Vice president and CIO

Northrop Grumman Corp., Los Angeles

Business: Defense contractor

When Northrop Grumman acquired three companies in 2001 and 2002, Shelman learned some hard lessons about bringing new employees into the fold following a merger. After experiencing what he called "significant employee engagement issues" early on, Shelman hired an independent consulting firm to interview the new employees and gauge their enthusiasm. He learned that some weren't thrilled to join a new corporate family, especially if their company had already been acquired in the past. "It's humbling to find out what people really think versus what they tell you to your face," he says. These insights prompted Shelman to change some of his strategies.

Lessons learned: