horizonsvol13issue3

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*This color may be used as a tint or percentage.

HorizonsA magazine for the employees and friends of Rockwell Collins, Inc. > Volume 13 Issue 3 > 2008

Page 2 > An alternate approach

Page 4 > 2008 Good Citizenship Award winner

Page 6 > Stewards of our planet

www.rockwellcollins.com/horizons

Page 8 >

Operations Job Rotation Program provides multiple experiences for the next generation of Rockwell Collins leaders.

Gaining new perspectives

An optimistic forecast

In recent years, Rockwell Collins employees around the world have felt the effects of Mother

Nature’s wrath.

Whether dealing with the aftermath of hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires or earthquakes, our employees have always responded with concern and support – all the while working to ensure that our operations continue.

When much of Eastern Iowa and Cedar Rapids recently succumbed to historic and unprecedented floodwaters, employees across our enterprise once again responded with overwhelming support.

Together, we have overcome many obstacles. But – as I stated in my recent

video to our employees – we have much to be optimistic about, and we have many opportunities for future growth.

Our recent acquisition of Athena Technologies, which you can read about in this issue of Horizons, is one example of how we are moving into new

market segments to position us for continued growth.

I’m extremely proud of the people of Rockwell Collins, and I look forward to accomplishing even more as we move into the future.

Clay Jones

Chairman, President and CEO

HorizonsPublisher: Dave Yeoman

Editorial director: Dan Sandersfeld

EDITORIAL TEAM:Managing editor:

Robert Fleener +1.319.295.8791

Editor:

Jill Wojciechowski +1.319.295.4998

Copy editor:

Ruth Anne Denker +1.319.295.0643

Staff writers:

Crystal Hardinger +1.319.295.3932

Anne Wiskerchen +1.319.295.7533

Contributors in this issue:Michele Albert, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Phyllis Blech, Bellevue, Iowa

Sherry Bonelli, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Silvia Rivera Cardoza, Mexicali, Mexico

Steve Carnesi, Decorah, Iowa

Anne Carreras, Tullamarine, Australia

Erin Harmeyer, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Larry Jordan, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

Rodin Lyasoff, Warrenton, Va.

Yen Pham, San Jose, Calif.

Mihea Roberts, Tustin, Calif.

Sophie Schurch, Blagnac, France

Anna Stepanova, Moscow, Russia

Maureen Stevens, Warrenton, Va.

Margaret Wilhelm, Bellevue, Iowa

Leisa Young, Ottawa, Canada

Sharon Zeimet, Bellevue, Iowa

Betty Zhang, Beijing, China

How to contact us:Email: [email protected]

Mailing address: Horizons

Rockwell Collins M/S 124-302

400 Collins Road NE

Cedar Rapids, IA 52498-0001

Phone: +1.319.295.4998

Fax: +1.319.295.9374

Web address: www.rockwellcollins.com/horizons

How to contact the Ombudsman:

Phone: +1.866.224.8137 or +1.319.295.7714

Email: [email protected]

Horizons is published bimonthly by Rockwell Collins

Enterprise Communications for our employees,

retirees, shareowners and customers. We seek to

inform and inspire our readers by incorporating

our company’s Vision, business goals and other

enterprise-wide initiatives throughout our

publication. We also strive to spotlight issues

that affect our employees, our company and

our industry. © 2008 Rockwell Collins, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Volume 13 > Issue 3 > 2008

Back Cover > Facility spotlightLearn more about Rockwell Collins in the

United Kingdom, which is located in Reading, halfway between London and Oxford.

Rockwell Collins Flood Recovery FundIn response to unprecedented flooding in Cedar Rapids and much of Eastern Iowa, Rockwell Collins has established the Rockwell Collins Flood Recovery Fund. This fund will enable our employees, retirees, customers, suppliers, and other friends of our company to make financial donations to flood recovery efforts. Employees based in the United States and retirees who would like to make a donation can do so by writing a check to the Rockwell Collins Employee United Fund. Please indicate “flood recovery” on your check, and send to the attention of Jolene Trout, Rockwell Collins, 400 Collins Road NE, M/S 106-176, Cedar Rapids, IA 52498. International employees, customers, suppliers, and other friends of the company who wish to donate can do so by writing a check to the Rockwell Collins Flood Recovery Fund, c/o the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, P.O. Box 9, Marion, IA 52302. More information about Rockwell Collins’ flood recovery efforts is available online at www.rockwellcollins.com/floodrecovery.

Photo by Paul Marlow, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

HorizonsVolume 13 > Issue 3 > 2008

2 > An alternate approach Find out why the development of competitive

sensor capabilities became easier for Rockwell Collins with the recent acquisition of Athena Technologies.

4 > A heart the size of Texas The 2008 Rockwell Collins Good Citizenship

Award winner doesn’t horse around when it comes to volunteer work.

8 > Gaining new perspectives Discover how the next generation of Rockwell Collins

leaders is gaining broader perspectives through the Operations Job Rotation Program.

Also in this issue13 > Service anniversaries Visit Horizons online for the following Web extras:

• An in-depth look at Patrick Allen, senior vice president and chief financial officer

• Feature stories about our Good Citizenship Award finalists

• A closer look at Gary Green, our Open Innovator quarterly award winner

• A question-and-answer session with Lean Consultant Mark Anderson

• More information about what’s taking place across our company

• Additional service anniversaries

• Recent retirements

• In memoriam

On the cover > Nick Zakrasek has always enjoyed traveling and learning about different cultures. A graduate of Brown University in Providence, R.I., Zakrasek is a member of the Lean Six Sigma

Center of Excellence at Rockwell Collins in San Jose, Calif. He is pictured during a recent visit to the Chinese Cultural Garden in San Jose.

