Changing the World - Booz Allen Hamilton

Willie McFadden /
From West Point
to Booz Allen
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Willie McFadden spent 23 years in the US
Army, most recently as a full professor at the
US Military Academy at West Point. He is a 1983
West Point graduate himself, and with a master’s
degree in operations research and a Ph.D. in
engineering management, he could have written his
ticket to anywhere when he retired from the Army.
So why Booz Allen?
“It was the quality of Booz Allen’s people, from the
staff all the way up to leadership,” says McFadden,
a senior associate in Huntsville, Alabama, who specializes
in modeling, simulation, wargaming, and
analysis. “You get spoiled at West Point because
you work with some of the best and brightest. I was
impressed that I could work with the same caliber
of skilled and talented folks here at Booz Allen.”
One of McFadden’s first assignments was to build a
summer internship program to discover and groom
new talent. “If we don’t have strong junior staff,
we’re not going to grow,” he says. “They bring new
energy, ideas, and learning to our organization.”
He works with area universities to recruit interns,
some of whom have since joined the firm. McFadden
also serves as a board member of several nonprofit
organizations related to his field, including the American
Society for Engineering Management, where he
served as president and is now a fellow.
One of McFadden’s passions is gardening. “Being
outside, mowing the yard, weeding and planting—
gives me a sense of accomplishment because
within hours, you can see the results of your work.”
He adds, “I feel the same way about my career at
Booz Allen—I can see I’m making a difference.”
2,420
employees have been with
Booz Allen for more than 10 years