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Meet Gerry Mahon, the new CANEX/NATEX President
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By Brigitte Smiley
Editor's note: Mr. Gerry Mahon (GM) started as CANEX/NATEX President on April 11, 2005. I interviewed him just six weeks after he started. He retired as Col Mahon, where for the past four years he had been Commander of Support Training Group and Base Commander of CFB Borden.
BYS: What strengths do you bring to CANEX?
GM: I'm used to working in a large organization with a variety of responsibilities, including the responsibility to establish direction and set priorities. I am a very positive person, and believe that I bring the experience and capability to facilitate decisions that will move the organization forward. Whether operating in a military environment where there is competition for resources, or in the competitive environment of business, we cannot allow ourselves to sit back and become stagnant. As well, CANEX is not a new field for me. I am familiar with the working environment, and where we fit as a component of the morale and welfare program for CF personnel.
Gerry Mahon, CANEX/NATEX President
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BYS: What do you see as your priority?
GM: My immediate priority has been to learn about the organization, the people, and the facilities that we have. Doing that is giving me a chance to assess the environment, the competition, the factors at play in the market, and in the population we serve. I want to fully understand the challenges we face, then take that, and work with CANEX personnel to ensure that we are all marching to the same tune. We have to remain relevant to our market and continue to meet our service mandate, while generating funds to support the morale and welfare programs that are already out there. From what I have seen so far, we are certainly moving along that road.
BYS: What do you see as CANEX's strengths?
GM: We have a very clear mandate, we know who our customers are, and probably more significantly, where they are. We just need to make sure that we are meeting their requirements. That detailed knowledge of our clientele is a strength that we have over most other organizations. We are in a great position to make it a win-win situation for both CANEX and our customers.
BYS: What do you most look forward to?
GM: I like a challenge, and I like to be able to get people to work together as a team toward one agreed upon vision.
We have some very energetic, enthusiastic, and professional people that want to do good things. To me, it is part of the culture of the whole NPF organization, wanting to do good things. I look forward to working with CANEX staff, putting a vision in place, with a roadmap of how we will get there, and seeing it through to completion.
BYS: Do you have a message for our readers?
GM: I have been getting out there meeting the key stakeholders at bases/wings/units, at CFPSA HQ, including both NPF and military people. I find that they are all enthusiastic professionals who listen carefully to their customers. The customer focus is very noticeable, and certainly goes a long way toward helping people enjoy where they are, and what they do. Not only do people feel like they are making a contribution, they really are. The enthusiasm and professionalism I have observed is noticeable at every location, and it bodes well for the whole NPF organization…not just CANEX.
