Talent Spotlight: Chad Nishimura

What’s your background? How did you end up with Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a Customer Practice Manager?
I’m currently a Customer Practice Manager with Amazon Web Services (AWS), supporting the Department of Defense, specifically the Department of Navy. I’ve been in my career field for approximately 20 years, working for both small and large defense contractors as well as tech companies, including Microsoft and now AWS.

How did you end up in CHS?
I first came to Charleston on a whim, as I was looking for something new and was offered an opportunity here supporting Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic. I’ve moved a lot, both growing up and during my career, and have traveled and lived all over the world. Other than my time growing up in Hawaii, Charleston is the longest I’ve lived in one place. What’s interesting is that about two years ago, I took a new job that required me and my family to move out to the Bay Area. Honestly, it just wasn’t for us. When approached with the opportunity with AWS that let me again be remote and live “anywhere I wanted,” we jumped at the opportunity to come back to Charleston.

What does CHS have that other mid-sized markets don’t?
Charleston has so much to offer, it’s hard to cover it all. For me personally, Charleston’s food, people, and the ease of travel for business and leisure are key differentiators.

What are the biggest benefits to working in CHS? (this can be in general or about the tech/defense sector)
I think there are a number of benefits depending on how you look at this. As an individual contributor, the connectivity, proximity to prospective clients, cost of living, and overall beauty of the lowcountry make Charleston hard to beat. As a former hiring manager, there’s a great pool of talent here with of diverse backgrounds that bring a lot to the table for any organization.

What’s the best networking or collaboration event in CHS?
From a defense perspective, the annual Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) Conference in December is hard to beat. This brings in very senior leaders from across the Department of Defense, as well as numerous technology vendors and industry partners.

Where do you envision the region’s Defense/ Tech sector going in the future?
As we continue to innovate in the ways that we use technology and more of our younger generation come into the job market, I can only see the region’s Tech sector getting bigger and better, bringing more diversity and thought leadership into the market.

What are you passionate about outside of work? What keeps you balanced?
I love the outdoors, fishing, and mountain biking, as well as finding new and exciting places to eat. Having literally been all over the world, I’ll say that the quality and availability of food here in Charleston is hard to beat.

Describe your ideal, quintessential Charleston day.
I’d say it would be waking up and starting on my emails from home (via my amazing fiber connectivity to the house), coffee meetings downtown at someplace like Harken or The Daily, lunch at Jack Rabbit Filly in Park Circle, working from the office in the afternoon, followed with happy hour at any of our amazing breweries to close out the day.

Questions about working in Charleston? Connect.

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