Williams International is a mid-market, privately-owned company that in fifty years
has grown from its high-technology research and development roots to become a world-class producer of small gas turbine engines.

We are unique in the aerospace industry because we are relatively small, we have always been privately-owned, and our team members possess an exceptional level of technical experience, skill, and innovation. Reflecting our commitment to a strong team concept, all team members are salaried employees with common benefits.

In becoming an industry leader, we have developed core competencies in:

• Design, development, certification and product support of the innovative, reliable, small gas turbine engines
• Automated lean manufacturing processes producing high quality engines on schedule and at low cost
• Effective management systems to successfully manage large complex programs
• Strategic use of information technology to improve the operation of the company and our support of our customers

As other companies benchmark the world-class performers, they visit Williams International and try to emulate our systems and approaches. They leave saying, "If only we could get these kinds of results."

We owe this success to our people, our culture, and our leadership.

The members of our team are highly technical people. Reflecting our heritage in research and development, degreed engineers make up 20% of our team.  Our team is highly educated: 53% have education following high school; a third hold four-year or advanced degrees; and one out of ten has a post-graduate degree.

Our team shares a common vision of the future and a belief that we have a better way of doing things. We have grown internally, not through acquisition. One-third of our current team members have joined us in the past three years. We strongly believe in developing our own management talent. During the last five years, growth and retirements have created many opportunities for advancement. Most of these positions have been filled from our own ranks:

While we recruit some experienced individuals to provide unique technical skills, our goal is to hire at the entry level and develop from within. We reinforce this culture through internal leadership and skills development programs for all team members. Empowered Process Improvement Teams play a critical role in achieving our goals and the continuous improvement we have come to expect.

Good communication and sound leadership yield great results. Senior leadership is deeply committed to excellence and continuous improvement, and stresses the core value of integrity in all dealings with customers, suppliers, the community, and each other. Our company also is committed to building clean engines using clean manufacturing processes.

The commitment to excellence is seen in the large ongoing investment we make in capital, internal research and development, and human resources. Measured as a percent of sales, our investment in capital expenditures is three times the average in the aerospace industry. Our internal research and development investment is double that of our competitors. The commitment is seen in the time and energy each of us devotes to continuous improvement and reengineering the way we do business.

Finally, the commitment is clearly seen in our Human Resources Management Strategy to:

1. Hire and retain the best team members;
2. Provide a safe and challenging environment conducive to high performance;
3. Clearly communicate expectations and company goals to all team members;
4. Ensure all team members have the basic skills needed to perform their job, and partner with team members for continuous personal development;
5. Appropriately reward team members for team and personal results and skill development; and
6. Use the skills, knowledge, and ability of all team members to achieve continuous improvement.

This culture may not be what everyone is looking for in a career. There aren't a lot of places to hide at Williams International. Performance is highly visible and rewarded with the opportunity for responsibility and advancement. Schedules, budgets, and technical goals are always challenging. We expect excellence and continuous improvement, and we achieve it.

Rewards include above average base salaries and benefits, an annual results-based incentive award based on company performance, rapid promotions based on individual contributions and skills development, and the opportunity to be treated fairly and to really make a difference. Ongoing self-development is another reward; it is both expected and supported by the company. Finally, we feel it is important for everyone to enjoy their job and have fun at work.

If you are looking for challenge, and want to work with the best, Williams International is the place for you and a Cool Place to Work.

Bob Scherba
Senior Vice President People Development

Bob holds a BSE from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He has been with Williams International since 1986.