Cameron’s “disciplined, holistic approach” drives progress at MIKEL Inc.

RECORD RESULTS: Craig Cameron, chief financial officer at MIKEL Inc. in Middletown, has been credited with achieving the highest bottom-line results in the technology and engineering services provider’s 22-year history, increasing revenue by $5.8 million over three years. / PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS
RECORD RESULTS: Craig Cameron, chief financial officer at MIKEL Inc. in Middletown, has been credited with achieving the highest bottom-line results in the technology and engineering services provider’s 22-year history, increasing revenue by $5.8 million over three years. / PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

2022 C-Suite Awards: Large company | Craig Cameron, MIKEL Inc. chief financial officer


You could say MIKEL Inc. Chief Financial Officer Craig Cameron took a deep dive into the numbers four years ago when he joined the Middletown-based technology and engineering services provider to the U.S. Navy.

“I had to understand the business and all the levels underneath,” Cameron said.

MIKEL specializes in undersea warfare solutions for submarines and unmanned systems. It’s heavy with government contracts and tight profit margins, and yet, Cameron is credited with achieving the highest bottom-line results in MIKEL’s 22-year history. The company increased its revenue by $5.8 million over three years, and profit margin by 6.3 percentage points in the same period.

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“I like to get down to brass tacks to make things as good as I can,” he said. “MIKEL needed some fiscal discipline, and the CEO and owner was willing to accept it.”

Cameron was hired as the company’s first chief financial officer, and the impact of his addition cannot be overstated, according to President Kelly Mendell.

“He has made a profound difference for our company, our culture and our bottom line,” she said. “When Craig first joined MIKEL in 2018, we were doing fine. We had no idea what was possible with the right senior leader driving progress forward.”

Under Cameron’s direction, the finance team implemented a new accounting system, streamlined the bidding process, created a sophisticated financial analysis of performance and focused on sustainability, as well as investment opportunities and financial stability.

Having begun his career in audit and accounting, Cameron takes that foundation, does the research and creates a “disciplined and holistic approach” to business.

“Sometimes two or three opinions are all you need to get things done and then you let the experts take over,” Cameron said. “I like to put everything into a model and forecast it. Lay it out in a simplified way so a lot of people can buy into it. It’s important to make the complex simple.”

But more importantly, Cameron says, is the ability to listen.

“Give people a chance to say what they need to say,” he said. “Make sure they understand that our two opinions or views can work together.”

Mendell says Cameron is highly effective, tackling tough situations head on with confidence and often humor. “He is respected and well-liked by his peers, subordinates and industry partners. His work ethic is unmatched and [he] takes a tremendous amount of pride in not only his individual workload but in the broader organizational goal of moving MIKEL forward,” she said. “He is kind and empathetic, professional and smart, and just a generally fun colleague to work alongside.”

Alan H. Litwin, managing director at accounting firm Kahn Litwin Renza & Co. Ltd. in Providence, worked with Cameron when he was the chief financial officer there.

He said Cameron is very good at analyzing an issue and then creating innovative solutions to address the matter. “His style is very collaborative, and he involves all stakeholders in the decision-making process to determine a course of action that works for everyone,” Litwin said.

Cameron said he is a proponent of working from a strategy of teamwork, accountability, collaboration and continued improvements. He is impressed by the dedication to the service of the Navy and national defense from the MIKEL employees.

“Good people are easy to manage and make you look good,” he said. “We are doing great things and it’s a pleasure to work here.”

Cameron points to the variety of companies in his resume, as well as his education in economics at Boston College, earning his master’s degree at Northeastern University and continuing to Yale University School of Management for executive management training.

“Your expertise is the sum of all your past experiences,” he said. “You use best practices from the past and you reach back to remember what you learned from all the really good people.”

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