BMC Software, Inc., takes its commitment to serving the US government seriously – and it shows. The average tenure of its sales people working in an account is over 4 years. A big part of that success comes down to Chris Aherne, and his leadership skills. As the managing director, federal government of BMC Software, Chris and his team help customers implement effective business service management — all part of a broader category of enterprise systems management. In the following Q&A, Chris shares his secrets to success, and offers insights on how professional opportunity can knock when you least expect it — so long as you stay flexible.

Briefly tell us your background and how you got to where you are today.

Chris Aherne: I am the son of a foreign service officer, so consequently I grew up around the world, mostly in Europe. But we came back to the DC area frequently. I went to Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania and then after that I had a couple different areas I’ve chased career wise. I started out in the commercial real estate industry here in the DC area. Actually, I was one of the first few employees in a company called CoStar Group.

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Talk about eclectic.

Long before Donna Morea ever became a leading force at - count it - the fifth largest IT firm in North America, she had a knack for finding success off the beaten path. In her early years, out of college, Morea worked as a studio photographer, then headed to the prestigious Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Morea continues to wear an eclectic array of hats. As President, US and India, CGI, Morea is - by no stretch of the imagination - a nationally recognized executive in IT professional services management. The business unit she oversees, CGI, is a subsidiary of the Quebec-based IT giant CGI, which provides network and software solutions to clients in government, health care, and financial services, among others.

You’d think that overseeing - and growing - a unit with 7,500 employees would be a 24-7 undertaking. Yet, Morea somehow manages to find time for a diverse range of interests and causes beyond the office. Among other distinctions, she is known among area businesses and technology organizations for her current role as vice chair of Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC). She is also highly regarded for her role as chair of the 2007 Kidney Ball, and for serving as the secretary of the board for the George Mason University Foundation. Last, but not least, Morea also runs an internet-based Italian oil business, Olio2go, which has proven a haven to quite a few pasta lovers.

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It is only natural - especially in the heat of a presidential campaign - that discussions about security threats focus on those of a physical nature. But there has been a flurry of attention and activity of late around cybersecurity and the importance of simulating the types of massive digital attacks that governments (U.S. and foreign) and private sector enterprises may increasingly face.

Earlier this week, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff held court with bloggers to discuss President Bush’s classified government-wide cyber initiative, while at the same time emphasizing improved coordination required by Federal civilian agencies to protect cyber assets.

Chertoff implored patience as the Administration formulates a more substantive cyberstrategy that will likely not be finalized until 2009. For Federal IT vendors that provide services and products that support cybersecurity activities, the pie may grow larger after, as Chertoff puts it, “get our own house in order.”

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