Page 51 - Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows

THE PROGRAM

However, overhauling Massport at its darkest hour was still a tall order.
“My most challenging experience as a leader was going in as CEO of Mass-
port after 9/11 to face an organization completely beaten down by events,
under severe financial pressure, and lacking any sense of mission or direc-
tion,” Coy said. “I used all the lessons I learned as a White House Fellow
and more. I called upon trusted mentors and local White House Fellows
alumni who could help. Richard de Neufville (WHF 65–66) and Priscilla
Douglas (WHF 81–82) both enthusiastically answered my call for help.
And Marsh Carter served as a valuable behind-the-scenes advisor who
offered to run ‘public interference’ on controversial issues, which would
take the heat off me. That’s what friends and White House Fellows col-
leagues do!” Carter had nothing but praise for Coy’s efforts, saying with
pride that “Craig did a great job and stabilized the place, then got way
ahead of the Homeland Security people and made Logan a model for the
rest of the country.” Coy left his post at Massport in 2006 to take a posi-
tion as president and COO of L-3 Communications Homeland Security
Group.

SUCCESS BY ASSOCIATION
When John Shephard, Jr. (WHF 88–89), was a Fellow, he heard a speech
that would change his life. “John Gardner told us we should be bold,
reassess our career paths from time to time, and consider ‘the road not
taken,’” Shephard recalled. When the Cold War ended, he decided to take
Gardner’s advice and be bold, leaving a successful army career to pursue
his childhood dream of becoming a novelist. But after two years of writ-
ing and with no book deal on the horizon, the bills had begun to mount
and a new baby was on the way. He then polished his résumé and hit the
streets looking for a job with a decent salary. “Within a month I was hired
by two White House Fellow alumni who were CEO and COO of one of
America’s largest corporations,” Shephard said. “They gave me my start in
business because they liked my background and had had great success hir-
ing other White House Fellows. I was given a boost by the reputations of
those Fellows who had gone before!”
Shephard worked hard at his new job in one of the company’s operat-
ing divisions, which spun off into a new public company. Within a few
years, Shephard became financially independent, and he credits the White
House Fellows program for making it possible. “I’ve been invited onto

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