The Force is with us

Defense work attracts federal maintenance management specialist from New Jersey

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

By DONNA FORK

For The Times dmfork@knology.net

The Force is with Huntsville. No, not "The Force" from the "Star Wars" movies. This is The Force Inc., a small Huntsville firm that helps customers keep their equipment in good working order.

Just because something is old doesn't mean you have to throw it away, said company President Nancy Regan.

For example, many of the B-52 aircraft are more than 40 years old and still flying. But how to keep older aircraft, tanks and other equipment in good condition is a big challenge for the federal government. That's where The Force comes into the picture.

The company, founded in 2001 by Regan, develops and applies reliability centered maintenance, or RCM. The firm helps customers come up with ways to manage equipment repair.

The name of the company came from Regan's mentor, the late John Moubray, whom Regan called "a pioneer of RCM." Regan said she wasn't all that thrilled with the name, but her mentor suggested it, and so she decided to use it.

The Force began in New Jersey, but wound up in Huntsville because so much of the work was centered here, Regan said.

Regan is originally from Boston, but calls herself "a native Huntsvillian at heart." She has a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering and was hired out of college to work for the Naval Air Warfare Center in Lakehurst, NJ., where she helped customers come up with maintenance schedules for equipment.

Regan decided to start her own company because of a "sincere love for my work." She was a civilian employee of the Navy, but thought the concepts of RCM could be applied to other branches of the federal government, too.

Identification assistance

The Force also assists customers with unique identification systems. The company looks at parts and equipment and helps customers decide how to tag them.

The Force doesn't actually put tags or labels on equipment for the government or do repairs. Nor does The Force tell the customer what to do.

"We don't make the decisions for the people who use the asset," said Regan. Rather, The Force employees act as facilitators to help an organization decide how to maintain and mark equipment. Facilitators have military maintenance experience, Regan said.

"In a nutshell, it's a process," Regan said. The Force helps an organization determine "what kind of maintenance is needed."

"Whatever is more effective, more efficient," added Shea Richardson, director of operations for The Force.

The Force is also involved in condition-based maintenance, or CBM, which is mandated by the Department of Defense. An example of CBM would be outfitting a helicopter with sensors to detect vibrations, Regan said.

The Force employs seven full-time employees and one part-time employee. The company has seen a positive growth rate every year since its formation in 2001, Richardson said.

The Force may go into the commercial market down the road, "but for now the federal government is our niche," Regan said. "The government needs its assets managed, regardless of peace or war."



The Force is with us Defense work attracts federal maintenance management specialist from New Jersey Tuesday, July 03, 2007 By DONNA FORK For The Times dmfork@knology.net The Force is with Huntsville. No, not "The Force" from the "Star Wars" movies. This is The Force Inc., a small Huntsville firm that helps customers keep their equipment in good working order. Just because something is old doesn't mean you have to throw it away, said company President Nancy Regan. For example, many of the B-52 aircraft are more than 40 years old and still flying. But how to keep older aircraft, tanks and other equipment in good condition is a big challenge for the federal government. That's where The Force comes into the picture. The company, founded in 2001 by Regan, develops and applies reliability centered maintenance, or RCM. The firm helps customers come up with ways to manage equipment repair. The name of the company came from Regan's mentor, the late John Moubray, whom Regan called "a pioneer of RCM." Regan said she wasn't all that thrilled with the name, but her mentor suggested it, and so she decided to use it. The Force began in New Jersey, but wound up in Huntsville because so much of the work was centered here, Regan said. Regan is originally from Boston, but calls herself "a native Huntsvillian at heart." She has a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering and was hired out of college to work for the Naval Air Warfare Center in Lakehurst, NJ., where she helped customers come up with maintenance schedules for equipment. Regan decided to start her own company because of a "sincere love for my work." She was a civilian employee of the Navy, but thought the concepts of RCM could be applied to other branches of the federal government, too. Identification assistance The Force also assists customers with unique identification systems. The company looks at parts and equipment and helps customers decide how to tag them. The Force doesn't actually put tags or labels on equipment for the government or do repairs. Nor does The Force tell the customer what to do. "We don't make the decisions for the people who use the asset," said Regan. Rather, The Force employees act as facilitators to help an organization decide how to maintain and mark equipment. Facilitators have military maintenance experience, Regan said. "In a nutshell, it's a process," Regan said. The Force helps an organization determine "what kind of maintenance is needed." "Whatever is more effective, more efficient," added Shea Richardson, director of operations for The Force. The Force is also involved in condition-based maintenance, or CBM, which is mandated by the Department of Defense. An example of CBM would be outfitting a helicopter with sensors to detect vibrations, Regan said. The Force employs seven full-time employees and one part-time employee. The company has seen a positive growth rate every year since its formation in 2001, Richardson said. The Force may go into the commercial market down the road, "but for now the federal government is our niche," Regan said. "The government needs its assets managed, regardless of peace or war." © 2007 The Huntsville Times © 2007 al.com All Rights Reserved.