6 > Stewards of our planetLearn how Rockwell Collins employees in Michigan,

Kansas, and Mexico have taken positive steps toward caring for our environment and the people in it.

11 > Across our companyLearn more about what’s taking place in Rockwell Collins

locations around the world including Bellevue and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Warrenton, Va.

Back Cover > Facility spotlightLearn more about Rockwell Collins in the

United Kingdom, which is located in Reading, halfway between London and Oxford.

> Innovative solutions — The former Athena Technologies’ navigation and control solutions have been used in a number of unmanned platforms, including this Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (TUAS).

Rockwell Collins Image

An alternate approach

Acquisition of Athena Technologies makes development of competitive sensor capabilities easier for Rockwell Collins.

By Crystal Hardinger

Dave Vos is absolutely certain the day will come when both manned and unmanned

airplanes are flying together in the same airspace. The founder of the former Athena Technologies and the current senior director of Control Technologies for Rockwell Collins, Vos has little doubt that what many people deem unrealistic today will indeed happen within his lifetime. “It will be like stepping on one of those trains at the airport that nobody is driving,” said Vos, whose fascination with airplanes began during his childhood days in South Africa. “You will be able to fly, fully automated, from one airport to another simply by pushing a button.” His insatiable desire to develop new solutions for the aerospace and defense industry began in the late 1970s while Vos was a student at the

University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. Realizing that autopilot develop-ment required a cheaper and faster solution with less variation, he relocated to the United States and earned a doctorate in Estimation and Control from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass. It was there that he began developing theory to design control systems in a different way.

His research – and the development of patented algorithms – ultimately led to the 1998 launch of Athena Technologies. Eventually, this

Warrenton, Va.-based company caught the attention of Rockwell Collins and, on April 7, 2008, about 70 employees joined the Rockwell Collins family.

Filling a gapPrior to acquiring Athena Technologies, senior leaders at Rockwell Collins were searching for ways to fill a gap within Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) – an area within our Government Systems Precision Strike Solutions portfolio. According to Steve Kennell, director of Advanced Sensors Product Line Management at Rockwell Collins, our company had been forced in the past to buy sensor technologies from two of our largest competitors. “We tried developing competitive [sensor] technologies in the past, but they were heavily patented,” said Kennell, who was actively involved in the acquisition. “We had to buy from others, and going to some of your biggest competitors for a core technology you need [to compete























2 H O R I Z O N S > 2 0 0 8

“We started in the unmanned systems world, but the long view is aviation at large.”

—Dave Vos

against them] isn’t a good answer.” Eventually, our company began looking for alternatives with low cost approaches, and finally found alignment with Athena Technologies– a company that develops advanced, integrated flight control systems and sensor suites. “Honeywell and Northrop Grumman have patented their own superstar sensors,” said Kennell. “Athena Technologies took a different approach that does not tie them to one sensor technology.” As a result, Rockwell Collins is now able to develop products with sensor capabilities that are very competitive in power, size, weight, and cost without having to depend on others.

Aligned visionsAccording to Kennell, when Rockwell Collins forms strategic alliances, buying a company is not necessarily the preferred option. But in this case, leaders from both companies approached the deal in nearly the same fashion. Athena Technologies currently develops and provides flight control and navigation solutions primarily for the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market segment. Yet, Vos has always envisioned doing more in manned market segments. “Athena’s mission from day one was to commoditize and commercialize the control theory I had put into several patents,” said Vos. “We started in the

unmanned systems world, but the long view is aviation at large.” About two years ago, Vos took a good look at world and market dynamics, and noticed the unmanned systems marketplace was beginning to mature and consolidate. That meant he needed to position his company for future change. Although he wasn’t initially looking to sell Athena Technologies, he still began making a list of companies he thought were best-suited for the company he founded. “We were looking at the next level of collaboration needed in order to make our growth profiles even more aggressive,” said Vos. “It’s no secret that Rockwell Collins was at the top

of the list.” And, as leaders from the two companies got to know one another, the visions quickly aligned. “This acquisition really helps fill INS gaps and positions our company in the UAV marketplace,” said Kennell.

“It opens up a whole new era of growth for both Government and Commercial Systems.” <h>























V O L U M E 1 3 > I S S U E 3 3

Photo by Rodin Lyasoff, Warrenton, Va.























Web extra: Learn more about the former Athena Technologies from Warrenton employees who are developing leading- edge solutions for UAV and manned aircraft programs in Horizons online at www.rockwellcollins.com/horizons.

“We were looking at the next level of collaboration needed in order to make our growth profiles even more aggressive. It’s no secret that Rockwell Collins was at the top of the list.”

—Dave Vos

> The founding father — A South African native and graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dave Vos founded the former Athena Technologies in 1998. The company, which develops advanced, integrated flight control systems and sensor suites, was acquired by Rockwell Collins in April 2008.

> Dedicated volunteer — Carol Chamberlin found her ‘second home’ when she began volunteering at Equest Therapeutic Horsemanship Center in Wylie, Texas. The winner of the 2008 Rockwell Collins Good Citizenship Award, Chamberlin spends between 20 and 30 hours volunteering each week.

Photo by Brandon Jennings, Dallas, Texas

A heart the size of TexasWhen it comes to volunteer work, Carol Chamberlin doesn’t ‘horse around.’ That’s one of many reasons she received the 2008 Rockwell Collins Good Citizenship Award.























