In high school, Linda Cook was an "A" student and her goal was to be a language teacher. In college, she received an associate of arts degree in general studies. She also got married and went to work as a secretary for an Atlanta law firm. That was 1974.

Fast-forward to 2002 and see where Linda is today. You might be surprised. She’s the top ranking female officer with EMS Technologies and the director of advanced extremely high-frequency projects within the space and technology unit. Linda currently leads a high-tech team that custom-engineers products for satellites, radar and advanced military wireless systems. Quite a juxtaposition of past and present!

It’s precisely this juxtaposition that makes Linda Cook such an intriguing woman and leader – someone who deserves to be recognized as a role model for the next generation of female physicists and technologists. Linda is a case-in-point that you don’t really know what opportunities lie ahead and where success will lead you. You also don’t have to follow a strict math and science career path to become an engineer or manager of technology.

Learning from life

Linda’s life and career are a testimony to her passion for learning and perseverance. She grew up in Atlanta – actually not very far from where she works today. Hers was a close-knit family – mother, father, and older brother. From her father, Linda said she learned many things, including the value of hard work and an inquisitive mind.

When her first marriage ended in divorce, Linda’s determination and perseverance were tested. Nevertheless, she demonstrated her ability to make a tough decision and keep going. At the age of 25, she found new happiness and a life partner with a man several years her junior. They met as a result of being "Trekkies." Their mutual Star Trek interest – among other things - created a strong bond that has endured for over 20 years. Linda and her husband, who have no children but two much-beloved Scottish terriers, will soon celebrate their 24^th anniversary.

Linda found tremendous strength and support in her marital relationship and decided to continue her education at Georgia State University where she graduated magna cum laude in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree. This time, her major was physics. She said, "I realized I really loved it." Now to become an engineer at 31– that would complete the story.

But that’s not what happened. It would take a little longer for Linda to secure her first position in the engineering field. In the interim, she went back to what she knew, working for a law firm. Her brother even tried to persuade her to join him in his law practice, but Linda had her mind and heart set on a much different career - in technology, specifically with EMS Technologies where she had already applied for a position but the timing wasn’t right.

A series of firsts

Never giving up, Linda eventually received a call from EMS and was hired as their first female quality engineer in August, 1984. From there, as they say, the rest is history. Linda’s love affair with technology and her work at EMS have steadily grown over the years. No doubt, Linda felt she had to work harder than her peers, but then all workaholics feel this way. What is certain, however, is that Linda became a major contributor at EMS and earned the respect of her superiors, teammates, and customers alike.

Among the accomplishments that Linda is most proud are becoming the first female Director of Engineering, hiring the first female mechanical engineer in the Wireless Antenna Group, and her most recent appointment as the first female vice president in the company. Her current position was offered to Linda because major customers like TRW requested to work with her. She said it was very difficult to leave her engineering group, but she knew it’s what the company needed her to do.

Perhaps another "first" is Linda’s personality and management style. Working long hours to deliver whatever the particular EMS project requires, she likes to bring food and candy to her team members and smother them with attention "just like a mother hen." Apparently this role fits Linda and increases her ability to get the job done effectively.

Another defining characteristic is Linda’s search for knowledge, her love of learning. She says she eagerly explores new challenges and new ways of thinking. She enjoys reading the Harvard Business Review and attending the Leadership Forums sponsored by Georgia 100. By her own admission, Linda is painfully shy in non-business situations. At her 30^th high school reunion, for example, she said, "I was really uncomfortable talking to people. They may not have remembered me and they certainly didn’t know about my career success." But put her in front of a group of "geeks" or defense contractors, and she has no problem communicating or making a technical presentation. And don’t expect to leave her office without a short promotional tour of the facility or an energizing overview of a recent satellite project.

Now that Linda has entered a new level of responsibility in the company – one where she honestly had not expected to go - is she content or does she hold other aspirations for the future? Well, she’s not entirely sure. What she does know is that she wants to make a difference at EMS and plans to expand her knowledge of the industry by attending special programs and listening to all the tapes that others may not be interested in. "It’s a new world for me," she said, " and I think I should look at things strategically, not just tactically." One thing she won’t alter, however, is her strong customer focus which has served her and the company so well. With all Linda’s "firsts" at EMS, one can’t help wondering if down the road she might become the first female CEO at EMS. It could happen.

Interview by Susan Hitchcock, Turknett Leadership Group
Creator of the Age of SHEroes
March 29, 2002