THE PRAGMATIST€™ Annual Leadership Meeting ... The Pragmatist addresses topics relevant to...

THE PRAGMATIST®Volume 22 • Issue 1 • April 2017

From the COO ....................................................................................................2

Pragmatics’ Annual Leadership Meeting ...........................................................8

Pragmatics’ Interns Successfully Develop an OCC Handbooks Mobile App ....9

Pragmatics Introduces FalconPointTM ................................................................10

Pragmatics Successfully Completes Integrated ISO Audit ................................11

Pragmatics Exhibits at Recent Conferences .....................................................12

Opinion Piece: Don’t Be a Frozen Chicken! .......................................................13

PragmaticSERVES Activities .............................................................................14

PragmaticSERVES Helps Build Homes ............................................................15

Community Activities: Just a Bunch of Misfits ...................................................15

Pragmatics Attends Career Fairs .......................................................................16

Training Matters .................................................................................................16

Pragmatics Holds Creative Competitions ..........................................................16

Wedding and Baby News ...................................................................................17

New Employees .................................................................................................18

The Pragmatist addresses topics relevant to Pragmatics’ employees and clients. If you would like to contribute, please contact Nicole Cox at [email protected].

In This Issue:Annual Holiday Gala

4-5

Veterans Day Breakfast

11

Featured Articles:

6-7Pragmatics In The News

2PAGETHE PRAGMATIST® | THINK. INNOVATE. DELIVER.TM

WWW.PRAGMATICS.COM | 1761 BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE | RESTON, VA 20190 | T 703.890.8500

From the COO

The Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 14,000 United States’ veterans. Pragmatics is honored to support the Arlington National Cemetery’s mission by providing innovative solutions that are used to support the flawless planning, conduct, and management of as many as 30 daily funerals. Carl Ward, our Arlington National Cemetery Enterprise Interment Services System (EISS) Program Manager (PM), offers the following article to share how our efforts support those who have served our country and their families.

A National Treasure, by Carl Ward

After 45 years of military service and working as a contractor for the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of the Army (DA), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), I am very confident that I can recognize an important program when I see it. It was this recognition that led me out of “retirement” to take the role of program manager for the Arlington National Cemetery EISS Program for Pragmatics in the late summer of 2016.

“We proposed using the Pragmatic Agility® solution to take a somewhat dysfunctional system with serious operations and maintenance issues to

create a fully integrated database.”

Arlington National Cemetery is considered one of the great national treasures of the United States. It recognizes the service of so many Americans and serves as their final resting place. I would challenge anyone, with any sense of sacrifice, to walk silently among the many headstones and monuments and not be emotionally moved by their surroundings. Each interred individual’s headstone represents no greater faith or philosophy than a proper recognition of service to others and their nation. The many rows of headstones resemble the continuous waves of the oceans as they pound the beaches of places named Normandy, Anzio, Sicily, or the many Islands of the Pacific where so many of these individuals served this nation. To stand and watch the Changing of the Guard at the Tombs of the Unknown Solider, I sense I am in the presence of angels watching over heroes.

When Pragmatics was asked to assist Arlington National Cemetery in creating an enterprise interment IT system, the entire Pragmatics Team was humbled and honored to take on the task. Led by Ms. Jeanine Jacob, our Pragmatics Director of the Software Development Group, and Adrienne Morris of Pragmatics Business Development, we proposed using the Pragmatic Agility® solution to take a somewhat dysfunctional system with serious Operations and Maintenance (O&M) issues to create a fully integrated database working across an Agile-built software and web-based solution that is interchangeable, regardless of the platforms (web, iOS, windows, mobile apps, etc.). Of critical importance was the need to fully document and support the existing legacy Interment Services System (ISS) until the new enterprise was in place and fully operational. We discovered this was very important to the client when we were told very early in the process that previous contractors had failed to capture and share such documentation upon leaving their Arlington National Cemetery project.

To fully support this project, our Pragmatics recruiters, Wendy Thompson and Lorine Bryant conducted an aggressive recruiting effort to find the best people with the right skills, certifications, and experience to perform the work. They were great in performing the critical task of giving us a team that could meet the Arlington National Cemetery customer’s expectations within our 30-day transition period. The results of our search for the right team included finding resources at three locations including: Arlington, VA; Reston, VA; and at the Army Analytics Group (AAG) located in Fairfield, CA.

