Keith Haasl was recently appointed Vice President and General Manager of Fairbanks Morse Technology and manages a 20-member team that’s responsible for technical product offerings like artificial intelligence, digital defenses, SMART engineering solutions, uncrewed mission management, and FM OnBoard services. Exciting stuff you’re going to be hearing more about in the coming weeks and months.
As we celebrate our 150th anniversary this year, there’s probably no better person at Fairbanks Morse Defense to chart a course for the company’s next 150 years. That’s because Keith has played a role in building the company’s modern legacy. While studying to become a diesel and heavy equipment engineer at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Keith was sent a job posting and a brochure for FMD. He’d never actually heard of Fairbanks Morse but “once I went on the factory tour and saw the engines, I was hooked!”
He started as a Field Engineer at FMD and appreciates the legacy of the people who made the company what it is today. Keith eventually worked his way up to Nuclear Business Segment Leader before leaving the company in 2015,then returned two years ago with a valuable outside perspective.
Over the course of his career at FMD, what has driven Keith is, “having the opportunity to find solutions to complex problems, being trusted by customers to help them achieve their goals, and most importantly, being part of a great team. Being at Fairbanks Morse Defense has allowed me to grow personally and professionally in ways I could not have imagined.”
He says that, “the pride that people have in doing their jobs and in serving our customers is unparalleled. How people pull together to support each other, our customers and the task at hand because they understand that the work we do allows the Coast Guard and Navy to effectively complete their missions and ensure our national security is not something you see in other places.”
Keith sees a future “full of possibilities” for FMD and we wish him success as he enters uncharted waters to tackle new and ever more complex technical challenges for our customers.
