Bill Ballhaus, CEO of Mercury Systems, has won WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Award for CEO of the Year (Private & Public Company, annual revenue greater than $500 million).
On June 4, WashingtonExec unveiled the winners of the 2025 Chief Officer Awards, its premier recognition of the executives shaping the future of government contracting. The event, attended by over 500 individuals, took place at The Hilton in McLean, Virginia.
In his finalist Q&A, Ballhaus noted that, the company’s “culture is rooted in a shared belief that it’s the people and teams within an organization that drive results, and strong leadership is ultimately reflected in those results. Building and sustaining a high-performance culture, one driven by diverse teams aligned through shared values and mindsets, is foundational to achieving industry-leading outcomes.”
The ceremony also paid tribute to Renato “Renny” DiPentima, former president, CEO and board director of SRA International. He was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his strong reputation for integrity and performance, and his significance in shaping the federal IT and contracting landscape.
This year’s awards received a record level of interest and excitement. A special “thank you” goes out to event judges Barbie Bigelow, Bob Genter and Jerry McGinn; platinum sponsor Govplace; silver sponsors, KippsDeSanto & Co. and Morgan Stanley; and to its many table sponsors for their generous support.