(Continued on page 3)

Joe Brock, Chief Operating Officer



From the COO (continued)

In addition to hiring Carl Ward, the results of the effort to find the best resources included hiring Larry Holder as the Deputy PM and Business Systems Analyst. We transferred long-time Pragmatics employees Selina Der as our Technical Development Team Leader, Robert Chen as our Senior Web Development Leader, and Jeannie Fox as our Systems Administrator. To help support those individuals, we brought into the Pragmatics family Thomas Love, Jr. as our AAG Fairfield, CA, Windows and Systems Administrator and Team Leader and David Thayer as our SQL Database Administrator. Michael Beidler, Tam Nguyen, Clint Bagwell, Saritha Chebrolu, and Joseph Henry rounded out our development team. Pragmatics’ employees James Mao and Doug Irby were added to the team as important subject matter experts.

“Our Pragmatics Team is still humbled and fully committed to preserving this National Treasure to the best of our ability.”

Our base year of performance ends September 22, 2017 and, given our current performance level, we will complete three full releases and nine major sprints for ISS O&M and EISS system requirements. After numerous presentations and demonstrations, our Arlington National Cemetery client’s comments include: “Where have you been the last four years?”; “Wow, I want that now!!”; and “Can you go faster?”. I believe I am safe in saying, they like what they see from Pragmatics.

As the Arlington National Cemetery EISS Team approaches the conclusion of the base year, we are on schedule and within budget, and our technical performance has been excellent. Our Arlington National Cemetery and AAG clients have been impressed, so much so, their recent Program Evaluation was a “Perfect 10” across the board.

And yet, our Pragmatics Team is still humbled and fully committed to preserving this National Treasure to the best of our ability.

4PAGE| THINK. INNOVATE. DELIVER.TMTHE PRAGMATIST®


Pragmatics Holds Annual Holiday Gala

To wrap up another year, Pragmatics and its employees celebrated the holiday season at its annual Holiday Gala. The event was held at the Waterford in Springfield, VA, on December 3rd. Pragmatics’ employees and their guests enjoyed a fun-filled night with dancing, food, and prize giveaways.

The night was entertaining as ever as Pragmatics’ Director of Proposal Development, Anne Hurley, was the Mistress of Ceremonies. CEO Dr. Long Nguyen sincerely thanked employees for attending the event and for all of their hard work throughout the year.

COO Joe Brock awarded 34 employees for their continued years of service at Pragmatics, which ranged from 5 to 30 years. Andy Vogt was presented a special t-shirt signed by many of his fellow co-workers in recognition of his 30 years of service to Pragmatics. Five employees received the Chairman’s Awards for Exceptional Contributions within Project Support, Technical Support, Senior Technical Support, and Project Management. Other sigificant announcements included Art Gomez’s retirement after 18 years at Pragmatics.

Following the awards ceremony, guests enjoyed a nice dinner and dancing. The Exclusives, the band of choice, kept everyone on their feet with a variety of music. Several employees won special door prizes, including two Drones, a GoPro Hero Video Camera, and the grand prize, an Apple IPad Air 2.

Pragmatics employees across the country also held their own holiday celebrations in December. Pragmatics appreciates everyone who celebrated another successful and productive year at Pragmatics. A special thank you goes to CEO Dr. Long Nguyen and Vice Chairman and CFO Kimmy Duong who make the Holiday Gala a special event every year.



Service Awardees

30 Years Andy Vogt

15 Years Leonard Draheim Monica Groza Douglas IrBy

10 Years Todd Godfrey Jeff Hamlin Lisa R. Randolph Sridhar Togaru Steve Harper Tara K. Jones Christy Nettleton Jimmie Savage

5 Years Frank D. Adams Jr. Aaron J. Amos Clay Baker Stephen M. Beiga Amanda S. Carriger Jed Dennis Choudhury Hasan Derric Hedrick

Robert Hoagland E. C. Hunnicutt Germaine L Lancaster Rick Marinelli Sharita McMillon Nicholas J. Musuraca Michael Niezgoda Kamau Njuguna Phillip Parrish

Jameece D. Pinckney Jim Ramia Marshall Snyder Dan Sung Andrew J. Velten

Chairman’s Awardees

Project Support Monica Groza Trent Meyering

Technical Support Andrew Huynh

Senior Technical Leadership Muhammad Nashagh

Project Management Charles Lawson



Pragmatics Now A Member of CMMI “Next Generation” Working Group

On January 24th, Pragmatics announced that Mr. Deke Moeller accepted the invitation to become a member of the CMMI® Institute’s “Next Generation” Implementation Working Group (WG). CMMI has been the steward for Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute’s models for process integration and product improvement.

Mr. Moeller, head of Pragmatics’ Process Improvement and Quality Assurance organization, is now contributing his experience with the CMMI Appraisal process, both as Manager and as a former Appraisal Team Member, to the Implementation WG.

