Safran USA Employee Spotlight: Veterans Day special edition

November 8, 2019

Tim Branam, Subject Matter Expert Trainer, Safran Seats

In celebration of Veterans Day, Safran is putting a spotlight on one of the many American military veterans working at Safran operations across the country.

Who: Tim Branam, currently serving as Subject Matter Expert Trainer at Safran Seats in Gainesville, Texas.

What: Branam has been working at Safran Seats for five years, having begun as an assembler and now serving as Subject Matter Expert in the company’s human resources department. During his tenure, he has worked with plastics, sub-assemblies and on the production line.

Where: Safran Seats is one of the world's leading suppliers of seating for passengers, crews and helicopters, with operations in five different countries – including the United States. The Gainesville, Texas operation employs more than 1,320 people and performs a wide range of activities: engineering, tests, certification, manufacturing, assembly and production of spare parts.

Why Safran: “Being an international company appeals to me. Changing from the previous Zodiac ownership to Safran over the last year has been exciting as well. Change to me has always represented improvement.”

Military experience: Branam was stationed on ships for the majority of his 20-year career in the U.S. Navy, which brought him to more than 30 countries all over the world. “My job going in was a Boatswains Mate. This job pertained generally to the upkeep of the ship, standing watches, and the operation of all small craft assigned to the ship. I had the opportunity to act as a Career Counselor near the middle of my service. From there I became an Equal Opportunity Specialist, Drug and Alcohol Advisor, and an After-Care specialist.”

Why the military: “From a very young age I had always wanted to be in the Navy. I guess from movies and books, I understood that sailors always traveled to faraway places – which I found very interesting.” His military service provided Branam the opportunity to engage with, and learn about, different cultures.

What veterans bring to the workplace: Branam identified three key traits common in military veterans: confidence, organization and leadership. On the third point, he added: “At nearly every level of the military, there is some type of leadership development. You may be asked to lead one or two people early in your service…or 100 or more as you progress in rank.”