EP 33 - Mechanical Engineering, Technical Sales, and Program Management with Howard Berkof Engineers Hub Podcast

In this episode, I’m joined by Howard Berkof, Deputy Program Manager for the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship Shipbuilding Program. We discuss Howard's diverse career journey, encompassing mechanical engineering, technical sales, and government naval acquisition. We explore the significance of adaptability and an entrepreneurial mindset in large organizations such as the Navy, where innovative technologies demand a thorough understanding of organizational pain points and needs. 
Howard's experiences reveal that ensuring technology reliability, safety, and user-friendliness significantly impacts decision-makers willingness to invest in new advancements. Howard traces his professional journey from mechanical engineering to a successful Navy acquisition career, detailing his shift from technical sales to program management. He underscores the early importance of extracurricular engagement for network-building and leadership skills.
Tune in now!

Key highlights from the call


[01:15] Howard’s background 
[03:22] How Howard decided to pursue a sales position despite his engineering background
[07:56] Exploring alternative career paths in engineering 
[15:16] Some driving factors to consider when introducing innovative technologies 
[19:34] Demonstrating value and addressing pain points to drive innovation adoption
[22:45] Identifying and addressing latent problems and gaining buy-in for innovation
[31:10] Benefits of extracurricular activities and soft skills for young engineers
[36:19] Importance of building diverse and inclusive teams 
[40:20] Navigating the language and learning curve in a new field
[43:10] Mastering situational handling and quick decision-making
[45:37] Effective Task Tracking and Prioritization Strategies
[50:11] What Howard does for fun
[55:25] Howard’s words of wisdom to college students studying engineering       

Notable Quotes


●       To be effective, you have to understand more than just the technical side, the math, science, and engineering. You have to understand the business side and the financials.
●       Understanding all the non-technical sides of running a company or a business is vitally important.  Every industrial company out there has to understand how to run a business to be successful, or you'll go out of business. You must understand that you must take in more revenue than expense to be profitable.
●       You need resilience, that's for sure. You need conviction, resilience, to be committed, and you have to be in it for the long haul.
●       We need to identify what's the pain point, what's the need that needs to be solved, and then come up with that. Or find that technology or that innovation to solve that problem.
●       Many people will say no upfront or just kind of give you lip service or whatever, but you have to be persistent. You have to be resilient, find and identify those people who think like you, and get them to start speaking the same language to help you advocate. And you just have to keep at it over and over.
●       When you're responsible for people, the game changes significantly because everything you say and do in your actions is magnified that much more and means so much more because those people are counting on you for leadership, work guidance, and being there for them.
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