The Implementation Working Group focuses on:

} Providing guidance for adopting/maintaining CMMI in various situations (start-ups, reorg, merger, acquisition)

} Assisting current CMMI users with the adoption of CMMI “Next Generation”

Pragmatics’ COO Joe Brock stated, “By participating and contributing to the CMMI’s ‘Next Generation,’ Pragmatics is able to demonstrate leadership in the software development and services arena. We welcome the opportunity to share our experience as a CMMI-DEV Maturity Level 5 company.”

Two Pragmatics Employees Complete ACT-IAC Educational Programs

Pragmatics announced on December 16th that two of their employees have recently completed American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) educational programs.

Vice President and Deputy General Manager Michael Froelich completed the ACT-IAC 2016 Partners Program. Mr. Froelich leads Pragmatics’ Federal Civilian operations and was one of 29 members of the 21st graduation class at the 2016 ACT-IAC Executive Leadership Conference in Williamsburg, VA. The ACT-IAC Partners Program pairs industry professionals and government leaders for nine months to engage, develop, and prepare them for future roles as senior executives and corporate executive officers. The program also enables participants to gain an understanding of their counterparts’ roles to foster quality interactions and a greater understanding of government and industry management responsibilities.

Market Research Analyst Patrick Eydenberg completed the ACT-IAC 2016 Associates Program. Mr. Eydenberg manages Pragmatics’ Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) and serves as a research specialist. The Associates Program prepares young government and industry professionals for future leadership roles.

Pragmatics’ COO Joe Brock stated, “The ACT-IAC education programs provide intense nine-month curriculums that prepare leaders at each stage of their careers. Our company has benefited greatly from more than ten years of participation in the ACT-IAC educational programs.”

This news was covered by WashingtonExec.



The Kimmy Foundation Establishes “Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong Scholarships” at the University of Maryland

On February 23rd, Pragmatics announced that Ms. Kimmy Duong, Vice Chair/Chief Financial Officer of Pragmatics, Inc. and President of The Kimmy Foundation, has pledged $2 million to fund scholarships at the University of Maryland to support engineering and business students.

Ms. Kimmy Duong emigrated from Vietnam to the United States on April 29, 1975, just before the fall of Saigon. She often reflects on the generosity, love, and kindness that she has received in America.

Ms. Duong noted, “No other country in the world can give immigrants the opportunities that this country can. It is important to show our appreciation. I feel that everything I have today, I owe to the opportunities I received in the USA and it is important for me to give back. My whole family believes the same. We are proud to contribute to advances in technology as well as education.”

The University of Maryland announced this generous donation from The Kimmy Foundation with an article at the following link:https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/news/immigrants-2m-gift-supports-smith-clark-students

Committed to serving communities across the United States and around the world, Ms. Duong and Dr. Long Nguyen, Pragmatics’ CEO and Founder, lead Pragmatics’ Corporate Responsibility program known as PragmaticSERVES. Through this program of charitable giving, Pragmatics maintains a vibrant culture of generosity, responsibility, and social awareness. For more than three decades, Pragmatics and its employees have contributed to numerous organizations and causes, with a focus on improving the quality of life for people in need, providing relief in times of turmoil, and promoting education and economic development.

This news was covered by WashingtonExec.

Pragmatics Awarded $6 Billion Dollar IDIQ Contract with the Defense Logistics Agency

Pragmatics announced on January 31st the award of a multiple-award, IDIQ contract with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Pragmatics was one of 14 awardees for J6 Enterprise Technology Services (JETS) in the “other than small business” category. The 8-year contract consists of a 5-year base period and a 3-year option period, with a maximum aggregate value of more than $6 billion. As an “other than small business” awardee, Pragmatics was required to establish a Contractor Team Arrangement (CTA); Pragmatics’ two CTA members are Celerity Government Solutions (dba Xcelerate Solutions) and Eiden Systems Corporation. Our team also includes more than two dozen subcontractors. The Pragmatics Team is capable of providing full service solutions across the entire spectrum of 21 Task Areas.

The contract will provide the full range of Information Technology (IT) services, technical, and management expertise that supports applications, software, hardware, infrastructure, and systems across the DLA IT Enterprise. Support will be provided for IT solutions, technical support, maintenance and sustainment; operations support; and application development and lifecycle management. While JETS will primarily support DLA IT services requirements, the contract also allows for ordering by other Department of Defense agencies.

Pragmatics COO Joe Brock said, “We look forward to supporting the DLA J6 and its diverse Logistics Business Community by providing the highest quality information systems and customer support across geographically separated operating locations”.



