With strong business acumen, an extensive background in technology, a gift for gab and a passion for acting and music, Jeffrey Scott Latchman defies pigeonholing.
“If you look at your life from the perspective of providing service to others, then you’re a lot more than just an engineer or a businessperson or a musician,” he says. “I think it’s fair to say I’m all those things — and other things, too.”
Much of Latchman’s energy goes into his consulting practice, which applies technological solutions to business problems. His projects have included developing learning-management systems for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, landing a multimillion-dollar deal for TATA and producing music for an Amazon Prime TV show episode about the R&B artist H.E.R.
A hub of experiences
“For me, Concordia was about becoming an adult. I loved being in a big city after coming in from the suburbs. There was so much happening. I got to work at three different engineering firms during that time. One summer I was also working for LL Cool J, tutoring his son. I entered student engineering competitions and won several. I was part of CUTV, the university television station. I loved that I was able to entertain not only my highly technical side but also other parts of my character.”
Fun work perks
“I find ways to get paid for the things I love to do. For instance, when I graduated, I looked for companies that needed me to travel. It’s crazy, but at one point I had accumulated enough Marriott and Hilton points to live in hotels for years.”
On the art of tech consulting
“I’m really solving business problems first, using technology as a tool. I’d love to help bring more business concepts to the curriculum for current engineering students, to help open that world to them.”
Words of wisdom
“Job titles are a way of putting people in boxes. But even before you started working, you were already somebody. What are you into? What drives you? What is your mission statement as a human being? Guided by questions like that, you can do what you need to do to be happy and successful in your career, on your own terms.”