WID -

by Lois F. Brand (February 2003)

Head of Chesapeake Bay Chapter Honored
Cindy Broyles—president of the Women In Defense Chesapeake Bay Chapter, in Lexington Park, Md.—has been named Woman of the Year by the Margaret Brent Business and Professional Women’s Organization, which is headquartered in the same town.

Broyles was selected for her career achievements in the defense industry. In addition to her position with WID, she is a vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., in charge of the company’s work with the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), located at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md.

She heads a team of 250 analysts helping to develop support plans command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems for new Navy aircraft, such as the CV-22 tilt-rotorcraft and the multi-mission aircraft.

“We assess the long-term and short-term impacts of fielded and future systems,” Broyles said. “We use an integrated approach, incorporating acquisition, science and technology, operational, technical and systems perspectives to analyze and assess interoperability to support NAVAIR.”

Last year, Broyles helped create the WID Chesapeake Bay Chapter. “I recognized that there was a need to form an affinity group for women related to the NAVAIR defense market, and there certainly was,” she said. “It just felt like the right time.

“Our first meeting brought out more than 50 attendees, just for a meeting of interest. From there, we catapulted to over 70 members. We have already demonstrated a very strong track record of successful events and support to the community,” she noted.

The chapter decided that it would raise funds and award regional scholarships. “Our first major event was a social golf tournament,” Broyles said. “We raised more than $1,500, and we will be awarding our first three scholarships this spring to candidates from our tri-country area, where NAVIR is a major employer,” she said.

Small Business Seminar. At a recent WID seminar in Crystal City, Va., Linda Oliver, deputy director of the Defense Department’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, held an open forum with attendees.

Her office wants to help the military services gain access to the efficiency, innovation and creativity of small businesses, while remaining involved in the department’s development of acquisition strategy.

The seminar permitted WID members who are engaged in small-business ventures learn ways to expand their Defense Department customer base and take advantage of such programs as the Mentor-Protégé, Small Business Innovation Research, Small Business Technology Transfer and Women-Owned Small Business programs.“The exchange of ideas was both practical and innovative,” said WID President Norma P. Byron.

Top of page

Archives