Pragmatics’ Annual Leadership Meeting

On December 2nd, Pragmatics’ managers from across the company attended an all-day meeting at our Reston headquarters. CEO Dr. Long Nguyen started off the meeting by thanking everyone in attendance for their dedication and hard work throughout the year.

COO Joe Brock, CBDO Rich Silver, VP TSG Sean Cohan, VP Mike Froelich, and Sr. VP/GM Mike Yocom led discussions on technical capabilities, FEDCIV growth in 2016, and specific FEDCIV targets for the upcoming year, as well as DISD growth in 2016 and where to focus in 2017.

Managers also had the chance to hear from Leverage Teams about updates on different branches of IT, Finance, Contracts/Procurement, and HR/Recruiting during the meeting.

In the afternoon, Human Resources Manager Linda Weiss, Program Manager Bruce Pearce, John Swirchak, and Mike Froelich conducted several breakout sessions including Talent Acquisition, Building Teams, and Employee Satisfaction. The day wrapped up by employees working together to build red wagons, which were donated to the Salvation Army.



Pragmatics’ Interns Successfully Develop an OCC Handbooks Mobile AppBy Sean Cohan

One of the focus areas within Technology Solutions Group (TSG) over the last year has been to build mobile application prototypes aligned to customer mobility objectives. To that end, last fall we asked Pragmatics managers for ideas on mobile

apps their customers would find useful. Charles Lawson, a Senior Business Analyst on Pragmatics’ Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) task, responded with an idea to develop an app that would allow OCC comptrollers and bankers to download OCC Comptroller handbooks from the OCC website to their mobile devices. Such an app would allow users to read handbooks while disconnected from the internet. Other features Mr. Lawson requested included searching for content within downloaded documents and notification when downloaded documents have been updated on the OCC website.

With this set of high-level requirements, over the 2016 Winter Break TSG assembled a group of six college interns (Nola Alzayat, Alex Duan, Dan Quintero, Paul Kim, David Zhou, and Joe Brock III) to develop the OCC Handbooks mobile app, loosely modeled after the Kindle mobile app. TSG Chief Architect, Jared Spigner, provided initial guidance on technologies to use such as React Native, Google FireBase Storage, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2. Mr. Lawson, acting as Product Owner, provided the requirements. The team followed an agile approach to convert Mr. Lawson’s requirements into user stories by developing in weekly sprints and demonstrating functionality in weekly sprint review meetings to Mr. Lawson and our executive team.

The results were rather amazing. Over a four week period, not only did they learn technologies that none of them knew before, they also successfully developed a fully functioning OCC Handbooks app and placed it in the Google Play Store where it can be downloaded to Android devices.

Mr. Lawson was pleased and has since impressed our OCC customers with the app. He intends to present it at an upcoming OCC Vendor Day. Mr. Spigner was also pleasantly surprised that, at the end of fours weeks, the team not only learned the technologies, but also developed a usable app. Pragmatics’ CEO, Dr. Long Nguyen, was pleased that the team was able to develop a fully functioning, cloud-based, mobile app that is downloadable from an app store in only four weeks.

Since the initial app, Alex Duan, working one day a week, has submitted an IOS version for review and placement into the Apple Store. He has also created another version for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Advisory Circulars.

Two of the interns on the project, Paul Kim and Dan Quintero, will become full-time Pragmatics employees upon graduation in May. Quite an impressive group and quite an impressive app. Great job team!

Contact Sean Cohan for more information on the OCC Handbooks and FAA Circulars apps, and how TSG can develop innovative mobile apps for your customers.



Pragmatics Introduces FalconPoint™ Advanced Data Management/Cybersecurity Solutions and ServicesBy Anje Berger

Pragmatics’ new FalconPointTM Framework is a next generation, proven, tested suite of cybersecurity capabilities. FalconPoint provides tools and services that can help clients significantly address their cybersecurity challenges and significantly lower their Total Cost of Operations (TCO). Developed originally to address Blue Force Tracking challenges, FalconPoint protects client’s high value data at rest and in motion, on networks, in datacenters, and across all transmission modes. Although cyber threats continually change, FalconPoint has been expanded and enhanced to provide real-time Insider Threat monitoring that stops threats before they do damage and protects client’s public facing websites from machine attacks. FalconPoint tools are also designed to work in tandem with current client cybersecurity tools, not as a “rip and replace” solution.

Unlike traditional Defense In Depth cyber solutions that protect client data from the outside in, FalconPoint tools protect client data from the inside out, thus closing holes that other solutions miss. It blocks all kinds of potential attacks including APTs, nation states, cyber terrorists and criminals, rogue malware, ransomware, and insider threats, 24/7/365. It also delivers proven, tested, 99.999+ reliability and availability, and greatly improves client cyber resiliency.