4 H O R I Z O N S > 2 0 0 8

By Jill Wojciechowski

Carol Chamberlin might not have realized it at the time, but a few simple words uttered in a

horse barn more than a decade ago are forever etched in the memory of one of America’s top-ranked Para-Equestrian riders. Deb Lewin had never been on a horse prior to her visit to the Equest Therapeutic Horsemanship Center in Wylie, Texas. That’s where Chamberlin – after a day’s work at Rockwell Collins in nearby Richardson

– spends between 20 and 30 hours volunteering each week. A former international able-bodied athlete from Africa, Lewin was still trying to cope with the long-term effects of a tragic accident that left

her confined to a wheelchair, when she first met Chamberlin and the quarter horse affectionately referred to as “Mrs. Butterworth.” With her left side paralyzed, and her vision and hearing severely impaired, Lewin was entirely dependent upon her caretakers. It’s no wonder that the 37-year-old was apprehensive about making her way into the saddle. With her heart pounding and her eyes filled with a combination of fear and excitement, Lewin sat cautiously atop the horse. She then looked down and directly into Chamberlin’s comforting eyes. “This is my first time,” said Lewin, who relocated from her native country of Zimbabwe to the United States in the late 1980s. “I once rode a camel, but never a horse.”

“Don’t worry, this isn’t my first time,” responded Chamberlin, the 2008 Rockwell Collins Good Citizenship Award winner. And, the rest is history. “I’ll never, ever forget those words and the look on her face,” said Lewin, now a National Para-Equestrian champion and motivational speaker.

“She was so calm, cool and collected, and I was shaking like a leaf. “Carol was so instrumental in encouraging me to enjoy the ride, and in helping me overcome the fears that I had,” continued Lewin, now 49. “She encouraged me to be independent, and she has a heart the size of Texas.”

Touching livesThe instant bond formed between Lewin and Chamberlin illustrates the way in which volunteerism – in this













































V O L U M E 1 3 > I S S U E 3 5

case with the help of a well-mannered horse – can touch lives. “It’s just amazing when you see somebody come in who can’t walk or talk, and they take their first few steps because the horse has helped them gain their balance or they utter their first few words,” said Chamberlin.

“When someone who feels they have nothing to smile about bursts out laughing after they get on a horse – it’s just incredible.”

A love for horses Raised on a 1,500-acre cattle ranch in the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon, Chamberlin’s love for horses began at an early age. She and her siblings spent a lot of time on the ranch “riding the fences” and rounding up cattle. Following high school graduation, Chamberlin enrolled at the University of Oregon, and later enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. She eventually found herself stationed in England, near the famous Newmarket Racecourse

– the historical home and current powerhouse of British horseracing. “I used to go over to Newmarket just to be closer to the horses,” admitted Chamberlin. “The touch of a horse is just unexplainable – the warmth and comfort they provide is amazing.” Eventually, Chamberlin found herself in Texas, where she and her husband, Allen, settled on a 12-acre ranch in rural Collin County outside the small town of Nevada. There, she stables and cares for six horses – five of which she adopted from Equest – and is awaiting the arrival in early August of another horse currently being trained for trail riding. While finishing her associate degree at Richland College in Dallas in the early 1990s, Chamberlin decided to heed the advice of one of her instructors and began searching for a non-profit organization where

she could spend about 20 hours volunteering each week. Ironically, Equest was one of hundreds on the list and, before long, Chamberlin had found what she describes as her second home.

A valuable assetThe oldest and one of the largest non-profit therapeutic riding centers in Texas, Equest provides therapeutic sports riding classes and hippo-

therapy – treatment using the movement of a horse – to help more than 200 students each week. One of about 1,000 volunteers who help keep the center going strong, Chamberlin began her volunteer work in 1992. She has since been recognized as the North American Riding for the

Handicapped Association (NARHA) Regional Volunteer of the Year and has trained and mentored thousands. “The rewards you receive as a volunteer are wonderful,” said Chamberlin, who also serves as an announcer for the Special Olympic Equestrian Games and the North Texas Hunter Jumper Club Show.

“Knowing that you’re doing something that’s changing someone’s life forever and that the contribution you’re making is enhancing their life … that’s priceless.” According to Ellie Grant, director of Volunteer Services at Equest, Chamberlin’s experience and wisdom, combined with her love of the horses, are what make her such a valuable asset. “She has a unique way of seeing the talent and potential in people and the ability to deal with them using humor and encouragement,” said Grant, who was actually trained and mentored by Chamberlin about 10 years ago.

“She invests a lot of time and energy in helping people, and she has never shied away from her commitment to our organization. “Our clients at Equest are naturally drawn to Carol,” continued Grant.

“She inspires confidence in them when they didn’t even know they had it, and she never gives up.” <h>

> A leader in the ring — Rockwell Collins Senior Electronics Technician Carol Chamberlin (right) leads Mrs. Butterworth from the show ring following competition in which rider Kyle Witt received his first ever first-place trophy. Watching participants succeed is one of the things Chamberlin loves about her volunteer work.

Web extra: Learn more about Rockwell Collins Good Citizenship Award finalists Gary Prior and Karen Strasko in Horizons online at www.rockwellcollins.com/horizons.

Photo courtesy of Carol Chamberlin, Richardson, Texas

“Knowing that you’re doing something that’s changing someone’s life forever … that’s priceless.”

