Ross Wilkers
Ron Fouse oversees legal affairs for government services contractor ASRC Federal and its subsidiaries as chief compliance officer and general counsel for the Greenbelt, Md.-based company.
Fouse holds legal experience from both sides of the GovCon sector as he also served as an associate counsel to the Naval Air Systems Command and as a trial attorney in the Navy general counsel’s office.
In this conversation, Fouse discusses some of the lessons and experiences he still draws on from his time at NAVAIR in his current role at ASRC Federal and his work on the human resources side of the company.
ExecutiveBiz: When did you start your current role at ASRC Federal, and what were some of the main areas that you focused on?
Ron Fouse: I joined ASRC Federal in October 2008. A primary focus has been on development of training, policies, procedures, and culture. Additionally, compliance is very important for the company, which has experienced very rapid consistent growth over a lengthy period of time. I have to ensure support services that help set policies and procedures, like regulatory compliance, contracts administration and procurement, are keeping up with the rapid growth of the company.
ExecutiveBiz: As general counsel, what kind of policies do you help formulate at the company?
Ron Fouse: We spend a lot of time on human resources and employment policies. Our business operates in 42 states. With a workforce dispersed across the U.S, it’s critical that we establish standards for our workforce that foster the culture and regulatory compliance that are foundational elements of ASRC Federal.
Some of our subsidiary companies participate in 8(a) and small business set‑aside contracting so our legal group makes sure that we are compliant with regulatory requirements from the Small Business Administration and other government agencies. And even though we are not a publicly‑traded company, subject to the full range of SEC and Sarbanes‑Oxley requirements we operate with those requirements in mind, because our board of directors and Inupiat shareholders place a high value on compliance and transparency associated with the financials of the organization.
On the contract side, we are aware of and compliant with all FAR, DFARs and other regulatory changes associated with our customer contracts.
ExecutiveBiz: How do you manage your time across all your responsibilities?
Ron Fouse: I’m lucky to have a wonderful team of people that work for me and with me.
There is a lot of juggling involved. One of the tricks of the trade is to quickly learn what’s important and what’s not. I agree with the theory that people fall into a trap where they spend all of their time on things that are urgent without spending much time on things that are actually important. I try to stay focused on what brings value to our organization.
ExecutiveBiz: What experiences do you draw on the most from your career on the customer government side of GovCon particularly your time at NAVAIR?
Ron Fouse: I spent about a little over four years with the general counsel’s office of the Navy. It is one of the best places to start a legal career in the government contracts industry. The Navy general counsel’s office gave me the opportunity to meaningfully participate in significant legal issues. I learned to appreciate the way in which the government operates in the procurement process.
From a private industry perspective, it’s easy to see what appears to be inefficiency or inconsistencies in the government’s processes. After working for NAVAIR, I realize this is a misinterpretation because most of the time government agencies are just working very hard to ensure compliance and fairness despite having a lot of external influences. They try to define and balance their funding requirements with their schedule as best they can. They’re constantly under the threat of protests and being lobbied by companies like ours to shape requirements and influence procurement decisions.
ExecutiveBiz: How do the memberships to bar associations in several states help you in your current role at ASRC Federal?
Ron Fouse: There are some networking benefits and legal education opportunities through a bar membership. As in-house counsel, there is not a lot of benefit to being a member of a bar in more one than state. The subject matter of expertise, in my case, corporate law and government contracts law, is more important than any particular bar membership.
ExecutiveBiz: Are there any final thoughts that you’d like to offer or anything you’d like to go more in‑depth on?
Ron Fouse: I feel very fortunate to be associated with ASRC Federal and our parent corporation Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. The enterprise is founded on the ASRC Inupiat values where teamwork, integrity, and respect for others are expected. The importance of giving back to our communities and Inupiat shareholders is forefront in our organization.