One of FalconPoint’s tools is the FalconPoint Live Data Storage. It manages all data types – structured, unstructured, transactional and ORACLE ExaData – concurrently, and can reduce client live data storage costs by up to 70%. When clients use our live data storage, we can also provide 24/7/365 COOP/DR at no additional cost.

FalconPoint’s Infrastructure/Network cloaking uses advanced, patented, TCP/IP techniques that keep network ports closed, and only allows approved users access to data. This capability can help reduce current client bandwidth noise by up to 80%. What’s more, the live data logs that are produced by this FalconPoint component can give threat/forensics analysts detailed information about all traffic attempting to access a client network and can be used to facilitate honey netting/honey potting, reverse engineering, and other extensive analysis.

FalconPoint Network Abstraction is another tool that adds an additional layer of cyber protection by using next generation solutions. It changes the header on each data packet on every hop the packet makes on the way to the user. This makes client data “virtually disappear” in real time without using proxy, anonymization, or segmentation techniques, effectively blunting DDoS, Man-in-the-Middle and other traffic pattern/ network reconnaissance attacks.

FalconPoint Threat Management uses advanced Artificial Intelligence, Bayesian mathematics, and unstructured machine learning to fully learn client networks, devices, data stores, applications, and platforms, and, at the same time, watches what users are doing across all of the client environments in real time. Unlike other solutions that can take hours or days before a threat/breach is known, all threats are displayed in real time for immediate threat management analysis. With appropriate client security policies in place, threat management can also immediately shut down user access to all networks, devices, applications, external sites, and data if inappropriate behavior is noted, with full judicial prosecution information retention.

Additionally, the FalconPoint WebSecure tool can defend against increasingly sophisticated automated cyber attacks on client public facing websites that use WAFs, IDC, and DDos tools to attempt penetration of client networks.

Fully FIPS 140-2, PII, PHI, and HIPAA compliant, Pragmatics can deliver FalconPoint solutions to clients three different ways: 1) As a Managed Security Service in the cloud, using our FedRAMP approved, JAB certified, FISMA HIGH Level 6 private cloud; 2) As an “on prem” solution seamlessly integrated into client datacenters or infrastructure environments; or 3) As a hybrid private cloud/on prem solution.

For more information about Pragmatics’ new advanced data management/cybersecurity solutions and services capabilities, or to arrange a live demonstration of its capabilities, please call Anje Berger at 703-609-0090 or email her at [email protected].



Pragmatics Holds Annual Veterans Day Breakfast

In November, Pragmatics held the annual Veterans Day breakfast. CEO Dr. Long Nguyen and COO Joe Brock spoke to employees about the significance of Veterans Day. Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Yocom gave a moving speech about sacrifice and being a veteran.

Pragmatics is proud to employ more than 70 veterans. Pragmatics greatly appreciates our veterans and their families for their service and the sacrifices they have made, and continue to make, for our country.

Pragmatics Successfully Completes Integrated ISO AuditBy Deke Moeller

Congratulations for our successful International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Integrated Audit! Our SRI Auditor (Bob Aanerud) has given us an ‘Unconditional Approval’ for our first ISO-9001, ISO-20000-1, and ISO-27001 Integrated Management System audit. Previously, we conducted these three ISO audits as separate events.

There were no nonconformities identified during the audit. We appreciate all the time many Pragmatics staff spent in interviews, preparing evidence, or just supporting the Quality Assurance team as we prepared for this integrated audit. We could not have achieved this new step without your support!



ATCA

In October, Pragmatics attended the 62nd Annual Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) Conference. The conference was held at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center in National Harbor, MD. ATCA prides itself as the premier forum for aviation professionals. The conference was attended by key corporate and government decision-makers from around the world. The conference included extensive panel discussions, breakout sessions, and keynote speakers. The Pragmatics transportation group is an annual exhibitor. FEDCIV Transportation Group Director, Mary Ann Davis and Senior Program Analyst Amy Trevisan attended the event.

I/ITSEC

In November, Pragmatics exhibited at the National Training and Simulation Association’s annual Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. I/ITSEC is the largest modeling, simulation, and training conference in the world. Mike Sousa, Director of Infrastructure Solutions, showcased Pragmatics’ capabilities at the event.

Government Video Expo

In December, Pragmatics exhibited at the Government Video Expo at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Government Video Expo brings video, broadcast, and audiovisual professionals together for training options, seminars, keynotes, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. Mike Sousa, Director of Infrastructure Solutions, showcased Pragmatics’ capabilities at the event.

