Rob Hedgepeth is a man with many responsibilities, between his work as a partner and electrical engineer at Brooks Borg Skiles Architecture Engineering LLP, his duties as a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard, his work toward a master’s degree in unconventional warfare and his need to spend time with his family. The Guard has provided him with unique educational opportunities, as well as management and leadership experience nearly unparalleled in the engineering world as he now oversees a battalion of about 450 soldiers. The firm, with the help of technology, has enabled him to stay connected during his absences and continue to work on a number of major projects, such as the Science Center of Iowa and the Iowa Events Center, that have been at the center of downtown development.

What sparked your interest in electrical engineering?

I became aware of this field while I was at the University of Iowa and I had the opportunity to do some building maintenance work for a summer job. Seeing how buildings were put together and working on them sparked an interest.

Are you able to now drive around town and see proof of your accomplishments throughout your 15-year career?

All over the state, really. Our engineering department did all the mechanical and electrical engineering for the Iowa Hall of Pride, the Iowa Events Center and the Science Center. That’s been a busy time for us, and it’s pretty neat to think about the contribution that we’ve been able to make to downtown Des Moines.

Why join the ROTC in college?

Initially, I think I was looking for a break from engineering classes because you can take the first few ROTC classes at no obligation and just receive credit hours. And it was kind of fun. At that point, an eight-year commitment seemed like a pretty long span of time. Now I’ve got 18 years in the Army National Guard and plan on continuing for awhile.

What changed that?

I didn’t know about all the things that I’d get to do, all the opportunities I would have. I certainly had a chance to explore things that other people might think I was good at. So I just never really saw a reason to stop. I’m still having fun. And I’ve always kind of looked at it that way: As long as I enjoy what I’m doing, I’m going to keep doing it.

How have you been able to bring together your backgrounds in electrical engineering and the National Guard?

The Iowa National Guard became involved in a program called the [America Britain Canada Australia] Armies Standardization Program. Those countries, who are our closest allies, work to ensure that procedures and equipment work well together. In late 2000, we, along with the other nations, brought soldiers and equipment and we spent a few weeks experimenting with different ways to make our equipment work with theirs. It was very engineering intensive.

What are your obligations to the Guard?

I function pretty much as a traditional soldier in that I go to drill two days a month and two weeks in the summer. But obviously the demands for keeping an organization like that going pretty much call for my attention daily – e-mails, phone calls, running out to Camp Dodge for a meeting.

What encouraged you to work toward a master’s degree in unconventional warfare?

The (bombing of) the Oklahoma City federal building got me interested. But that, too, has a lot of parallels with my electrical engineering work because, of all the focus on homeland defense, unconventional warfare boils down to terrorism and extremist groups, international and domestic. So I’m able to apply some of that knowledge to security systems I design as an electrical engineer.

Is the schoolwork difficult to manage?

From a time standpoint, it is. I just started an eight-week course and I have six books to read, all about 300-600 pages, and six eight-page papers and a 10-page paper to write. So it’s going to be a busy time between now and the end of September.

Aside from all your responsibilities, do you have time for other activities?

I have a wife (Sallie) and daughter (Sydney, 5), so I come home, spend my time with them, and when they go to bed, I work on whatever is calling the loudest – work, Army or school. I kind of look at sleep as a hobby because I’m pretty good at it, I do it when I have time, I enjoy it, but I don’t get to do it all the time.

How has your life benefited from your experience with the Army National Guard?

I think it’s given me a different view of myself because it’s tested or pushed me in ways that I probably wouldn’t have experienced. It’s taught me a lot about what I can do personally, and it’s expanded or improved my skills in dealing with people, personnel issues and management issues. It’s also given me the opportunity to have a lot of responsibility. Right out of college I was responsible for 20 soldiers and a few million dollars worth of equipment. The other aspect I value is the mentoring opportunities, from senior officers to peers and subordinates. That’s probably been one of the most valuable things.

How have you worked with Brooks Borg Skiles to make sure you’re able to do all of this?

They noticed that I was bending over backward to take care of my commitments. A construction project doesn’t just stop because I have to fly halfway around the world for a couple of weeks. But through some late nights and a lot of time on the Internet or my BlackBerry, we both make a concerted effort to get things done. I’ve got some great co-workers who help with the slack that I can’t handle long distance.

What has it required of your family?

My wife and daughter do a tremendous job sharing me, whether it’s putting up with me running off for a couple of weeks on short notice or not being able to see me for more than an hour or two a day. I know that pales in comparison to the hardships and difficulties that families of deployed soldiers face. But I still commend them for enabling me to do everything that I’m doing right now.