Bryan Havens

4/5/15
CNS 220
For my first informational interview, I asked my dad for the contact information of a few
of his colleagues. After he sent me the information of a few individuals he has previously
worked with, I reached out to them via email and set up a time to talk on the phone. My first
experience was with John Burton, who is currently the Group Leader of the Security Programs
Group within the Strategic Operations and Security Division of SPA (Systems Planning and
Analysis).
I began the interview asking about his company in general, and what they do. I learned
that SPA is a private company that provides decision support to national security leaders. Mr.
Burton told me that the company began in the 1970s and since then has grown to incorporate
over 400 individuals. He explained to me that the mission of his company is to provide objective
assessments integrating operational, programmatic, policy, and business aspects of national
security issues to distinguished decision makers in the field.
After learning a little about his company, I asked Mr. Burton about his opinion on
happenstance (idea that you make the most of what happens and keep your options open, as
discussed when we were studying Krumboltz). He told me that he thought everything happens
for a reason, and that you have to make the most of any situation you are faced with. I then
asked about his career path and what his job search strategies were coming out of college. He
told me that he began working with Systems Planning and Analysis as a college intern following
his graduation. After graduating with his Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations
from the University of Virginia, Mr. Burton told me that he went on to earn his Master of Science
degree in Operations Research from George Mason University. I found this a good opportunity
to ask Mr. Burton on his decision to attend graduate school and continue his education. His
response was, it seemed like the right choice for me. I weighed my options and decided that I
wanted to continue with my education in order to put me in the best position possible.
As I asked about his career path further, and how he got to where he is today, he said that
he began working at SPA after his graduation, and has led projects and programs supporting
SPAs clients in the Navy and National Nuclear Security Administration. He said he eventually
went on to work in the Strategic Operations and Security Division, a branch of the company that
provides comprehensive program, technical, and analytical support to Strategic Systems
Programs. I asked how he got to the position hes in today, and he said that he enjoyed working
with SPA from the beginning and continued working his way up from there. When I asked about
how his education meshed with his career, he said it was a direct match and that this kind of
work was what he knew he wanted to do when he began studying International Relations in
college.
My final questions to Mr. Burton regarding his job had to do with what a typical day is
like and what problems/decisions he is faced with. He said he has a pretty standard work week
schedule, and his division is faced with safeguarding critical military assets and resources. He

said that his branch provides program support, systems engineering, risk management, modeling,
simulation and analysis in support of Nuclear Weapons Surety and Nuclear Weapons Security.
I found my talk with Mr. Burton very helpful. He was engaging and interested in the
questions I asked him, and was very obviously committed to the work he does. I learned that he
knew exactly what he wanted to do coming out of school, and has been working with the same
company for over 26 years! This viewpoint was helpful for me, seeing that if you find
something you love it is easy to stay engaged and interested in your work for an extended period
of time. When I asked Mr. Burton what his favorite part of his job was, he told me that it was
knowing he and his company were making a difference in the well-being of the country in the
way of National Defense. This informational interview was a great experience for me.

Bryan Havens
4/6/15

Dear Mr. Burton,

Id like to thank you for taking the time to talk with me yesterday. I found our talk very
helpful, as I look to develop my own career path in the near future. The tips and advice you gave
me about graduate school and finding a career that interests you were very insightful, and I will
remember them as I look for jobs after school. I look forward to keeping in contact.

Sincerely,
Bryan Havens