ARMY Signal Conference

On March 9th, Pragmatics exhibited at the ARMY Signal Conference held at the Waterford at Springfield in Springfield, VA. Director of Infrastructure Solutions, Mike Sousa, led demonstrations on Pragmatics’ capabilities. Mr. Sousa was able to join more than 125 Signal leaders to discuss their programs and objectives surrounding the theme of “Shaping the Network – Enabling the Force.”



Opinion Piece: Don’t Be a Frozen Chicken!By Jason Murray

So there I am, a Southern Californian native, naïve, quasi-cultured, half-witted, mostly detracted—yet, an infectiously smiling attendee to an event I was mostly convinced was for persons unable to cook for themselves on the most basic of levels. I was wrong. Horribly wrong. I, well, I’ll just pick this up after presenting the lead-up to this mostly voluntary intersection of souls.

After discussing largely work-related random thoughts with my Director, Jeanine Jacob, she had spoken of her impending participation in what would be the Open House for the local Toastmasters chapter. She continued by stating that it would be “really great” if others attended. “Yes, ma’am! I was thinking of going anyway!” Hmmm…as subtle as a gun. Regardless, she said it, so, being the good former military man I am, I obeyed LtCol Jacob’s orders—er—suggestion.

Well, I came. I saw. I enjoyed. It was a great time and a nice break from the daily grind. I smiled and laughed more than not. I was able to see a side of my coworkers not otherwise witnessed in the office. I have no regrets.

Rey Forrest presides over a truly fun, captivating and imperceptibly learning event. That stated, I encourage any and all to join Toastmasters. Whether a seasoned speaker or a frozen chicken on stage, all can enjoy the camaraderie, fellowship, and otherwise educational experience inadvertently offered by Toastmasters.

Regarding “frozen chickens” it seems worthwhile to promote membership via a seemingly obtuse yet entertaining anecdote: A little-known fact is that the Federal Aviation Administration requires all new jets to go through a series of stress tests, which include having chickens shot at said jet— particularly the canopy. Accordingly, they possess a chicken cannon (not a joke) to conduct this test—developed by the U.S. Air Force (rest easy chicken lovers, the salmonella carrying fowl is not alive when shot through the poultry shooter). The chanticleers are shot at the resting canopies at the same speeds to which the tested jet will fly—basically, these are incredibly fast flying birds.

The Brits caught wind of this and requested use of the American cock-a-doodle-doo Saturday Night Special for use in the testing of a high-speed train they were developing. Of course, we obliged with our across-the-pond confederates. They set everything up and kaboom! (or whatever sound it makes). To their Earl Gray drinking astonishment, the poultry blasted through the windshield, continued through the conductor’s chair and lodged itself into the wall. The British engineers were understandably stunned. They scratched their proper heads then concluded that the calibrations must be off. They absolutely must be. So, they asked their American counterparts to check the gun settings, review their test data, and offer any advice.

The American chaps were obliging and upon review of all the aforementioned, submitted a report with but four words, “Thaw the chickens first.” There is some dispute as to the exact details of this story, but the point is made nonetheless—there is a right way and a wrong way to do just about anything.

If you want to learn how to speak in front of your peers, friends, unknowns or any group for that matter—the RIGHT way in fact, then Toastmasters is for you. You can break the ice in an informal setting amongst friends and coworkers amidst encouragement and esprit de corps. ‘Stuffy’ is not a word to describe the setting. ‘Strict’ is not a word to describe it neither. ‘Ceremonial’ is not a…you guessed it, not a descriptive word. Fun is the objective and it is met with fervor. Regardless, do keep in mind, preparing to speak in any high-stress and pressure cooker environment is fundamental for any and all professionals and frankly, fellow Pragmatists, if you are reading this, you are a professional.

Don’t be a frozen chicken, join Toastmasters.



Hurricane Matthew

Last October, Hurricane Matthew swept across the east coast, causing severe damage in several states including FL, NC, and GA. In an effort to help those affected by the storm, Pragmatics partnered with the American Red Cross and set up a donation page for employees to contribute to the cause. Donations from Pragmatics’ employees and the generous matching contribution from CEO Dr. Long Nguyen, raised more than $3,500. Thank you to everyone who helped raise money for this charitable cause.

Coat Drive

In November, Pragmatics held a coat drive to benefit Cornerstones – Hope for Tomorrow Today. Pragmatics’ employees donated almost 50 coats for the charitable organization. The coats were distributed to those in need in Reston, VA and the surrounding area.

