Carey Smith, president and CEO of Parsons, has been recognized by Executive Mosaic in the 2022 edition of the Wash100 Award, the fourth time that she’s received the most prestigious recognition in government contracting.
Smith assumed the president role at Parsons in November 2019, took on additional responsibilities as CEO in July 2021 and will also hold the title of chairwoman when Chuck Harrington retires as executive chairman of the Centreville, Virginia-based company on April 14, 2022. Visit Wash100.com to cast a vote for Carey Smith as one of your favorite leaders who shape the GovCon landscape.
Smith, a more-than-three-decade GovCon industry veteran, overviewed Parsons’ investment strategy and key areas of focus in an August 2021 interview with ExecutiveBiz.
“Our plan is to continue to invest in growth, through both organic and inorganic means. We will continue investing internally to ensure technology differentiation, and our research and development spend is 20 times what it was four years ago. We will be focused on areas including data analytics, artificial intelligence, high-speed processing, data analytics and space, weapon system and infrastructure resiliency,” Smith said in the Executive Spotlight.
Parsons moved to grow its cyber, electromagnetic and information operations expertise through the acquisition of BlackHorse Solutions in a $203 million deal that closed in July last year and subsequently integrated BlackHorse into the company’s federal services segment.
“When we make acquisitions, we look at companies that we have partnered with previously so that we know there is good cultural fit, and alignment on our mission-focused and people-first approach,” Smith told ExecutiveBiz.
She also cited missile defense as one of Parsons’ growth areas. In June 2021, the Missile Defense Agency awarded the company an eight-year, $2.24 billion contract to perform systems engineering work and selected a Parsons-Mobius Consulting joint venture to provide MDA with test support under a separate contract worth $567 million over five years.
Additionally, Parsons secured prime positions on the U.S. Air Force’s $2 billion Architect-Engineer Next contract vehicle, $46 billion Eglin Wide Agile Acquisition Contract and a $2 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for COVID-19 testing services to the Department of Homeland Security.
At Baird’s 2021 Government & Defense Conference, Smith said Parsons will pursue more acquisitions to support its strategic vision in the national security and global infrastructure areas and she noted that employee engagement is “what makes our company” in the federal market.
“We are in a lot of different markets and it’s really about picking the markets that are the high growth profitable, and where we can be differentiated,” she said at the event.
The incoming chairwoman at Parsons noted in a 2021 earnings statement the company will use innovation to differentiate itself and win contracts.
Smith serves on the Intelligence and National Security Alliance’s board of directors and is board chair at the Professional Services Council.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Carey Smith and the Parsons organization for their inclusion in the 2022 edition of the Wash100. Visit Wash100.com to vote for her before April 30!
