Today’s post is not a post at all, but a video. I had the opportunity to interview and old friend and long-time colleague, Bill Weber, U.S. Army Brigadier General (retired) [see bio below].
Our discussion centered on Bill’s observations about leadership and management, with a special focus on young, aspiring professionals who are put into action for the very first time. Our topics include:
- Making the move into leadership for the first time
- Working through the first 6 months
- Servant leadership – what is it, where does it work?
Join me for my visit with Bill.
BIO – BILL WEBER
After soldiering for 32 years as a U.S. Army Armor officer, Bill retired at the end of 2007. He has extensive experience in leadership, training, organizational management, budget management, and operations. He worked as the Vice President of Business Development for McLane Advanced Technologies, as the Chief Operations Officer for three years with Advanced Concepts and Technologies International, and with Knowledge Point as an advisor to the United Arab Emirates Army leading reorganization and transformation efforts. From September 2012 through July 2013, he worked for the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) as the Associate Director for the UTA Research Institute. He is currently consulting with several organizations, including the Department of the Army.
Bill commanded numerous units and organizations throughout his military career and is a veteran of combat operations in Iraq during Desert Storm in 1991 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. His last Army assignment was as the Vice Director of the Army Staff, preceded by serving as commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Sarajevo, Bosnia and a two year assignment as the Director of Training on the Army Staff.
He earned a Bachelor’s Degree (Business Management) from Texas A&M University and a Masters Degree with Distinction in National Security Affairs (Middle East Studies) from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He also attended Georgetown University as an Army War College Fellow, served as an Army Congressional Fellow, and has over 25 years of experience related to the Middle East.
He attended the Moroccan Staff School for a year of immersion in French and Foreign Area Officer in-country training and has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East. He maintains currency on events and social, economic, military, and political situations throughout the Middle East.
His decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, UN Medal, the NATO Medal, the Presidential Unit Award, and the Valorous Unit Award. He was also Ranger and Airborne trained and qualified.
He served as Mayor of the City of Woodway, Texas from May 2010 through October 2011.
Married to his wife Robin for 32 years, their daughter is a 2011 Baylor graduate and USAF pilot and their son is a 2012 Texas A&M nuclear engineer graduate.