—Deb Lewin

By Anne Wiskerchen

Adair Renning believes she has the best of both worlds. She has managed to combine her love

of nature with her responsibilities as an administrative assistant at Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc., and she also is positively affecting our environment. For the past two years, Renning has spent countless hours at a wetland area on the property of this Rockwell Collins wholly-owned subsidiary in Ann Arbor, Mich., helping the declining blue bird population nest and care for their young. According to Renning, the continued destruction of the blue birds’ natural habitat was significantly reducing

their population. But, thanks to this increasingly popular wetland, the numbers are beginning to grow. “Blue birds can thrive in our [wetland] area because there are plenty of trees for perching,” said Renning, who joined our company in March 2003. “There’s also plenty of open space for them to find worms and bugs for nourishment.” While the wetland area has become an important part of Renning’s daily life, it is a project that didn’t emerge entirely on its own. About eight years ago, Dave Schiller began researching an area of the site known for constant flooding. The facilities manager at Kaiser Optical Systems, Schiller discovered the

drainage area had been maintained incorrectly. So, instead of re-engineering the area, he decided to let nature run its course. “I simply let the drainage field turn into something that could benefit our company, our employees, and most importantly, our planet,” said Schiller, who has been in his current position since July of 1997. “Today, it’s a 4,000-square-foot, National Wildlife Federation certified wildlife habitat.”

Multiple environmental benefitsDuring the past eight years, Renning and many of her colleagues have taken responsibility for maintaining and caring for the diverse plant, animal and insect populations that now call the wetland home. “The first year, we successfully fledged one nest of five babies,” said Renning. “Our employees loved watching the birds so much that we decided to incorporate more nests.”























6 H O R I Z O N S > 2 0 0 8

Employees in Michigan, Kansas, and Mexico have taken positive steps toward caring for our environment and the people in it. Will you follow their lead?

Stewards of our planet

> Love of nature — Adair Renning feeds the blue birds that nest and care for their young on the wetland area at Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc., in Ann Arbor, Mich. Renning is an administrative assistant at this wholly-owned subsidiary of Rockwell Collins.

Photo by Martin Vloet, Ann Arbor, Mich.

> Nature takes its course — Dave Schiller let nature run its course at Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc., in Ann Arbor, Mich. What had once been a drainage field is now a wildlife habitat that is certified by the National Wildlife Federation. Schiller is the facilities manager in Ann Arbor.

Photo by Martin Vloet, Ann Arbor, Mich.























V O L U M E 1 3 > I S S U E 3 7

Today, our entire Ann Arbor employee population helps monitor the blue birds’ progress and provides Renning with nest activity updates and photos. According to Tom Gentner, director of Environment, Safety, and Health (ES&H) at Rockwell Collins, projects similar to the wetland endeavor in Michigan result in multiple environmental benefits. “Each of us is obligated to be stewards of our planet,” said Gentner. “Our environment is important to everyone, but this also benefits our company. By getting involved, our employees are helping to reduce costs and increase efficiencies.”

Going beyond complianceEnsuring the safety of our employees and the protection of our environment is always at the forefront of Gentner’s mind. That’s why his primary role includes making sure our company adheres to all rules, laws and policies that regulate ES&H activities. But, Gentner believes it’s also

extremely important for employees to understand that environment, safety and health is much more than compliance. “Standardizing processes helps create a safe and efficient work environment,” he said, “but it also provides our employees a chance to go above and beyond.” At the Rockwell Collins Service Center in Wichita, Kan., our employees are doing exactly that. Well-versed in

ES&H standards and best practices, these individuals are leading an effort to help our company become certified by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). According to Tom Blankenship, senior facilities technician in Wichita, implementing our ES&H Integrated Management System was a major step toward achieving this significant recognition from OSHA. “We had a lot of the processes and certifications in place in Wichita prior to introducing this system,” said Blankenship. “That gave us a head start on the road to VPP certification.” Today, four of our facilities – Wichita, Seattle, Coralville and Manchester – currently use the Integrated Management System. Eight more locations are actively deploying the system, which helps increase productivity and efficiency through

standardization and waste reduction. Global deployment will continue through 2011. Based on our Lean philosophy, this system allows our company to keep an eye on the results we want to achieve. And, while the system is important, its foundation and the future of ES&H at our company is our people, said Blankenship.

Raising awarenessJoan Smith is one of several Rockwell Collins employees trying to lead by example when it comes to ES&H activities. A service center administrator in Wichita, Smith has taken it upon herself to help promote opportunities for her colleagues to improve their health. Through bulletin boards and fliers distributed throughout the facility, Smith is promoting the topic of























“Our environment is important to everyone, but this also benefits our company.”

—Tom Gentner

(continued on Page 13)

> Taking the lead — Tom Blankenship is one of several employees at the Rockwell Collins Service Center in Wichita, Kan., who helped implement the facility’s Environment, Safety & Health Management System. Blankenship is a senior facilities technician.

Photo by Brandon Chauncey, Wichita, Kan.























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By Jill Wojciechowski

Katie Lehmann is the first to admit her exposure to life beyond

the Iowa state line was at one time extremely limited. Raised in the rural Northeast Iowa community of Peosta, Lehmann never dreamed she would one day reside on the Space Coast of East Central Florida in a city more than 70 times larger than her hometown. “My family always stayed fairly close to home,” said Lehmann, now an industrial engineer at Rockwell Collins in Melbourne, Fla., and a participant in our company’s Operations Job Rotation Program. “We’re a very close-knit family, and we just didn’t have an opportunity to travel.” Erica Davis was raised in similar fashion. Born in a small town west of Pittsburgh, Pa., Davis moved with her family to Iowa City, Iowa, when she was in third grade. Like her colleague, the opportunity to learn about the multitude of cultures outside of the Midwest was rare. Ironically, both Lehmann and Davis – a former production control specialist in Cedar Rapids and current buyer in Melbourne – are quickly developing a broader perspective of life. But they’re not the only young people embarking on an experience that will more than likely help further their careers and

also grow our company. Nick Zakrasek is currently in his third job rotation as a member of the Lean Six Sigma Center of Excellence at our facility in San Jose, Calif. A graduate of Brown University in Providence, R.I., Zakrasek has already spent time as an industrial engineer in Coralville, and as a sourcing specialist in Cedar Rapids. In September, he will become the

first Operations employee to travel internationally as part of the job rotation program when he begins work as a Lean-Sigma Black Belt at our facility in Heidelberg, Germany, where he will assist with the integration of Lean and Six Sigma. “The rotation program is fantastic because you get complete, hands-on experience in all of those areas,” said Zakrasek, who signed onto our job rotation program during his senior year of college and started work in June 2006. “You’ll work on everything from supplier negotiations to workcell flow — all while being groomed for an eventual management position.”

