Many of us receive Defense Industry news from multiple sources. These days, the themes are common. They are all tales of woe: in-sourcing, Nunn-McCurdy breaches, failures to effectively estimate total ownership costs, injunctions for overcharging on contracts, multiple rounds of budget cuts, or cancellations of large Defense and Aerospace programs. If we, at The Columbia Group (TCG), did not know any better, we would flee from this negative environment. But we do know better. While our competitors contract financially and shift their focus to maintaining earnings while losing revenues, The Columbia Group is going against the grain. We are blazing a different trail. We are investing in our growth and in our future.

Some examples: (1) In the next few months, we should be announcing our expansion into the DOD wide operational and reset logistics markets with the acquisition of another company; (2) Across our Marine Engineering and Navy Programs Divisions, we are investing more than ever in business development. In this fiscal year alone, our bid values will exceed $1 billion. This investment is made not only in the form of cash, but in the sweat equity of our hard working teams across these Divisions manifesting the conviction and confidence we all have in our future here at The Columbia Group; (3) Our Rosenblatt Ship Design Division is rapidly outpacing its competition. The team's success is driven by an extraordinary commitment to the success of their customers at The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Military Sealift Command (MSC) and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). Their achievements have become a magnet for talent as competitors are losing market share by focusing on their bottom lines. That's right! We are going against the grain of our market.

– Rod Buck