Lifetime Achievement Award
Julie Howard
Chairman & CEO
Navigant
Julie Howard has worked in consulting since she graduated from business school in the 1980s. At that time, consulting was an emerging career option for someone with a finance degree, and she was thinking of a career in banking.
"It was my father who nudged me to think beyond my comfort zone and pursue interviews with consulting firms. His words of advice were simple: 'don't turn your back on an opportunity simply because you don't know enough about it. Open that door to learn.' " Howard says. "I am 'intellectually curious' by nature, so consulting seemed like the perfect environment for me to be inspired and motivated."
While she has worked in the same sector and company for the last 30 years, she has experienced incredible diversity, challenge and change in her responsibilities, she says. "As Chairman and CEO of Navigant, my mission is to ensure that we create and deliver value to each of our stakeholders… our clients, our employees and our shareholders. While this mission is largely the same today as when I was the Chief Operating Officer, how I spend my time to achieve that is quite different, and I'm truly enjoying this new opportunity and challenge to impact value," she says.
"Previously, in my operations role, I was very involved in the details of how to maximize our talent, operating protocols, cultural norms and systems to deliver on our plans. I was predominately internally focused by design. As CEO, I have transitioned my focus, which has been easy to do with such a world-class and capable leadership team in place, to dedicate my time to identifying opportunities that will maximize value."
Opportunity identification could include new markets or trends, new clients or client issues, talent attraction or elevation, external ventures, investment opportunities, she says.
"This new focus stretches and challenges me professionally, while giving others new opportunities to stretch their capabilities as well," Howard says. "Continued professional development at any stage of your career—even as CEO—is a hallmark of good employee engagement practices and the foundation for what builds a strong and committed firm over time."
What does winning the Lifetime Achievement Award mean to you?
"I am extremely grateful for this acknowledgement and for the opportunity this award has provided me to reflect. To be candid, when I first found out I was receiving a Lifetime Achievement award, my first thought was, "am I that old?" Truly, receiving this news was very meaningful and caused me to step back and reflect upon my career—it was a fun and poignant trip down memory lane. Choosing a career in consulting has allowed me to be rich in experiences. I have had the opportunity to work in so many industries and have participated in addressing important national and global issues that are disruptive to business. I feel this work has had a lasting impact and enables our clients to realize their goals. I have also developed amazing and lifelong relationships with colleagues and clients, and I have seen the world thanks to the travel requirements of the profession. Many years ago, a mentor of mine commented to me: "You bore easily. No wonder you chose consulting for a career!"
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