ALC director to retire Wednesday Published May 22, 2007 By Ron Mullan Tinker Public Affairs Tinker Public Affairs -- Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Director Robert J. Conner will retire Wednesday. In his more than 32 years of government service, he has gone from being a management trainee to the first-ever civilian director of the largest air logistics center in the Air Force. A career in government service was not high on his list of priorities as a young man with a family. He was working full-time at a research laboratory at Indiana University and going to college part-time. "What I really wanted to do with my life then was to become a research psychologist," Mr. Conner said. "But life gets in the way of things sometimes and I had to go get a job that paid some money." In 1974, with graduation approaching, he began to explore various employment opportunities including federal service. "I took the Federal Service Entrance Exam and checked every box I could because I needed a job," Mr. Conner said. "One of the boxes asked 'are you interested in the Presidential Intern Program?' so I checked yes in the box." Within a couple of weeks, he received a call from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to come interview for the then Air Force Logistics Command Management Intern Program. "I got a great job offer and went to Warner-Robins Air Logistics Center as a management trainee," he said. "It was a tremendous experience as I spent the first six months in rotational training going from maintenance to contracting to materiel management and so on. It gave you a quick snapshot of the center and the air base wing." The training program lasted for two years, and then it was back to Wright-Patterson AFB where Mr. Conner worked on the headquarters staff. Following that, in 1978 he applied for and was accepted into the Air Force Institute of Technology to work on a master's program in logistics management with a follow-on assignment to the Aeronautical Systems Division, now the Aeronautical Systems Center, working in acquisition logistics. From there, it was a short stint in foreign military sales at the Pentagon. In December 1983, as a brand-new GS-15, Mr. Conner became the program manager for Peace Remo II, a program to help the Turkish air force modernize their logistics system, both depot maintenance and supply, at the Sacramento ALC, McClelland AFB, Calif. This assignment holds a special meaning for him. "It was a tremendous opportunity," said Mr. Conner. "Other than the job I'm in now, it was the best job I ever had in the Air Force." According to Mr. Conner, the program was highly successful. "We delivered a new requirements and distribution system to the Turkish air force ahead of schedule and on cost, and they are still using the system today," he said. Mr. Conner came to the OC-ALC in July 1993 as first the director of the Commodities Directorate, then Comptroller, and then director of Logistics Management, and executive director, before moving back to Wright-Patterson AFB to be the executive director for Air Force Materiel Command. In August 2005, Mr. Conner made history when he returned to Tinker as the first civilian director of an ALC. But it almost didn't happen. Having made the decision to retire, Mr. Conner was attending the Senior Executive Retirement Seminar in Washington, D.C. when he got a call from then AFMC Commander Gen. Greg Martin, who asked him what he thought about sending a civilian out to run the ALC at Tinker. "I told him it would be a great opportunity," Mr. Conner said. "It was about a week later that he told me the opportunity was there and of course I was pleased to have the opportunity to come back here." While he is the first civilian to lead a large organization, he doesn't think he will be the last. "We have extremely talented people in Civil Service who can rise to whatever level the Air Force needs...I think you will see more civilians in senior leadership roles," he said. For those wanting to step into senior leadership positions, he offers this advice. "Take advantage of every opportunity to broaden yourself through education, Professional Military Education and through mobility to get experience at different places," Mr. Conner said. The success of an organization like the ALC doesn't happen overnight Mr. Conner said. "It happens over decades," he said. "The people who came before us were giants. There is a legacy of excellence that leads us to where we are today, and I feel fortunate to be a part of it." As for the future, the Conners' plan to remain in Oklahoma and, following a trip to Europe this summer, spend some time with their grandchildren. Replacing Mr. Conner will be Maj. Gen. Loren M. Reno. A change of command ceremony is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Bldg. 3001, Dock 5 ½.