Monday, June 23, 2008

Position: Chief executive, Devis, an Arlington information technology consulting firm for federal, state and local government and the international development community.

Career highlights: Mossi has been executive vice president; vice president, business operations; director, project management office; project manager; and systems analyst at Devis.

Age: 39

Education: BA, electrical engineering, George Washington University; project management certification, Project Management Institute.

Personal: Lives in the District with daughter Isabella, 7.

How did you get to where you are?

While I'm a U.S. citizen born in Washington, D.C., when asked where I'm from I respond that I'm Honduran. Both my parents are from Honduras, and I was actually raised there. When I was very young, my civil engineer father worked for a large construction company that was building the toll road to Reston. He hated the commute. He had always dreamed of having his own company and thought he would have a better chance if he went back to Honduras. He was right. That bold move taught me my first lesson about being a CEO: Sometimes you have to take risks and shake things up to get ahead.

My mom, a full-time mother of three, always had something else going on in her life -- coordinating projects for nonprofits or launching small businesses such as a plant nursery, book exchange, self-made-jewelry business and most recently a bed-and-breakfast. She taught me how to make lists, how to multitask and how important it is to keep learning new things and trying out new ideas. My mom was also the reason my sisters and I studied English from day one. It was always clear to us that we would come back to the States to get a college degree.

When I graduated from George Washington University, a friend from school referred me to his boss for a job as programmer for a tax software company. After a couple of years there, the company folded and I had my taste of unemployment. I moved to California to try something new and worked as a programmer. But after two years there, I moved back to D.C. Through yet another friend, I got my next job.

My friend introduced me to the president of InfoStructure International. His company had just won a training contract for a system it had developed for Latin America. It needed someone with an IT background who was also a native Spanish speaker. I joined InfoStructure International (which became Development InfoStructure and later Devis) in 1994 as systems analyst and progressed through the ranks.

Starting in March 1999, the company introduced a new incentive to its compensation package -- options to own shares. I bought shares every chance I had. I ultimately became a minority owner, giving me a new perspective on the business. I joined the Devis board of directors in 2005 and became the chair in 2007.

Over the years, I have gained business experience that spans nearly all operational aspects of the firm. As a result, I was able to provide clear leadership during the reorganization of Devis's business operations, which included the creation and management of the project management office and, most recently, the business development services division. The lessons I've learned throughout my life and my extensive experience at Devis prepared me for my decision to take over majority ownership of the firm.

-- Judith Mbuya