Angel Tree

Every year in December, Pragmatics partners with the Salvation Army for their Angel Tree program. This event allows Pragmatics employees to anonymously purchase and donate gifts for local children and families during the holiday season. Tickets with children’s names, ages, and top three wishes helped participants select gifts. This year, more than 50 Pragmatics employees participated and donated new bikes, games, clothes, and more.

Food Drive

In March, Pragmatics held their annual Food for Others food drive. In order to help those in need in Northern Virginia, Pragmatics’ employees donated non-perishable food items in person and through Amazon. A number of employees also made monetary donations.

Donating through Amazon was a new feature this year and it allowed employees to shop directly through Amazon. Their orders were delivered directly to the Food for Others warehouse.

Since 2014, Pragmatics has donated 1,871 pounds of food and $800 to Food for Others. We are pleased to announce that with this year’s donations, Pragmatics grand total of donations is 2,185 pounds of food and $1,150. Thank you to everyone who has helped us support this worthy cause.


Community Activities: Just a Bunch of MisfitsBy Adrienne Morris

What do you get when a couple of people decide to host brunch at the local homeless shelter? BIG IDEAS! “What can we do to help?” “How can we help people get back on their feet, find jobs, get vehicles repaired, and find a home?” “How can I make a difference?” These are questions everyone asks.

Seeing a need, Pragmatics Business Development Capture Manager Adrienne Morris created Misfit Volunteers for the Loudoun Homeless Services Center (LHSC) last year. The all-volunteer group supports the Shelter in a variety of projects, the residence, and the staff. After providing presents and a lovely brunch for Mother’s Day, people constantly inquired how they could continue to volunteer. Mrs. Morris worked with the director of volunteers, Mrs. Linda Kimble, to determine the needs of the Shelter, then it was off to the races to coordinate volunteers from all walks of life to support various projects to help those in need! Some of the projects included: hosting and serving dinner each month; running a shoe drive; renovating and restocking the kitchens (after a good thorough cleaning) with supplies; decorating for the holidays; hosting Thanksgiving dinner; holding diaper drives; providing school supplies and hosting birthday parties for the Shelter children; hosting an Amazon wish list of much-needed supplies; and much more.

The LHSC is a multifaceted program that provides extensive services to prevent, support, and help end homelessness within Loudoun and surrounding counties. The LHSC is a program operated by Volunteers of America (VOA) Chesapeake, Inc. and Loudoun County Family Services. The primary goals are to assist households to convert from

homelessness to permanent housing and prevent at-risk households from becoming homeless. The types of programs offered include Permanent Supportive Housing, Program Rapid Rehousing Program, Emergency Shelter, Cold Weather Shelter, and a Drop-In Center. In 2016, the Shelter served 157 households and a total of 225 individuals. Federal and local funds are limited and budgets are tight, so the Shelter relies on the community to serve community members and help get them back on their feet.

The Misfit Volunteers work tirelessly to assist the Shelter with many needs but also provide volunteer help and donations during emergencies such as severe weather preparation or supporting specific and urgent challenges (vehicle repair, special shoe requirement, baby formula, etc). Volunteers come from all walks of life! Many high school groups, college students, churches, temples, Inova Loudoun Hospital employees, federal contractors, local small businesses, Girl and Boy Scout troops, rotary clubs, Housewives of Loudoun, Ladies of Lansdowne, Giant Food, and many others help us to make the Misfits and the Shelter a success every day!

If you would like to join the Misfits in volunteering, please go to the website at www.misfitvolunteers.com and click the Projects tab to support upcoming projects; or you can reach out directly to [email protected]. The Misfits are always in need of volunteers and anyone can volunteer (there are no age restrictions). Receipts for tax deductions for donated goods are provided by the Shelter.


PragmaticSERVES Helps Build Homes

Since 2014 PragmaticSERVES has proudly supported Bridges to Community. Bridges to Community is a non-profit organization that works with volunteers to build homes, schools, and health clinics in impoverished communities in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. This year, with the help from the PragmaticSERVES donation, Bridges to Community will be able to build eight new homes. Bridges to Community recently finished building two of the homes in Nicaragua.



Training MattersBy John O’Keeffe

Knowledge, education, experience, and who you are make a valuable employee. Ongoing training and certifications enhance your skillsets. At Pragmatics, we recognize the value of all of these employee aspects and work to support employees by investing in them. This year, as part of the employee benefit enhancements, Pragmatics increased the

tuition assistance to $5,000 per year. This allowance can be used to continue education, complete a Bachelor’s Degree, obtain a Master’s Degree, or obtain certifications with work relevance.