A new generationThree of more than 75 million members of Generation Y — sometimes referred to as the Millenials — Lehmann, Davis and Zakrasek are embarking on careers in an increasingly multigenerational workplace.

They also are pursuing advancement in an industry facing a potential workforce crisis as scores of employees reach retirement age. The trio is part of the new generation that is forcing companies like ours to think more about what we are doing to attract and retain young talent, to build our leadership pipeline,

Gaining new perspectivesOperations Job Rotation Program provides multiple experiences for the next generation of Rockwell Collins leaders.

> An eye-opening experience — Katie Lehmann never dreamed she’d live in a city more than 70 times larger than her hometown until she became part of the Rockwell Collins Operations Job Rotation Program. Today, the 23-year-old native of Peosta, Iowa, lives and works in Melbourne, Fla.

Photo by Kristen Bartlett, Gainesville, Fla.























V O L U M E 1 3 > I S S U E 3 9























and to gain an advantage in an ever-changing and increasingly competitive global marketplace. “When young people join our company, they might not know exactly what area they’re most interested in,” said Cindy Bonebright, director of Leader and Employee Development at Rockwell Collins. “Job Rotation Programs like the one currently in place in Operations expose these individuals to several areas of our business, helping them find the work they like best, and providing them with multiple experiences that will ultimately help our company as a whole.”

A broader viewLaunched in January 2006, the Operations Job Rotation Program is one of two formal rotation programs currently in existence. Finance also has a program in place, and other rotation programs are currently in development and will be rolled out in the coming months. Participation in the program is primarily offered to external candidates versus those already employed by Rockwell Collins. But, according to Samantha Towlerton, Human Resources Business Partner for Operations, employees who qualify for this program will be considered.

“Erica Davis worked at our company for six months and then started the job rotation,” said Towlerton. “Typically, those entering our program have just completed their undergraduate and/or graduate degrees, and have not

worked at other companies.” During the course of about three years, those individuals move laterally from one location to another. In that time, they are required to complete three to four rotations — each nine to 12 months in length — gaining the type of experience it takes most employees years to achieve. “Our objective is to develop the best and brightest Operations talent to fill the holes in our leadership pipeline, and to promote diversity within our professional and leadership ranks,” said Towlerton. “We want our employees to have a better understanding of Operations as a whole, and this is a great way to get them headed in the right direction.” According to Towlerton, promoting relocation to facilities across our company — places that might be

outside of your comfort zone but that allow you to gain different perspectives about work and life — is also part of the program’s intent. “Living and breathing in one of our regional locations is very different than being at corporate headquarters,” said Towlerton. “It’s good to have people who have had experiences at other Rockwell Collins locations. It makes them more open to understanding the challenges that go along with being in a regional location or at corporate headquarters. It broadens their perspective.” Davis agrees. “When you sit idle for years and you don’t have an opportunity to see the other side of things, it lessens your realm of thinking,” said Davis, who is looking forward to her next rotation at another location this fall. “You really have

> A different perspective — Erica Davis is one of several Rockwell Collins employees taking part in the Operations Job Rotation Program. A buyer at our facility in Melbourne, Fla., Davis also has worked in Cedar Rapids, and will begin a new job rotation at one of our other facilities in September.

Photo by Kristen Bartlett, Gainesville, Fla.

(continued on Page 10)

“Our objective is to develop the best and brightest Operations talent to fill the holes in our leadership pipeline ...”

—Samantha Towlerton























10 H O R I Z O N S > 2 0 0 8

no idea about how another job is affecting your own job or vice versa until you obtain that broader view.” But, it’s not always easy to convince employees about the benefits of relocating or tackling new challenges, regardless of where potential career opportunities might exist. “It’s difficult to get people to move to Cedar Rapids, but it’s just as difficult to get them to move away from Cedar Rapids,” said Towlerton. “We have a lot of leadership positions opening up in our regional locations, and it’s proving hard to fill those spots.”

Leadership opportunities aboundWithin the past three years, more than 10,000 positions have been filled at Rockwell Collins. Of those positions, about 4,000 were filled by current employees taking on new roles within our company, and more than 6,000 positions were filled by new people joining our company. If Rockwell Collins continues to expand at its expected pace, our company will need to hire about 20,000 new people in the next 10 years due to growth and retirement. “It will no doubt be advantageous for our future leaders – regardless of what Business Unit or role they are in – to have had multiple geographical experiences,” said Bonebright. “Those experiences will help them better understand and prepare for business in a global environment.” The opportunity to gain that experience by working in multiple locations and the potential for future career advancement opportunities are exactly what prompted Zakrasek to join our company instead of pursuing a career in the consulting world.

“The more experience you get with different departments, different business units, and different levels of leadership, the better you’ll understand how our company works as a whole,” said Zakrasek. “And, the more locations in which you are able

to work, the more you’ll recognize the key factors – unique to each location – which drive success. “This program is so much more than a job rotation – it’s a life rotation,” continued Zakrasek, who is studying the German language in preparation for his next rotation. “You’re offered the opportunity to explore a whole new world, where you’ll acquire interests and passions that will stay with you for the rest of your life.” <h>

If Rockwell Collins continues to expand at its expected pace, our company will need to hire about 20,000 new people in the next 10 years due to growth and retirement.

