Brian J. Lawrence

Brian Lawrence got a job at Veracity Engineering straight out of college in 2008.

“When I hired Brian, I asked him what he wanted to do with his career,” President Thomas Lamoureux said. “His answer was one that I remember to this day. He said, ‘I just want to work on projects that make a difference.’”

Meet the rest of the Rising Stars

Click here for profiles of all the 2016 winners.

Lawrence was put on the company’s Federal Aviation Administration Surface Surveillance Team and tasked with injecting a modern perspective into programs hampered by outdated technology. It quickly became clear that Lawrence had the ability and vision to move projects from concept to reality, Lamoureux said.

Lawrence was also assigned to the company’s FAA Runway Incursion Reduction Program, which sought to refine runway safety concepts and deliver innovative surface surveillance technologies to small and midsize airports devoid of such capability. The project has successfully improved system efficiency and safety, especially during low-visibility or high-traffic conditions.

Because of the knowledge of airport operations he gained from those projects, Lawrence collaborated on a surface traffic and queue management tool applicable to airports of all sizes and activity levels called Airport Insight. American Airlines has adopted the tool and deployed it at 13 airports nationwide. Coupled with real-time surveillance data, the tool helps airport authorities and airlines run efficient, cost-effective operations.

Lamoureaux leans on Lawerence as a top adviser and a secret weapon with clients, saying, “If questions become too technical in nature, I offer the following, ‘If you would like me to get the smart guys in the room, I am happy to do so.’ Brian is that smart guy.”