In
Michael Reid
Profile
Mike Reid chose engineering because he was good at math and science. He initially wanted to go to West Point but eventually decided to attend WVU. He chose Industrial Engineering because of the diversity of the major.
Mike attended WVU on an Army ROTC scholarship. After graduation, Mike had a four year obligation to serve in the military. He became an Ordinance Officer based in Germany and served in Operation Desert Storm (the first Iraq War). Mike saw combat duty and was nominated for a Bronze Star.
When Mike left military service, a placement agency helped him find a position with Carlisle Plastics, a $250 million manufacturer of plastic products. Shortly after joining, the CEO pulled Mike aside one day and said something to him that had a lasting impact on his career: “I have good news and bad news,” he said. “The bad news is that you are a terrible plant manager. The good news is that you will be terrific in sales and business leadership.” As proof of his boss’ insight, Mike became President of a $35 million division of Carlisle at age 29.
Mike changed his career path when he left Carlisle. He became the co-owner of his own firm specializing in ERP/CRM software selection. The business was honored as one of the fastest growing businesses in Minneapolis-Saint Paul 2 years running. He did this for four years.
Mike’s career then moved to a series of sales and business leadership positions in IT businesses. He is currently Vice President of Services for NTT DATA Services, a member of the $100 billion NTT Group. In this position, Mike has grown the business substantially by being truthful with potential clients. “I believe in being honest and upfront about possible challenges of any potential project. I then show them the variables that will affect success.”
Mike has had a number of career opportunities and has valuable advice on the decision of when to move jobs. “It’s really important to enjoy the people you work with. Life is short. I also enjoy career coaching and helping others find their way.”
Perhaps the greatest contribution WVU made to Mike’s career was when he met his future wife Denise on the PRT. They found out they were both IEs. “I married the prettiest girl in the department,” Mike says. “Denise has been critical to my success.”
Bio
As Vice President of Services, Michael leads NTT DATA Services’ Professional Services business unit and fosters collaboration between NTT Group companies. Through his team’s efforts, it’s become the norm that his business leads in both customer satisfaction and profitability. Prior to joining NTT DATA Services in 2013, Michael was an Infrastructure, Cloud, and Security Principal with Verizon. During this time, Michael’s team successfully secured the largest information technology outsourcing healthcare deal in the company. Prior to Verizon, Michael served as Area Vice President for MTM Technologies and was instrumental in securing debt financing through radical business transformation. Prior to MTM, Michael served in a number of leadership roles including President of plastics company, Owner of a management consulting firm, and Combat Veteran of Operation Desert Storm where he was nominated for a bronze star. Michael holds a DBA from Walden University, MBA from Boston University, and BSIE from West Virginia University. Michael has 2 sons in college, is married to a fellow West Virginia alum, and enjoys daily walks with his dog.
