If you think the grass is greener somewhere else, that might not necessarily be true in the case of Danny Thomas and the Telecommunications Section. For twenty-one years, Danny has been the manager of this section within the Enterprise Services Center. Danny knows all about keeping it green, as his first job when he was in the 7th grade was at Brookside Golf Course in South Oklahoma City. Danny worked there until high school, picking up golf balls on the driving range, mowing and watering greens and fairways.
Danny began his work career with Southwestern Bell / AT&T. During his time there he held a series of positions including records clerk, business telephone systems installation and commercial sales. While working there, he attended Oklahoma City Community College, taking advantage of the SW Bell Tuition Plan. He then went to Oklahoma City University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business as a Finance major. In 1986, Danny was laid off from AT&T in a nationwide force reduction. Danny soon found employment as a Computer Programmer Analyst at Tinker Air Force Base through the Department of Defense (DOD) Outstanding Scholar Program. Dedicated to continuous learning, under the DOD Information Systems Management Program, Danny obtained a Master of Business Administration degree, while attending evening courses at Oklahoma City University.
Eventually, Danny accepted an upgrade position as a Telecommunications Specialist at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center. Danny’s father had retired from FAA at the MMAC in 1983. Except for a six-month temporary detail in the NAS Plans and Program Office, most of Danny’s FAA career has been in the Telecommunications area.
Danny’s detail in the NAS Plans and Program Office involved working with others to secure F&E funding for telecommunications infrastructure at the Center. This funding process began in 2001 and continues today, supporting approximately $40M worth of telecommunications infrastructure improvements around the Center.
Danny supervises a team that supports Voice over IP (VoIP) services, cellular phone service, on-site networking, Wi-Fi services, VPN network capabilities and network security. His team is also responsible for the Aeronautical Center’s Government Telecommunications System (GETS) cards, which allows certified personnel priority call services during disasters.
Members of Danny’s team are responsible for providing capabilities that allow one’s desk phone to be forwarded to your cell phone or one’s computer headphone while teleworking. Danny’s team supports voicemail services that not only record messages but assist in providing capabilities that notify via text regarding emergencies, adverse weather conditions or Aeronautical Center status notifications.
Danny and his team collaborate with numerous teams, divisions, tenants and other FAA organizations. Danny and his team are known for exceptional customer service, and not just meeting customers’ needs but exceeding them.
Danny and his team worked with the MMAC Budget Office and others to provide oversight for the installation and commissioning of the Distributed Antenna System (DAS). The DAS provides cellular service to funded buildings with no recurring monthly cost to the customer or cell phone providers. The DAS provides a cellular signal for all cell service providers on the FAA National Wireless Contract.
Working with the Office of Facility Management, Danny and his team have significantly enhanced the telecommunications infrastructure at the Center. Notable improvements to the telecommunications infrastructure enabled MMAC employees to quickly transition from working on-site to working remotely. Danny and his team, (working with other FAA organizations) made this transition appear seamless, but there were many processes, procedures, and planning that went into the project to make it a success.
Not surprisingly, there is little turnover in Telecommunications personnel that Danny manages, reflecting highly on how he hires, trains and retains highly skilled technical personnel. One of Danny’s biggest work challenges is to ensure a secure network infrastructure for FAA users, data centers and stakeholders. When asking Danny about something that people would be surprised to know about him, Danny notes that he had a twin sister and they were very close, but sadly she passed away when she was in her 30’s. Additionally, Danny’s son Danny Jr. also passed away at age 26. Long term Center employees may recall that in the year 2000, the muti-media group spotlighted Danny and Danny Jr. in the CFC video. Perhaps that’s where Danny pauses to reflect on the best advice he’s ever received, "Count your blessings, not your sorrows."
For a young man who thought he wanted to be an attorney or a stockbroker when he grew up, Danny Thomas has found his niche in the telecommunications field. Danny loves his job and values his work relationships very much and considers the traits of honesty, loyalty and empathy some of life’s most prized characteristics. When not working, Danny enjoys golfing, fishing and spending time with family and friends.
Congratulations go out to Danny as he is the recipient of the 2021 Individual Pathfinder Award for Mastering the Mission.
