When Phil Thompson (M.S. systems engineering '77) was a college student, he came to a conclusion that has served him well: "As I learned about Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci and other great people, I realized that they stayed focused on their goals. Imagine Michelangelo painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or da Vinci creating hundreds of drawings of the human anatomy.

"I don't compare myself to those men, but I do know that to succeed you have to stick to your goals and commit yourself for the long term, no matter how difficult that may be," says Thompson, vice president of business transformation and chief information officer (CIO) for all of IBM's operations in more than 160 countries.

After receiving his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Akron in 1972, Thompson went to work for IBM as an engineer in product development for the defense sector. Deciding that a graduate degree in systems engineering would give him a tremendous advantage in industry, he enrolled at Virginia Tech "because it is a great school."

Thompson also has a succinct response to a question about his most vivid memory as a graduate student in Blacksburg: "Very hard work!"

He elaborates, noting that "I've always been focused on succeeding. I loved Virginia Tech athletics, but as an engineering student I had little spare time."

From 1977 to 1993, Thompson moved through increasingly responsible roles with IBM in areas ranging from strategic and operation planning to worldwide computer-integrated manufacturing. In 1993, he left IBM to become vice president of operations for Pitney Bowes' Monarch Marking Systems; in 1994, he became senior vice president of operations for Zenith Electronics Corp.; and in 1996, he returned to IBM as vice president of business processing outsourcing.

"I always saw myself as a high-level manager," he notes. "There are lots of distractions along the way for anyone with a goal. Fortunately, I've proven to be good at the very things I imagined early on that I could do best.

"However," he adds, "I am humbled by the good fortune to have decided early in life what I wanted to do and then to have had a reasonable level of success. In looking back, I must admit I never thought about failure or alternatives--which is not necessarily a good practice."

In 2000, he stepped into his current position. "IBM is undergoing a major business transformation--we're re-engineering all business units for more efficiency and effective delivery," he says. "We're moving toward less cost, highest quality, and world-class customer satisfaction." Thompson is responsible for that transformation as well as for physical infrastructure, including telecommunications advances throughout IBM's worldwide operations.

A fresh perspective for Tech

Thompson cites Virginia Tech as one of the springboards for his success. "I benefited from knowing people in the industrial and systems engineering department--like Paul Torgersen--who were open and accessible in talking about what we, as students, should expect in industry.

"There also were several courses, such as management leadership, organizational communications theory, and systems design, that taught me how to use engineering disciplines along with the 'principles of management' to create sound solutions," Thompson notes. "Virginia Tech has a good record of instilling problem-solving abilities and teaching its students how to think for themselves."

Two years ago, then-Gov. James Gilmore called Thompson to recruit him as a member of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors (BOV). "I want someone who will bring a fresh perspective to the board," Gilmore said at the time.

Thompson believes he brings a perspective "driven by a discipline from industry, based on profitability, serving customers well, and forming solid strategies." As a member of the BOV, he is concerned about--but not discouraged by--the significant budget cuts facing the university. "The school is in a difficult position of trying to balance the books, but we have strong leadership," he comments. "I believe President Steger will lead Virginia Tech in navigating through this difficult time while preserving the quality of education and the breadth of coursework at the university."

He also believes that Steger's goal of advancing Virginia Tech into the ranks of the top 30 research universities is rooted in sound economics. "Universities in that tier are the ones that have access to the really large research grants from corporations and the government," he says.

Leading with integrity and humanity

In March, Thompson spoke to a large gathering of students as part of the First Union Securities Distinguished Speakers Series hosted by the Pamplin College of Business. "Lead with your integrity and your humanity," he advised his audience of future business and industry professionals.

"Integrity comes when your actions match what you say in public," he comments, when asked later to explain how he adheres to that principle. "I don't support the adage of 'success by any means.' My employees and my customers know that they can count on my word. If I can't achieve a goal without integrity, I won't participate." Thompson mentors a diverse group of 25 to 30 IBM employees"women, blacks, Italians, Indians, Asians, and people from many backgrounds. When it comes to making promotions, I want to consider the best people from a broad slate."

Thompson says the strong support of his wife, Paulette, has played a major role in his career. The couple has three children--Vaughn, Maria, and Philip Jr.

Between his international management role at IBM and his life as a husband and father, he somehow finds time to pursue a few personal interests. He has a passion for foreign languages and has studied Spanish and French and "nibbled" at Japanese, German, and Italian. He plays tennis and participates in 30- and 50-mile bicycle runs. An avid reader, he especially enjoys books on religion, self-help, and philosophy. And, he notes, he's not a great golfer but enjoys the game. "I'll have to find some more time for golf," he says with a laugh. "I recently invested in a new set of clubs."