> Heidelberg bound — Nick Zakrasek is in his third job rotation at Rockwell Collins in San Jose, Calif. In September, he will become the first Operations employee to travel internationally as part of the job rotation program when he begins work at our facility in Heidelberg, Germany. The 24-year-old already speaks three languages, but is studying German in preparation for his upcoming assignment.

Photo by Steve Castillo, Menlo Park, Calif.

Gaining new perspectives (continued from Page 9)























V O L U M E 1 3 > I S S U E 3 11

Across our company

Facility spotlight

Cedar Rapids employees send May baskets to troops in Afghanistan

Several Rockwell Collins employees in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, recently celebrated the beginning of

spring by sending May baskets to American troops stationed in Afghanistan. Flight Systems White Room employees in our C Avenue Complex sent a dozen baskets to the 173rd Airborne Combat Brigade in Afghanistan, which included Specialist Jonathon Albert, son of Rockwell Collins employee Michele Albert. “When many of us think of May Day, we think about candy, popcorn and kids leaving May baskets on their neighbors’ front door steps,” said Michele Albert, senior administrative assistant in Flight Systems. “But, this May Day had a different meaning for

us. We wanted to do something for our troops ... to help lift their spirits.” Albert’s son was critically injured on Nov. 9, 2007, when his unit was ambushed as they were returning to base from an overnight mission. He was shot four times and suffered multiple injuries – the most severe injury being a shattered kneecap. “It’s a true service when you give what you don’t have to give, give when you don’t need to give, but give because you want to give,” said Albert, whose son is still recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. “The generosity of our employees has been incredible.” That generosity actually began months ago when the Flight Systems White Room became the collection

point for all C Avenue employees who wanted to send items overseas. In addition to sending care packages to Specialist Albert, the group also sent items to Capt. Chad Seagren, son of Test Technician Wayne Seagren, and Major Marty Roemerman, a Rockwell Collins employee currently on military leave. Both men are deployed in Iraq. “We decorated a window in our production area with patriotic red, white and blue streamers, and we hung photos of each soldier along with a wish list,” said Albert. “Word spread quickly and before we knew it, we had hundreds of items.” Employees also added a personal touch by sending cards that included messages of appreciation and wishes for safe returns. <h>

Rockwell Collins Senior Engineering Managers Jim Simon and James Mellinger were

recently recognized for the support they give their military employees. Both received the Patriotic Employer Award, given by the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) organization, during an award ceremony in Cedar Rapids. Nominated by Systems Engineer Karl Garman, who makes regular 13-hour roundtrip drives to and from Grand Haven, Mich., for his U.S. Coast Guard Reserve duties, Simon knows all about military dedication. Having spent 10 years in the U.S. Air Force as an avionics technician, Simon “tries to be flexible with those who have Guard and Reserve commitments.” “Jim understands my commitment to both of my jobs,” said Garman, who says it’s important for any Guard or Reserve member to have their manager’s support. “He has a military background, so he appreciates

the importance of my Coast Guard duties and works with me to meet my obligations to Rockwell Collins and the Coast Guard Reserve.” Nominated by Systems Engineer

Geovani Felicilda, who is a member of the Illinois Army National Guard, Mellinger felt a sense of pride when he found out about the award. Having served 11 years as an Army helicopter pilot, he also understands the commitment Guard members and Reservists have. “James is such an asset to our company, the military and our country,” said Felicilda. “He’s accommodating to reservists and the guard, and that makes it so much easier on us.” According to the ESGR, the Guard and Reserve make up almost half of today’s military force. Citizen soldiers face an increasing challenge balancing their civilian and military careers. Companies and individual managers can play a crucial role by supporting their Guard and Reserve employees. For more information on how to nominate your supervisor for the Patriotic Employer award, visit http://www.esgr.net/forms.asp?p=patriot.<h>

> Patriotic award — Rockwell Collins employees Jim Simon and James Mellinger recently received the Patriotic Employer Award, given by the Em-ployer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) organization. Simon was nominated by Karl Gar-man (pictured, far left). Also pictured (from left) are: Mellinger, ESGR Representative Tad Cooper, and Rockwell Collins Systems Engineer Geovani Felicilda.

Photo by Rebecca L. Coady, Johnston, Iowa

Senior engineering managers receive Patriotic Employer Award























Across our company

Facility spotlight

12 H O R I Z O N S > 2 0 0 8

Airbus personnel from Toulouse, France, recently spent a day at Rockwell Collins in Bellevue,

Iowa, meeting with employees, reviewing the facility, and verifying compliance with regulations and requirements. Gilles Willems and Lionel Loudet conducted an Industrial Process Control Assessment (IPCA) on the AFDX 3800 top-level unit. Willems is a procurement quality and supply chain avionics development engineer at Airbus, and Loudet is a communications system technology network engineer. The duo — from one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers — evaluated manufacturing conformity and quality by walking through processes, evaluating supplier quality, reviewing work instructions and checking revisions. An ongoing process, these

assessments provide Airbus an opportunity to examine our processes and determine whether there are any areas not robust enough. “They also look at our quality procedures, value stream maps, possible trends, obsolete parts, eView (work instructions), design issues, and risk assessment,” said Jo Barnes, senior quality assurance engineer for the

AFDX 3800 unit. “They essentially look at everything we do. “The AFDX 3800 top-level unit is used on the A380, A400M and A350 Airbus aircraft,” continued Barnes. “Airbus is an important customer for Rockwell Collins and for our facility in Bellevue. We are pleased that the representatives were satisfied with the assessment results.”<h>

Airbus personnel test manufacturing, product performance in Bellevue

Employees at the former Athena Technologies in Warrenton, Va., have been celebrating

successes at the historic Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase race on an annual basis. It seemed only natural, then, to celebrate the recent integration of Rockwell Collins and Athena during this year’s long-standing tradition.

