Veteran Hylite: Mike Crisp
Welcome back to the Veteran Hylite blog series! Last time, we talked to Brian Milicic, a former Marine and current Hylander. Brian shared the keys to success he learned as an Electronic Intelligence Intercept Operator and Analyst: Open communication, patience, and passion.
This time, we chat with Mike Crisp, a former Army Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Pilot.
“As a 96U – Hunter UAV Pilot, I flew the vehicle that was responsible for forward reconnaissance,” said Mike. “The drone technology that you see becoming so popular now reminds me a lot of the technology I was working with in the late 90s.”
A strong work ethic
Talking about the lessons he learned while serving that have helped in his civilian career, Mike boils it all down to one thing: A strong work ethic.
“The military was my first career after high school and I quickly learned how to take responsibility for my actions,” Mike said. “I also saw the real rewards that come from training hard and working hard.”
Which has come in handy. As Mike notes, he doesn’t have a college degree. But the tech world tends to focus on your potential, not your diplomas.
“I honestly believe my military training gave me the skills to navigate a technical career path where I could prove myself over and over again by working hard and earning my position,” he said.
Lunch with … Albert Einstein
As usual, I asked if he could have lunch with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?
“This is an easy one,” Mike replied. “Albert Einstein. I have always been a physics buff and an innovator, so I would love to talk to him.”
I would vote for that. After all, Mike is a Product Owner in our Data Capture department. That means he manages our customer needs for future development.
“Seeing a project that I helped plan come to fruition and then hearing great feedback from our customers is the most rewarding part of my job,” said Mike.
And, as you can see with our most recent release, OnBase 18, we never stop innovating.
That innovation doesn’t stop with our solutions. Mike pointed this out when we talked about his favorite perk at Hyland – our onsite Wellness Center. Our go-getter Human Resources team makes sure we’re innovative when it comes to one of Hyland’s core values: Treating employees like family.
“The fact that we can go receive onsite healthcare and advice, usually within a very short time, even same-day, is pretty amazing,” said Mike.
Advice for other vets
When I asked Mike what advice he has for other veterans looking to get into the tech field, his answer was ready and waiting.
“Be persistent,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t get in on your first try. Sometimes it can be challenging to achieve those goals, but those of us who have served know about the ‘drive on’ spirit. If you keep that mentality, it will carry you through to your goals!”
Excellent advice, indeed. And we’ll be providing more in the future, as the next Veteran Hylite will feature Alex Bell, who served in the Army Reserve.
See you then!
- Veteran Hylite: Joe Kocsis - 10/30/2018
- Veteran Hylite: Alex Bell - 08/15/2018
- Veteran Hylite: Mike Crisp - 06/26/2018
