As Indiana’s tech community continues to grow and mature, it’s getting harder and harder to narrow down the winners for our annual Tech 25 Awards program. There is a wealth of tech talent in the Hoosier state, and they are making incredible moves. Join us in celebrating the Tech 25 class of 2021 through this profile series and learn a bit more about each winner.

Christopher Nord is a Raytheon Technologies Chief Engineer as well as a Senior Technical Subcontract Manager. He is a technical leader responsible for leading a diverse team in developing hardware, software, and cybersecurity solutions for ground combat systems within the U.S. Army.

Chris earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and joined Raytheon Technologies (RTX) in Indianapolis in June of 2009. While working as a systems engineer for RTX, Chris earned his Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Chris lives in Indianapolis with his loving family including his wife LeAnn and two children Alexa and Macy.

What led you to the tech industry and this occupation? What was your first job in tech?

A love for problem-solving and electronics led me down the path of electrical engineering. In high school, I developed a love of car audio which led to my love of engineering. My first tech job was with Regal Beloit developing Electronically Commutated Motors (ECM) and working in the sound lab. Shortly into my professional career at Raytheon as a systems engineer, I was able to participate in Johns Hopkins Master’s program in Systems Engineering—which helped catapult me to my current position.

When you think of a day in your life, what are the main work activities you do or responsibilities you have?

As a chief engineer for ground combat systems, a day in my life generally includes facilitating an entire team of engineers to support development, demonstration, and hardware production to support our customer requirements across various platforms. Ever-evolving customer requirements call for continuous customer communication. Bridging the customer’s wants, needs, and requirements to the development team is my highest priority.

What resources would you recommend to those who want to learn more or advance their skills in this occupation?

I would recommend taking advantage of postgraduate degrees whenever possible. I would also recommend looking into certifications and continuous learning throughout your career to grow in multiple areas. Great systems engineers have broad knowledge in a lot of areas, not just focused on one specific area.

Chris Nord is a Tech 25 winner who is helping to grow and improve the tech landscape of Indiana. He was nominated by his Chief Engineer, Charles (Chris) Hohne.

Visit the Indianapolis Business Journal website to see the full listing and celebration of the 2021 Tech 25 honorees in the joint CTO of the Year and Tech 25 Awards supplement. You can also watch a video of the livestream from the CTO of the Year and Tech 25 Awards virtual event.

Read more coverage of the Tech 25 in this Index Feature Story and view and tag the gallery of photos from the event on Facebook.