Introducing David Halladay, Precision OT’s Chief Corporate Development Officer

At Precision OT, we talk a lot about our commitment to customer service and maintaining very high standards, despite our recent exponential growth. All that starts with our leadership team, the strategic processes they put into place and the culture they foster. We sat down with David Halladay, our new Chief Corporate Development Officer, to talk about his banking background, what he is looking forward to accomplishing at Precision OT and why job-seekers should consider the growing tech community in Rochester. So, without further ado, let’s meet David!

How did you get involved with Precision OT? What inspired you to join the team?

I’ve spent over 20 years in the banking sector, first as Administrative Vice President at M&T Bank and then as EVP, Chief Lending Officer of Genesee Regional Bank in Rochester, New York. It was during my time at Genesee that I had the pleasure of meeting Todd Davis, Precision OT’s CEO, and other senior managers. 

As I see it, Precision OT has grown significantly over the last five years. Typically, with smaller-size businesses, exponential growth often comes with growing pains. As a result, the leadership team has a strong need to further develop internal processes and infrastructure in order to take greater advantage of market opportunities and scale. Essentially, the Precision OT team’s dedication to responsible growth and excellence in all aspects of their business operations inspired me to transition from my role in banking to my new position as Chief Corporate Development Officer.

Describe your day-to-day role with Precision OT.

My role is wide ranging. Although my formal education is in finance and accounting, I have also managed several customer-facing teams within the banking sector. Thanks to this, I have good experience in managing sales teams and developing sales processes. So, right now with Precision OT, I’m working on everything from putting internal parameters in place for how we expand into new markets to getting involved in the costing and budgeting of our operations – traditional CFO-type responsibilities. It is an interesting position. My days are always new and never short of positive challenges as I work on all aspects of the business, apart from engineering. That, we leave to the technical experts!

What are you most excited about accomplishing at Precision OT?

For me, being part of a smaller-sized business that is growing significantly and can continue to grow is incredibly exciting. In fact, helping small businesses grow is my passion. For example, when I first joined Genesee Regional Bank, it was a very small community bank unlike M&T Bank, which has always been a much larger financial institution. By the time I transitioned from Genesee to Precision OT, we had grown the bank from just 17 employees to 130 staff members – that’s huge! Having had great success in my past career, I believe I can transfer those skills over here to help Precision OT continue to expand. As a Western New York native, I’m keen on continuing my involvement in the community and helping Precision OT solidify its position as a market leader in the development of optical networking equipment. 

What does the region have to offer small companies like Precision?

We have a lot of exceptional talent throughout the Rochester area. We have a great university system and the state universities all turn out really good students across a variety of fields. I think the major challenge for companies like Precision OT is incentivizing them to stay in the area and avoid moving to the larger coastal cities. We’re already located quite close to several major metropolitan areas like New York City and Toronto, Canada. So, Rochester itself is in quite a strategic location. Overall, it’s a great place to live and raise a family.

Why should people consider working at Precision OT?

Precision OT has an exceptionally strong and positive culture. We not only believe in giving our best to each other and to our customers, but we also believe in supporting each other no matter what our role is. Whether you are a seasoned professional or an ambitious, recent college graduate, here’s my simple pitch to you. If you want to operate in a growing industry and be a part of a team developing great products and services, then Precision OT just might be the right place for you. According to all the forecasts looking at America’s (and the world’s) surging appetite for data and high-speed networks, Precision OT’s industry is booming. We have a great culture and great people to work with and learn from!

What is your guiding philosophy in your role with Precision?

With this company, overall, I want to continue doing more of the same, while focusing on its infrastructure and processes. Precision OT already has a solid culture, as I alluded to in my last answer. I think the company’s leadership has done a good job of bringing people in and creating a family-type culture that’s flexible and nimble. Certainly, we employ very capable people here across the board.

I firmly believe that, from a business perspective, people are the biggest differentiator. It is important for small businesses to make sure they get capable people in the door, onboard them, train them, support them and then give them the freedom and responsibility to perform at their best. Our strategy for growth is to continue to attract good people as we scale – and we will be very diligent about that.

What do you like to do for fun?

I just love the outdoors. I’m a skier, golfer and mountain biker. Hard work needs to be balanced with revitalizing activities and nothing’s better than getting fresh air!

As well, I enjoy spending as much time as I can with my family. Right now, that’s a bit tough as we are spread all over this great country of ours. In fact, my two daughters are on opposite sides of the continent. One is working on her PhD in Oregon and the other works in Boston. It’s a great time when we can all reunite.

If you’re interested in working with Precision OT, visit our Careers Page for more information.