From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership - Hardcover

Toti USN (Ret), Captain William J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1637630638 ISBN 13: 9781637630631

Publisher: Forefront Books, 2022

Synopsis

In From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership, William J. Toti, former CO of the nuclear submarine USS Indianapolis and former CEO of Sparton Corporation, offers a seminal manual for service members transitioning to civilian careers and navigating their rise up the corporate ladder.    

 

You’ve served your country dutifully, and as a member of the US armed forces you’ve also developed a discipline, drive, and skillset admired the world over. Your success in the civilian job market after your military career ends is all but ensured, right?

Well, if statistics and real-life reports from your predecessors are any indication, this transition is not always smooth sailing. More than 200,000 service members separate from the military each year. More than half of those surveyed about the process felt as if they had little to no help with the transition.

That’s why William J. Toti, retired naval officer and CEO of Sparton Corporation, wrote From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership. As someone who successfully progressed from captain of a nuclear submarine to a captain of industry, he knows what it takes to make the most of your military training and what more is needed to rise up the ranks in the C-suite.

From CO to CEO aims to help you get the most out of your industry career, thinking through the kind of company and career track that is best for you. It provides a step-by-step guide to navigating the search, interview, and negotiation process and helps you acclimate to your new environment and to accelerate your climb to the top.

 

About this title

About the Author

Captain William J. Toti, USN(Ret) served for more than twenty-six years on active duty, from enlisted seaman to, in turn, Commanding Officer of the nuclear submarine USS Indianapolis (SSN-697) and commodore of Submarine Squadron 3. He served for more than nine years in the Pentagon, including tours as special assistant to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, as Navy representative to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, and as deputy director of the Navy War Plans Cell, Deep Blue.

After transitioning to industry in 2006, Toti served in various roles, including vice president positions in Raytheon, Hewlett Packard, DXC, and HPE, and as president in Cubic Corporation and L3 Maritime Systems, eventually rising to serve as President and CEO of Sparton Corporation.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the U.S. Naval Academy, and a master’s degree in spacecraft systems engineering and pre-doctoral Electrical Engineer degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.

He was featured in the 2016 PBS documentary, 9/11: Inside the Pentagon, the 2020 History Channel documentary, 9/11: The Pentagon, and National Geographic’s twentieth anniversary limited series documentary, 9/11: One Day in America.

Among many other honors, Toti is a seven-time recipient of the Legion of Merit.

He and his wife Karen are parents of two adult children, and currently live in Florida.

From the Back Cover

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION FROM MILITARY SERVICE TO THE CIVILIAN JOB MARKET

"A marvelous and highly readable book full of practical wisdom, sage advice, and telling anecdotes from Admiral Hyman Rickover's waiting room to negotiations for a seven figure salary in industry. Bill Toti lays out the pitfalls and the pinnacles of hanging up the uniform but not the energy, drive, and humility that are the keys to success in the private sector. Simply a knockout of a book, grounded in experience and written in vibrant prose!"

• Admiral Jim Stavridis, US Navy (Ret)

"Bill and I were Submarine Squadron Commodores together and both set off on second careers in the private sector around the same time. My first reaction in reading his book was, "I wish I had read this when I was transitioning" and my second reaction was, "I wish I had written this book." That's because Bill has filled an unmet need of a reality-based, practical guide that should be required reading for any transitioning military member into the civilian workforce. Bill has a unique perspective having served in Major Command in the Navy and as a Chief Executive Officer, having climbed the corporate ladder gaining increased responsibilities across multiple companies. He gives a first-hand account of what works and what doesn't work outside of the military, and he helps to clear the fog of uncertainty by providing actionable advice that is not based in theory. When I stated that I wished I had written the book, that is because I recognized many of my own lessons learned borne in a different industry on a different coast."

• Captain Dennis Murphy, US Navy (Ret), Former Vice President, Amgen

"Bill Toti's book from CO to CEO should be on anyone's bookshelf transitioning into any industry. From CO to CEO is the transition book military members need before their actual transition occurs. In Army terms, is the -10 user manual for those considering making that change to industry. The book outlines the realism of those who have and have not served our country. It's the football equivalent of teaching basic blocking and tackling. Just reading the book and gaining an understanding of both sides will make anyone who picks it up more aware and ultimately more successful."

• COL Keith Cooper, US Army (Ret), Senior Aerospace Executive

"An insightful primer of incalculable value for every transitioning officer regardless of branch of service; full of useful tips and counter-intuitive lessons based on real life experiences from one who successfully cracked the code." \

• Brigadier General William C. "Bill" David, US Army (Ret)
  

"Bill Toti's book is a testament to understanding that interrelationship, and is a must-read for those thinking of joining, and just as important, for those who are already part of, this business of defense of the United States."

• Vice Admiral Robert S. Harward, US Navy (Ret)

From the Inside Flap

From CO to CEO is a book for military leaders of all "stripes," contemplating or preparing for transition from military to corporate leadership, your journey from CO to, perhaps, one day, CEO.
In this book:

• I will help you to understand how and when to make your transition.
• I will help you properly define the goals for your future career.
• I help you prepare for your job interview, negotiate your compensation, and land the position you want.
• I take you into rooms where decisions happen in today's defense industry and show you what it takes to succeed.
• I describe twenty career options, including their pluses and minuses.
• I coach you on the language and assumptions of business culture.
• And more.

My overarching goal is to help the military's best find your place among industry's best, launched in a rewarding second career that fully capitalizes on your years of training, commitment, and service.
Reading this book will help you avoid years of career stasis or agony, and could potentially help you earn tens of thousands of dollars more in your civilian career.
From CO to CEO is the culmination of lessons from my 26 years on active duty followed by my 15 years in industry, leading up to my tenure as CO of a defense company.
From CO to CEO is must-reading for any military leader contemplating a transition to industry.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forefront Books
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1637630638
• ISBN 13: 9781637630631
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272