Orbital Engineering Inc.

CEO Bob Lewis. For an indication of how different Orbital is from other engineering companies, consider that Bob is a sociologist by training, not an engineer. How does he describe his role? Like this: "Fortunately, I've been able to hire world-class engineering talent — we have 47 Professional Engineers, licensed to work in 31 states. I build on that strength by promoting teamwork, stressing a strong customer orientation, and providing an entrepreneurial drive."

Bob Lewis praises his management team, saying "We've put together a great mix of engineering and business expertise, including several engineers who are MBAs, and many who have extensive experience working in the industries we serve. That combination of skills and backgrounds lets us deliver total creative solutions to problems, instead of being limited to a narrow focus on technical issues."

But, he continues, "In today's complex business world, we need to make sure we keep pace with our clients' evolving needs, so we're active in teaming and joint-venturing with other companies — it's a cost-effective way to make sure our clients have access to all the expertise they need."

That's a different kind of leadership — for a different kind of company.