Additionally, all employees have access to the SkillPort Learning Management System (LMS) where certification training can be obtained. There are hundreds of courses and books, thousands of videos, and other resources to support your pursuit of technical knowledge. Once you have taken training, Pragmatics further supports employees by reimbursing for successful certification exams.

If you have any questions regarding tuition assistance or accessing the SkillPort LMS, or want to discuss professional development, please contact your Training Manager, John O’Keeffe, at 703-890-8384 or [email protected].

Pragmatics Attends Career Fairs

Pragmatics attended three career fairs in February. Pragmatics went to Virginia Tech, George Mason University, and the University of Maryland to meet with students and graduates about career and internship opportunities with Pragmatics.

Pragmatics Holds Creative Competitions

In December, Pragmatics held the annual December Doors Decorations contest. Employees from across the country submitted pictures of their decorated doors, desks, and hallways. A panel of judges selected the winners.

In March, Pragmatics celebrated International Pi Day with an inaugural Pie Contest. Fifteen pies were entered into the contest. Five employees assisted in the blind taste test to pick the winners. Software QA Release Engineer Valerie Faircloth won first place with her pecan pie. Proposal Coordinator Jackie Solomon placed second with her banana pie, and Pricing Coordinator Nil Tadjdeh placed third with a French silk

chocolate pie. Many employees attended the event and were able to taste the competing pies.



Wedding and Baby NewsWedding News

Pragmatics congratulates Facility Security Officer, Kyra Byron (now Kyra Owens), on her marriage to Todd Owens. The October 1st wedding was held in Louisa, VA with 120 close friends and family. The newlyweds enjoyed their honeymoon in Cozumel, Mexico. Congrats to the happy couple!

Baby News

On December 26, Pragmatics’ Marketing Associate Nicole Cox and her husband welcomed Aidan David into the world. Aidan weighted 8 pounds 10 ounces and measured 21 inches long. Congratulation on the new addition to the Cox family!

Baby News

Pragmatics Accounting Clerk, Najibullah Rasuli and his wife Zarghona Rasuli welcomed the birth of their new child, Ibrahim on December 29. Ibrahim weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces and measured 20.5 inches long. Congratulations to the Rasuli family!



New EmployeesPragmatics welcomes the following new employees who joined the company from October 1 - March 31.

KOSSIVI ASSONGON

CLINTON BAGWELL

MICHAEL BEIDLER

ROBERT BERENBAUM

BRAJRAJ

SANGEETHA CALANJI SRIDHAR

JERMAINE CARTER

BRANNON CENTENO

MONICA DANG

WILLIAM DAVIS

CASEY DICKSON

MATT EDWARDS

JOHN FOUNTAIN

DEONTA FULWOOD

ADANE GEBRESENBET

TEARLE GEE

JOSEPH HENRY

BRENT HUMBER

HABIBULLAH JAHISH

NATHANIEL JAMES

NATALIE KUKLISH

TIMOTHY LANE

CHARLES LEE

ALVIN LOGAN

THOMAS LOVE

UPENDARREDDY MAMIDI

AUSTIN MANN

BENJAMIN MATHENY

LOUIS MEDLEY

GETACHEW MEKONNEN

CATHERINE MUMFORD

SAVEETHA NATARAJAN

TAM NGUYEN

KATHRYN O’KEEFFE

CARMEN ONG

JOHN ORTIZ

DAN PALENCAR

HINALKUMAR PATEL

STEPHEN PEACE

ANDRE PERRY

JESSICA RAMOS

MICHAEL ROSATO

CHARMAINE SENARATNE

SRIMANTHA SENARATNE

NIPA SHETH

DAVID THAYER

JANE TINGLER

JILL TUROSZ

CHRISTOPHER VIRTUCIO

ANDRE WARREN

LINDA WEISS

AMSAL WOLDEYES

KATHRINE WRIGHT

ROBERT YAGGI

EMMA ZARIN

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EDITORS

Anne Hurley

Dr. Long Nguyen

CONTRIBUTORS

Anje Berger

Sean Cohan

Nicole Cox

Jacqueline Hoey

John O’Keeffe

Deke Moeller

Adrienne Morris

Jason Murray

Carl Ward

DESIGN

Nicole Cox

The Pragmatist addresses topics relevant to Pragmatics’ employees and clients. If you would like to contribute, please contact Nicole Cox at [email protected].

The Pragmatist, Pragmatic Agility, and the Pragmatics logo are registered trademarks of Pragmatics, Inc. CMMI® is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by Carnegie Mellon University. All other company, brand, or product names mentioned herein are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.

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