Held at a 250-acre park in The Plains, Va., the May 3 event attracted attendees donning seersucker suits,

derby-style hats and a myriad of other fashions. To signify the acquisition by Rockwell Collins, a tent on the prestigious Members Hill overlooking the finish line was decorated in a terra cotta color scheme. “In a region like Virginia where the community shares a deep love and respect for both business and equestrian sport, the Gold Cup is an exciting event for our employees,” said Dave Vos, the former CEO of Athena Technologies and now the senior director of Control Technologies at Rockwell Collins. “This year, it was a tremendous honor for us to join Rockwell Collins and celebrate our new relationship.” Joining a crowd of about 50,000 people, our Warrenton employees and their guests watched Bubble Economy and jockey Chip Miller capture the $100,000 purse during the marquee

four-mile, 23-fence steeplechase event. Inside the company tent, our employees dined on sushi boats, beef tenderloin, crab cakes, Virginia ham and grilled salmon, followed by chocolate meringue kisses, strawberry shortcake cupcakes and lemon blueberry tarts for dessert. “The Gold Cup is our annual holiday party,” said Rodin Lyasoff, a controls engineer in Warrenton. “It’s an opportunity to socialize away from the lab and office environment, and to enjoy the excitement of the horse races.” <h>

Warrenton employees celebrate integration at Virginia Gold Cup

Web extra: Learn more about activities at Rockwell Collins locations around the world in Horizons online at www.rockwellcollins.com/horizons.

“This year, it was a tremendous honor for us to join Rockwell Collins and celebrate our new relationship.”

—Dave Vos

> Time well spent —Rockwell Collins employees in Bellevue spent time recently with Airbus represen-tatives Gilles Willems and Lionel Loudet. Pictured are: (front, from left) Jo Barnes, Margaret Wilhelm, Aimee Richard, Gilles Willems, Lionel Loudet, Shanell Langston, and Phyllis Blech; (back, from left) Jerry Litterer, Bill Ritter, Claude Eyssautier, Eddie Chu, and Matt Wedeking.

Photo by Sharon Zeimet, Bellevue, Iowa













































45 Years

MayDouglas M. Chapman

JunePatrick J. Neu

40 Years

MayKatherine J. AmmeterSuzanne J. BaileyFloyd D. FischerMartha M. KolbPatricia I. LandtiserJoann M. Milbach

JuneJames H. BrownGary L. MillerDale H. StoutThomas R. Thurman

35 Years

MayFreida R. AldrichPaul V. BowerMaria FischerDavid W. GrahamMary A. HarknessThomas L. HeifnerRobert W. HoechAnita L. MinorJames C. PerkinsAshram PersadMichael F. RieffSilvia Rivera Cardoza

Terry N. SmithLloydene F. SmockGary G. StrandbergWilliam E. Wickham

JuneCorine A. AchenbachKenneth J. BakerMary P. BeckRoger A. BloomCecilia R. CoderGary E. CrowDavid W. DlouhyAnne E. EmersonDavid E. ErushaLouis C. EscobarMichael D. FossumMartine HanquetDennis L. HoffmanDennis H. HoldgraferWayne I. HughesDennis W. JuveCharles W. KirkpatrickRonald E. KositzkyCraig A. MartinsonSteven H. McDanielCynthia R. McCulloughTimothy E. MottDale M. NordbyDavid F. OldakowskiRoy E. RobertsonSteven P. RoedererJohn E. RolingGaudencio L. SanchezCharles S. ShaferKevin C. SillickJames C. SjostromChris L. Thompson

Steven A. Young

30 Years

MayLarry A. AnspachDominique BeaugendreRobert W. BensonDaniel A. CardaJulie K. CrowleyJoseph T. CulwellJohn C. DaySylvie DeneuCharlotte A. DeSotelDana L. DeWitteTheodore D. DouganLudwig EiffertMadeleine GallettiPerry L. GarrettGabriel GondryPatrick GrayCharles A. JohnsonLouis M. JonesSteve I. LeboDennis L. MarkleTim L. McCalleyKevin J. McCarthyThomas L. MoranDonald E. MosierHugues PegorarottoRaphael RacaudDonna K. RamseyBradley D. ReedRobert J. ReighardTheresa M. RobertsSylvette SabrazatJean-Luc SanchezGlenda S. Schouten

Chad W. ToddBob D. Vander PloegKenneth D. WebbThomas M. WittkopDiana L. Zies

JuneBenjami A. AmpulskiJames M. BloomburgRodney L. BowenJanice F. BrincksDonald L. BuntingJames A. CarolloThomas B. ClinganMichael W. CoferRoger L. CollinsPaul F. CongdonNeil R. CoonrodMarilyn K. CourtneyGlen T. Dodson Jr.Paula A. DresslerRobert EllisJames M. FlynnJohn R. FosterLinda L. FosterRichard A. FosterRoger D. FrenchSusan B. GatesKristin S. GlockhoffMichael L. GomezKeith R. GoodsmanChristy M. HaarsMark A. HarrisKlaus-Peter HohenseeJohn E. HoldermanGregory W. HopperWilliam K. KnightDavid L. KrettIrene J. Krivachek

