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ORIGINAL ARTICLE FROM ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/print-edition/2011/04/22/baptistes-mi…
Thomas L. Baptiste works in the epicenter of the U.S. modeling and simulation industry.
And as president and executive director of the Orlando-based National Center for Simulation, he’s focused on growing the field in Central Florida.
The center, which has three employees and about 160 members, works primarily with the defense industry.
It opened in 1993 as the Training & Simulation Technology Consortium and was renamed in 1997 by then-Gov. Lawton Chiles. The center’s annual budget is less than $500,000 dollars, and most of the revenue comes via the state’s education budget, with the rest from grants and membership dues.
Before joining the center about a year ago, Baptiste was an independent consultant for the defense and modeling simulation industry. He also spent 34 years in the U.S. Air Force as a fighter pilot and retired in 2007 as a lieutenant general.
Simulation was a big part of his training throughout his flying career, so he joined the National Center for Simulation as a long-time user of that type of technology. His experience as a senior Air Force officer and fighter pilot gives his a great deal of credibility when promoting the center and the industry.
One of his priorities lies in business development for existing members, as well as attracting new members and companies.
The industry has been a survivor in a down economy, due in large part to the dependable purchasing power of the U.S. Department of Defense. The industry began 45 years ago in Central Florida when the Navy and Army moved a small group of simulation experts from Long Island, N.Y., to the former Orlando naval training base. From those humble beginnings in 1965, the industry has ballooned to more than $5 billion annually nationwide.
The center’s goals: To leverage the strength of this high-tech cluster to attract additional companies
Growing industries in the simulation field: Defense, education, health care, homeland security, transportation, digital media and video games
Average wage in the field: $70,000-plus
The area’s heavy hitters in simulation: Lockheed Martin Global Training & Logistics; Northrop Grumman Corp.; Science Applications International Corp.; and L-3 Communications Link Simulation & Training
Areas of focus in simulation that are still under-served: We probably haven’t explored the full potential of modeling as a decision tool and as a prediction tool.
Legislation I’m watching: The budget debates, to see what happens to the defense budget
The next big niche for simulation: The virtual worlds. Avatar technology is going to open up incredible opportunities for taking modeling and simulation in areas such as education and health care.
How Orlando ranks in the U.S. simulation industry: Central Florida is the epicenter for the modeling simulation and training industry. We have, by far, more companies involved and more money spent than anywhere in the U.S.
Tom Baptiste
Title: President and executive director, National Center for Simulation.
Age: 60.
Birthplace: Willows, Calif.
Education: Bachelor’s in business administration and finance, Cal State Chico.
First job ever: Gas station attendant.
Contact: (407) 384-6111; tbaptiste@simulationinformation.com.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE FROM ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/print-edition/2011/04/22/baptistes-mi…
