Dave Aas, vice president and chief technology officer of Nextel Partners, has done remarkably well for someone without a plan. He joined the Navy because college was neither appealing nor financially feasible. During his service, he excelled at math and began developing his skills in technical engineering. His abilities garnered him a position with Airsignal, where he stayed through multiple transitions and increased his level of responsibility, confidence, and passion for the industry. At just the right time, he was invited by a prior manager to join him in starting Nextel Partners, which has become a hugely successful company. From the Series:Information Technology Leaders