Fourth Edition | Marquis Who’s Who Insight 9 Windows are the most complicated portion of construction. One window can have 80 different options, so the software we’ve developed is very complex. Mr. Perry was a founding board director of the Engineering College at the University of California San Diego. In addition to publishing a number of papers on strategy leadership and ethics, he also published a case study, “The Role of Strategy and Leadership at The Window Specialist: Can a Tech CEO dramatically Grow a Construction Firm.” For his efforts in the field, he was presented with the Technology Fast 50 Award from Deloitte and Touche and a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the U.S. Congress. Civically, Mr. Perry engages engineers in the community through several projects and programs. He maintains professional affiliation with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Society of Case Research, the Western Case Writers Association, and the San Francisco Executives Association. How have you navigated disruptions in your industry to remain a top professional? The secret is to apply that which is common to any company to a different industry. There are many commonalities among industries. People lump tech together, but there are many different industries within tech and I had the good fortune to kick around a bunch of them before I went into phone systems and later, the construction industry. What are two key behaviors/personality traits that allow you to be effective in your role? I started at the bottom in software, marketing, engineering, sales and product management. I was really able to understand how these things worked together to provide company value. I also learned about these things on an academic level and started teaching. What is the most important issue/challenge you are dealing with in your industry? Usually, growth is inhibited by an organization rather than opportunities outside of the company. I worked for a $15 million company that was 15 years old and maybe achieving an 18% profit, so they were growing a little bit each year. This company wasn’t ready to accept new opportunities. In my first year there, I grew the company’s profits from $15 million to $65 million. The issue it had, had nothing to do with opportunities. It was there all along, but the company had to grow internally. That is what I’m doing right now in the window industry. It’s not the lack of business, it’s about handling the business correctly to grow staff and ensure that they can work together. What innovations or technologies do you feel will shape the future of your industry? Recently, we were able to get software running that I’ve beenworkingon for the last sevenyears. It’sbreakthrough technology — like hotels.com for the window industry. This will give people the ability to compare window quotes from different companies more easily. What excites you the most about your industry? In the construction industry, when you do a job, you see results. You don’t necessarily see results when you write software. The most fulfilling aspect is seeing tangible results. Windows are the most complicated portion of construction. One window can have 80 different options, so the software we’ve developed is very complex.
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