We’re proud to celebrate Huy Nguyen’s 20th anniversary at Performance. From his early days as a Senior Software Engineer to becoming a seasoned team member in our projects, Huy has seen Performance grow from a small team to a thriving organization. His journey reflects the dedication, curiosity, and teamwork that define our culture — and the impact one person can make over two decades.
What initially attracted you to join Performance, and how has your perception of it evolved over the past 20+ years?
I first joined Performance because it was close to home, just a 10-minute drive away. Around that time, my wife and I had just welcomed our first daughter, so having flexible working hours was a huge advantage. It allowed me to be there for my family whenever they needed me.
Initially, I thought I would stay at Performance for only a couple of years since I had never worked at a small company before. But here I am, 20 years later, still part of the team. That says a lot about how much I value the work environment and the people I have had the chance to work with at Performance.
What roles have you held at Performance?
I joined Performance as a Senior Software Engineer, bringing experience from large organizations such as Honeywell, NASA, Motorola, and Raytheon. Over the years, I’ve continued to grow within this role, taking on new challenges and contributing to the company’s evolving projects and technologies.
Reflecting on your journey with us, what are some key milestones or memorable moments that stand out to you?
During my 20 years at Performance, I still vividly remember our first big project, the B787 with a major OEM. It was an incredibly busy time filled with long hours and frequent business trips between Phoenix and Grand Rapids. Despite the challenges, our team built strong bonds and created lasting memories while working far from home.
I’m amazed at how quickly our company has grown, from a small group of 30 people to a mid-sized organization. I feel proud to have witnessed Performance’s success and hope to continue contributing to its growth all the way through to my retirement.
Can you share some lessons or insights you’ve gained from your experiences here over the past 20+ years?
Before joining Performance, I didn’t know much about aviation or aircraft systems. However, over the years, I have learned and gained valuable experience in aviation technology, especially with both legacy and next-generation flight management systems (FMS), through projects with companies such as Honeywell, GE, and Collins.
I enjoy that my projects are not long-term or permanent, so I can have the chance to explore different technologies and fields.
What aspects of your role do you find most fulfilling?
At Performance, my role focuses on technical tasks, which I prefer because it allows me to keep learning new things about aviation. I feel happy when our aircraft software is delivered to the customer without any issues. What makes it even more rewarding is seeing our customers’ satisfaction with our work and that they want us to continue working with them on other projects.
What advice would you offer to new employees based on your extensive experience and knowledge of our company?
From my own experience, I believe that as a new employee, you should learn and work on different projects at very beginning. It is tough and challenging but you will learn how to deal with stress and gain a lot of experience from these projects. Hopefully, you know what you want to be at Performance. Pick your selected role and continue to be an expert in your selected field.
Don’t forget to have fun and join the bonding time with people in our company. With good networking and friends, I am sure that you can find a good project for your expertise/field.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations or goals for the future, both professionally and personally?
Professionally, I hope to continue working in aviation technology and to have the opportunity to learn more about artificial intelligence (AI) through future projects at Performance.
Personally, I am looking forward to seeing the improvements in self-driving technology in the next 10 years. I hope that when I retire, I don’t have to drive the car by myself for the long-distance road trips any more!😊
What does reaching this milestone mean to you, and how do you plan to celebrate this achievement?
Well, I can’t believe that I have been working at this company for 20 years already. I am happy to work with everyone here. I have also made some good friends at Performance, and we have all grown together over the years, seeing the changes in both our company and our families.
My family and I are planning to have our first vacation in Europe next year to celebrate this milestone. However, we haven’t decided where or when to go yet since our kids are in college, and we don’t want to travel during the summertime. We look forward to eventually taking this trip.
Learn more about what it’s like to work at Performance or join the team today.
