126: Austin Tsosie - Navajo Nation Diné Development Corporation

Today’s guest Mr. Austin Tsosie is the CEO of Diné Development Corporation, a firm that advances the missions of government agencies and commercial firms by delivering IT, professional, and environmental solutions to elevate the Navajo Nation and its People. The corporation comprises 4 subsidiaries that specialize in IT (Nova, BRIC, Dine Source, DDC IT), 2 environmental companies (DDC 4C, BRIC) , an Aerospace company (Red Canyon) and R&D company (Seventh Emergence). Austin is an accomplished leader with more than 25 years of experience in the technology and project and portfolio management (PPM) sectors. With a background in software engineering and network administration, he worked as a project manager and analyst in managing large-scale teams across the world. Great story, how I came to meet Austin was through Diné Development Corporation. I met the Capture specialist Tashina Atine and president Calista Pinnecoose at the 8a conference in Florida. We connected from there and the rest is history. What makes this interview unique is that Mr. Tsosie is part of the Navajo tribe. As a Principal Consultant, he directed IT portfolio development for global organizations spanning technology, engineering, and outsourcing industries such as American Express, Boeing, Disney, Epson, and Bank of America. In the interview we discussed: abandoned uranium mines, competitive strategy before exiting the 8a program, architecting a $100 million dollar a year federal company, the difficulty of tribes accessing capital, meeting the new SBA administrator Isabell Guzman and his journey from technologist to CEO and finding his way back to the nation. Tune in to this episode and welcome our next Giant, Mr. Austin Tsosie.