Avionics News June 2012 - 67

How did you connect with DPI Labs?

We had a project together when I was at SYAIR, and I got a chance to interface with DPI through system testing and product integration. I’ve known them forever since it’s a small industry. I didn’t want to live in California, so DPI agreed to let me work in Arkansas.

Have you been involved with the AEA?

I’ve been involved through all the organizations where I’ve worked. Before my arrival, DPI wasn’t really involved in the AEA, so when I came on board, I knew the AEA had to be part of our marketing plan. I do my best to leverage the capabilities.

You have all K names in your family. I bet that wasn’t an accident.

What do you like best about your job?

What do you do when you’re not working?

My wife being Kelley was just a coincidence. It was not a prerequisite to marriage. I have two brothers, Keith and Kenneth, and we all named our children with K-names. Keith’s kids are Karsen and Keegan, and Kenneth’s are Keaton, Karter and Kaeden. My brother-in-law also named his kids Kolbe and Kaleb.

The fact that management is fairly open to the ideas I bring to the organization. As I bring ideas and sell them internally, I enjoy taking an idea, immersing it in the whole process, and moving the idea through the marketing process and have the support of management and dedicated resources to make that happen. This company moves quickly when addressing market needs.

Describe the corporate culture at DPI Labs.

I love photography – actually I have my own website at www.hayesphotographyonline.com, where I mostly do sports photography for kids. I have an 11-year old son who’s into sports. At church, I am the music director. I don’t play instruments, so my contribution is mostly vocal. I enjoy singing and serve as a church deacon and administrator. My wife plays the piano, and she works as a teacher’s aide in a Christian school. Her hands are full. She is our church instrumentalist, so we tag team when it comes to music.

Do you have pets?

We have one dog, a pure-bred shih tzu named Kassie. We made the mistake of walking into a pet store right after we lost a dog. We didn’t think we were ready for another dog, but we saw this puppy and fell in love with her.

What do you see in the future?

From a senior management point of view, it’s not an in-your-face kind of company. We are pretty autonomous. There’s a lot of listening and responding. We’re a very friendly company with compassion and help for our neighbors. Our founder and CEO, Vicki Brown, started Sowing Seeds for Life, a nonprofit organization with the mission to eliminate hunger through a nationwide network of food banks in the parking lot of the business. Vicki has a strong heart for people struggling during the recession, so the company has a nice blend of professional business and compassion for people in the community.

Tell me about your son.

Kyler is 11 years old and plays basketball, baseball and football. He is fairly sports-minded. He dabbles in hunting, too. I don’t know where he got that gene, because I am not a hunter.

And you also have a daughter?

Katelyn will be 16 on July 1. She’s in the National Honor Society, the all-state choir and plays the guitar. As of right now, she leans toward teaching and performing arts for a career. She’s a sophomore in high school. So far, I’m the only guy in her life, so that’s a good thing.

As far as business, what I envision is to hone our skills on the retrofit market. We will be able to solve issues of obsolescence for equipment. Many customers have aircraft where there won’t be parts or services, and we can be the go-to company for the solution. We will step up and get products that will be serviced for years to come. The AEA will help shape that, as this is an industry problem right now. What we’re doing is not difficult, so the barrier to entry is low. But, if we hit the market first, we’ll be rewarded for seeing that need. q To learn more about DPI Labs, visit www.dpilabs.com.
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http://www.hayesphotographyonline.com http://www.hayesphotographyonline.com http://www.dpilabs.com

Avionics News June 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News June 2012