Warren A. LammersDieter LayerArlene M. LynchTimothy I. MacDonaldJohn J. MalenfantGerlad J. MattsonDiane J. MauldingBertha L. McClendonDuane P. MeihostTodd J. MillerRobert M. MiltnerRoy C. MoorePaul J. MunroeDonny J. MunsonRobert H. MurdockRobert L. NelsonRandall F. NothwehrRuth A. NovakTerry L. OlsonJoe M. OrtegaSteven W. PaskerMark R. PennartzDale W. PennerBrent C. PetersonJohn PhilpotDavid W. PrignitzGreg E. ReedMark A. ReidJames E. RingwaldSteven C. RitterRuth A. RodgersBerthold RoheWalter J. RothAline RubioJames H. SabinDavid M. SampsonSteven A. SchroederBrad A. SchuverRaymond E. Scott

Thomas M. ShinrockMarian L. SinorMarie SmithCharles W. Snodgrass Jr.Debra L. StigersBruce E. StolbaBurkley J. StordahlKenneth M. StrongJohnny Y. SunWoon H. TamLothar J. TaylorJohn H. ThedeJohn R. ThedensPhilip M. VatarWayne A. VoelkerGerald E. WidenJohn A. Young

25 Years

MayDawn M. BeyerRobert M. BooneShirley K. BrooksBarbara C. BuehlerHenry M. BulandaMary. E. Casey-OlsonRonald C. Cook

Prakash V. DeshmukhAlan E. HoltRoy I. IshidaJohn E. NelsonSandra L. RichardsDavid B. RosaPenny J. RowlandJanice K. SchillingJoseph B. SlaterDonald J. SmithCarol J. Struss

JuneMichael D. BuchenStephen C. BuolMichael C. BurkhartConstance D. CalderonEric J. ClasonSusan L. FritzMaureen E. GerschChristine N. GoodsmithRichard P. HelwigReginald C. HowkDickie W. KirkhartMichael KoberAndre MoulinierMichael Toker

Rockwell Collins Service AnniversariesRockwell Collins offers congratulations and thanks to employees who have marked significant service award milestones in recent months.

Web extra: Rockwell Collins employees celebrating 20 years of service or less are now recognized in Horizons online at www.rockwellcollins.com/horizons.

V O L U M E 1 3 > I S S U E 3 13

healthy living on a quarterly basis. She also works with our Wellness Program administrators to raise awareness about local events and fitness challenges. In addition, Smith spends time away from work helping to organize events that assist hospitals and food banks in the Wichita area. “I feel fortunate that our company allows me the opportunity to share my excitement for helping people who can’t help themselves,” said Smith. “I am very lucky.”

Sandra Isabel Quioz Barrozo shares those sentiments. The ES&H manager at our facility in Mexicali, Mexico, Barrozo has spent the past two years working with the Mexican government to coordinate the distribution of trees to employees who plant them near their homes, in parks or around their neighborhoods. “Since we live in the desert, we get a great deal of dust from the wind,” said Barrozo, who joined our company a decade ago. “Restoration activities such as the tree plantings – which started as a one-time event – help us avoid these conditions.” According to Gentner, the work

being conducted both inside and outside of many of our facilities play a critical role in raising the awareness of ES&H across our company. “One of the things I love about Rockwell Collins is that our people are so engaged and are passionate about being the best at everything we do,” he said. “It’s our people that make my job so much easier, and make coming to work so enjoyable.” <h>

Stewards of our planet (continued from Page 7)

Web extra: To learn more about the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program, visit Horizons online at www.rockwellcollins.com/horizons.

Across our company

Facility spotlight

By Dana Engelbert

When Julie Wilder came to Rockwell Collins in the United Kingdom — straight out

of school and eager to advance her career — she believed that this large, international organization would offer training and growth opportunities that would enable her to move on in a couple of years. Ironically, nearly two decades have passed, but Wilder can still be found happliy working at our facility in Reading — a town in Berkshire in the southeast of England — where she is responsible for quotes and bid proposals for government clients. The 16-year company veteran also interfaces with our customers. “I can’t believe I’ve been here this long — it’s the people who make it unique,” said Wilder, a contracts officer in the Government Systems Contract

department in Reading. “It’s a great team, and I would certainly miss them if I were to move elsewhere. “I also enjoy the customer contact, especially when we go the extra mile to deliver great service,” added Wilder. “We are focused and we work as a team to do everything possible for our customers.” According to Steve Nedev, a test equipment technician who has worked in our Reading facility for eight years, that dedication to customer service and teamwork pervades the culture regardless of whether those customers are internal or external. “We could not function as a team without the individual attributes we bring to our work, and this is reflected in the service we provide to our customers,”

said Nedev. “At the end of the day, if my colleagues are waiting on me, then so are our customers.” About 400 employees work in Reading to service Commercial and Government Systems customers throughout Europe and around the world. Those individuals have helped this facility earn a reputation for customizing Rockwell Collins technology and products. “We take Rockwell

Collins technology originally designed in the U.S. and ‘anglicize’ it to meet the unique requirements of our international customers,” said Steve Banham, managing director at Rockwell Collins in the United Kingdom. “We’ve won quite a few programs that way. While everyone else is spending more and more money on research and development, we win with proven technology.” <h>

— Dana Engelbert is a freelance writer.

Rockwell Collins, Inc.400 Collins Road N.E.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52498-0001PRSTD STDUS Postage

PAIDCedar Rapids, IA

Permit No. 90























> Committed to quality — Rockwell Collins in the United Kingdom is located in Reading, which is a town in Berkshire in the southeast of England about halfway between London and Oxford. Employees in the facility are committed to quality customer service.

Rockwell Collins Image

Winning with proven technologyWhy spend more money and time on research and development when you can customize your own products and technologies?

Web extra: Learn more about Rockwell Collins in the United Kingdom in Horizons online at www.rockwellcollins.com/horizons.

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