Adam Burke
1. Briefly tell us about your company and what you do?
United Technologies, www.utc.com, is a holding company consisting of OTIS, Carrier, Sikorsky, Pratt & Whitney and UTC Aerospace Systems (UTAS). UTC has total sales of $58B with 218k employees worldwide.
UTAS is the resulting combination of Hamilton Sundstrand and Goodrich with total sales of $8.3B and 41k employees worldwide. There are fourteen divisions within UTAS; Actuations, Aerostructures, Air Management, Interiors, Landing Gear, Propellers, Aircraft Wheels and Brakes, Power Controls and Sensing Systems, Engine Components, Engine and Control Systems, Fire Protection, ISR Systems, Sensors and Integrated Systems, and Space Systems. I am in the Engineering IT group and responsible for Engineering Hardware and Software for Landing Gear, Propellers, Wheels & Brakes and Air Handling Systems.
2. What other assignments have you had in your working career?
Graduated in Mechanical Engineering and worked as a designer of very heavy Industrial equipment for ten years (Steel/Aluminum mills, mine hoists, off-shore oil rigs, etc.) This was at the beginning of CAD systems back in the early 1980’s, back at CATIA V2. I joined IBM as a Systems Engineer to support CAD/CAM at Chrysler and Siemens in Canadian and Caribbean markets. After ten years, I spent five years consulting before joining Goodrich Aerospace (Landing Gear, Oakville) in 2004.
3. Describe what influences you and your company’s decision to be a COE Member.
I started attending COE in 1995 and have only missed one. Initially it was to support IBM customers but it has been a huge benefit to meet so many other colleagues who have similar issues. UTAS considers attending COE as ‘continuing education’ and having connectivity to DS and their partners. COE is not a marketing event, certainly it has some aspect of marketing but for me it is primarily an event to pick up unbiased technical information.
4. Any words of advice you could give to other members?
Having a group of colleagues who have similar issues that you can rely on to provide you with their experiences is invaluable in addition to having close contact with developers who listen. Participating in COE, not just attending, has provided an even bigger benefit as it allows an even more in depth relationship with DS and camaraderie with others. There are benefits from attending but with participation you the get the best return.
5. How has your participation with COE influenced your career?
It has certainly helped and gotten me recognition within UTC.
6. When you attend COE’s Annual Conference, what makes this valuable experience to you?
The networking amongst colleagues. I always find some nugget of information that I would not have found anywhere else. There is never a COE where I don’t glean some information to assist me in my job, whether it is technical or being informed of the direction that DS is moving. Hearing from colleagues experiences with their interaction with DS is also very beneficial.
7. What are your interests outside of work and COE?
Restoration of a century house, old Jaguars (’67 420), travel, relaxing at home.
