Matt Tait

CEO and President, MANTECH

Matt Tait said his biggest recent achievement is not a single milestone but the all-of-MANTECH mission to continually advance the nation’s security through sustained investment, innovation and delivery of mission-focused AI, cyber, digital modernization and intelligent engineering capabilities.

That commitment has translated into tangible results. MANTECH won a $910 million contract to provide comprehensive cyber and data-informed IT services to U.S. Southern Command and its mission partners, advancing warfighter capabilities while building the infrastructure needed for future AI deployment across SOUTHCOM.

The company also secured a $900-plus million contract to deliver offensive cyber operations capabilities to the intelligence community. At the same time, MANTECH expanded its data and AI practice through the acquisition of Elder Research, scaling a rare combination of execution-driven innovation, deep technical expertise and practical training for Fortune 500 and government clients.

“What differentiates Matt as a leader is his relentless focus on outcomes, not activity; results rather than RFPs,” said Kevin Phillips, chairman of the board at MANTECH. “Whether it’s empowering employees to reduce rocket launch timelines from months to days or championing innovation like the cell-based security operations center model, Matt ensures that MANTECH delivers on our nation’s need for high-tech in addressing national security missions.”

MANTECH is aligning with the administration’s priorities to reduce costs, streamline operations and improve government efficiency through measurable cyber results. The company recently won a $200 million cyber contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to deploy a new cell-based model for its security operations centers. The approach cut false positive alerts by over 90%, reduced median incident resolution time by 75% and now resolves more than 95% of cybersecurity incidents in under 15 minutes.

Why Watch

In 2026, MANTECH is heavily focused on relentlessly anticipating national security clients’ evolving mission needs and proactively investing, and developing and delivering sophisticated solutions across cyber, AI, digital modernization and intelligent engineering to address them.

One example is AI-informed cyber. Applying AI to the full range of cyber activities is a strategic imperative to help maintain and extend U.S. decision advantage. MANTECH is leveraging AI to dramatically improve the speed and accuracy of threat detection and response. This involves AI-driven analysis of vast data streams to identify anomalies, predict attack vectors and automate defensive measures, moving beyond reactive human-centric processes.

“I wake up every morning asking what’s best for our country,” Tait said. “That mindset – the willingness to step up and serve our nation – can help overcome even the most daunting challenges.”

Fun fact: Tait has been to the North Pole as part of one of his missions for the U.S. Navy. The experience helped instill a lifelong love of travel around the world and of the outdoors.