using a competitor’s product designed for aircraft but adapted poorly for surface applications. By leveraging existing technologies from Radiall’s Heavy Duty, OIS and Multipin BUs, we developed a surface-specific solution that outperformed the competition.
Fortero isn’t new technology—it’s a new product, built from proven innovations to meet high demand in a low-competition market. This is the ideal opportunity: leveraging Radiall’s expertise and resources for minimal development.
Q. What’s been one of the proudest moments in your career?
A. Selling our first fiber fusion product, a fiber laser end cap to get Radiall in the fiber laser component business.
Q. In what ways has your military career influenced your approach to problem-solving in your role at Radiall?
A. One of my proudest achievements in the US military may seem minor but was a major departure from my norm.
More pilots needed training to fly C-17s into less developed airports, including dirt and gravel airstrips. Historically, carbon fiber landing gear doors were damaged by high-speed impacts from rocks and debris. Replacing these doors was costly and inefficient. Drawing from my experience, I thought, “The military has landed on rough airstrips since its inception, why is this a problem now?”
With my background in C-130 operations, I understood how those landing gear doors handled similar challenges, but I needed a new approach. I consulted military aircraft experts, leading to the creation of the “Sergeant Busch Edge.”
This simple, effective solution is now standard on all C-17s landing on rough terrain. The trophy in my office for this achievement continues to inspire my drive for innovation, like with Fortero.