ACG National Capital
In our last member spotlight, we had the opportunity to connect with Bob George, Director of Corporate Development at Exelis Corporation, who shared valuable business insights and best practices from his successful career.
This week we had the pleasure to connect with Terry McGovern, Senior Vice President – Finance & Treasurer for ICF International, Inc. Terry opens up on his distinctive background in corporate finance and his current senior management role.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
When I graduated from Georgetown in 1980, my career goal was to work for a large corporation in the area of corporate planning and development. I felt that starting out in this area would best allow me to learn how corporations operate and to observe how corporate decisions were made.
Fortunately, I was able to locate a position that allowed me to learn the details of corporate finance and how mergers & acquisitions were undertaken. This knowledge allowed me to advance through three corporate organizations to my current senior management role.
What’s been a highlight of your career that helped you get to where you are today?
There have been several rewarding moments – and an equal number of least rewarding moments – during my career. The most rewarding was when I worked hard with our team to make the organization successful by providing quality products or services for our clients, and at the same time creating value for our shareholders. The reward was in the satisfaction of a job well done.
Unfortunately, this success is tempered by the times that an organization is unsuccessful even though we’ve tried our hardest. The loss of value for shareholders and loss of employment by our team members has been a low point and certainly made me thirst for those rewarding moments.
What does your firm focus on and how does your role impact the organization?
ICF International, Inc. (ICFI) is a publicly traded firm based in Northern Virginia who partners with government and commercial clients to deliver professional services and technology solutions in sectors such as: energy, environment, and transportation; health, education, and social programs; and homeland security and defense.
We combine passion for our work with industry expertise and innovative analytics to produce compelling results throughout the entire program lifecycle, from research and analysis through implementation and improvement.
Since 1969, ICFI has been serving government at all levels, major corporations, and multilateral institutions. In 2011, we had $841 million in revenues with more than 4,500 employees serving our clients worldwide.
I’m the Senior Vice President – Finance & Treasurer for ICFI, and my role is to oversee the company’s finances and minimize the risks that are exposed in order for our shareholders to receive maximum value.
Can you describe your relationship with ACG National Capital? How has being a member factored in your career?
I have been a member of ACG National Capital for over 15 years. I’ve volunteered to work on programs such as annual conferences, and provided speakers for the monthly meetings. I also help out on membership and sponsorships.
The most rewarding aspect of being a member of the chapter has been meeting and talking with fellow members. This has assisted me in numerous ways with my work and career.
We understand you were recently named to the ACG National Capital Board of Directors. What are your ambitions and/or expectations while serving on the board?
As we compete with many other similar events in Northern Virginia, maintaining the quality of our programs is very important. This is why I’m focused on planning to help expand our program selections.
A key area for our success is the composition of our membership. New and existing members will join and attend events if they see future business partners attending.
I plan to work on filling in business sector gaps that we have in our membership by reaching out to businesses that are underrepresented. I also see a need to emphasize all aspects of corporate growth, not just mergers and acquisitions.
Any stories or anecdotes you would like to share?
Networking is key to professional development, and associations are a great way to make those connections. I’m a member of several financial and corporate growth associations, and I learn a great deal about current best practices across corporate organizations though interactions with my fellow members.
It’s also important to extend one’s network outside of their organization, especially when it comes to new employment.