2017: The Year of the Transformational Leader
What’s in, what’s out?
In a year of transformational change, government contractors are facing that question like never before. A few select leaders are even shaping the conversation.
For the second year in a row, WashingtonExec has assembled its list of executives who are blazing a path in uncertain times. Who are the trendsetters finding opportunities and maintaining their relevance in a crowded marketplace?
Check out our slideshow to learn why these 25 leaders are among the ones to watch in 2017.
Brad Antle, CEO of Salient CRGT
Big things are happening for Salient CRGT under Brad Antle’s leadership. In February 2017, the IT and missions solutions provider announced a definitive agreement to acquire Information Innovators, Inc. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017 and will increase the company’s revenues to more than $500 million.
Why watch: Along with the acquisition of Information Innovators, Antle is leading other key growth strategies. While maintaining the company’s expertise in agile acquisition methodology, software development, data analytics, mobility and cybersecurity, Antle is guiding Salient CRGT toward a greater footprint in the healthcare space. That carefully honed strategy comes backed by two private equity firms, New York-based Bridge Growth Partners, LLC and Chicago-based Frontenac Co.
Adam August, Partner with Holland & Knight LLP
Adam August is the first to tell you he has one of the best jobs in the industry, working with “30 of the best deal lawyers in the country,” as he puts it.
The firm’s M&A and securities group has handled more M&A transactions in the government technology space than any other law firm. For August, the reason is simple, “[It’s] our reputation and culture for a business focus and approach in providing value-added legal services.”
Why watch: August has worked on over 200 transactions, including billion-dollar tender offers, small transactions involving a few million dollars, and everything in between. In addition, he’s continuously networked with over 100 government contractor clients, as well as dozens of professional services providers. Throughout August’s approach is laser-focused. “I am routinely challenged to think creatively and practically – more like a business owner and not like a litigation attorney.”
Barry Barlow, Chief Technology Officer at Vencore
FCW announced Feb. 7 the honorees of its 2017 Fed 100 list, narrowed down from “hundreds of nominations,” according to the publication. The result is a “list of 100 women and men that should make even the most hardened skeptics optimistic about what’s possible in federal IT.”
The winner’s profiles will be published in the March 30 issue of FCW and on FCW.com, and they will be honored at the March 30 Fed 100 gala.
Notable winners from the govcon community include Barry Barlow, chief technology officer at Vencore.
Greg Baroni, Chairman and CEO of Attain
This past year was another big one for Attain: The consultancy completed its seventh year of operation, and in addition to winning a number of awards, including being named among Consulting Magazine’s Fastest Growing Firms and one of The Washington Post’s Top Workplaces, Attain made its first major acquisition, with the purchase of Reston, Va.-based ACF Solutions. The deal aims to expand the firm’s Salesforce capabilities and qualifications around cloud-based solutions.
Why watch: Expect another year of bold moves, with significant hiring of fresh thinkers to bring game-changing solutions to clients. “We’re taking everything to the next level,” says Baroni, who founded the company in 2009. “We are focused on what it means to be a next generation consulting firm – that means [not]just anticipating market needs but creating them.” Expect more acquisitions, and more investments in areas such as cloud-based solutions, predictive analytics and cyber, as well as augmented and virtual reality services.
Tim Conway, President of Public Sector at NTT DATA
NTT DATA Public Sector’s mission is, “Better IT, Better Government.” Under Conway’s leadership, the company is delivering on that focus: Current work includes supporting DHS with the delivery of technology-forward solutions to secure borders; biometrics to enhance entry/exit systems; and agile methodologies to improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of systems supporting immigration reforms.
Similar examples of NTT DATA’s applied innovation find a home at Education, Defense, Health and Human Services, and Justice departments.
Why watch: With the acquisition of Dell Services, Conway is guiding NTT DATA toward a greater federal footprint. “The combined companies have incredible synergies of technology, culture, solid performance and, of course, great people,” says Conway. “Plus, the complementary client base, impressive depth and breadth of offerings – and the focused energy on our customers – has NTT DATA positioned for greater success.”
Lynn Dugle, CEO, Engility Corporation
Last spring, Dugle was tapped as CEO of Engility to address evolving customer and market demands. Dugle has since doubled down on the company’s business model, moving away from low-cost provider work toward delivering best-value solutions to the government. Engility has also shifted its priorities toward winning larger deals in higher-end markets, such as the Air Force, FAA, FDA and the intelligence community.
While divesting its international development business, the company under Dugle’s watch has strengthened its support of customer missions using highly technical capabilities such as systems engineering and integration, high-performance computing and analytics;, cybersecurity and IT/enterprise modernization.
Why watch: Getting back to the basics — organic growth, team building and successful recompetes — is where this former Raytheon executive puts her efforts. That approach has since strengthened Engility’s position as a leading provider of highly technical solutions to the federal government.
Sid Fuchs, President and CEO of MacAulay-Brown, Inc. (MacB)
Fuchs has leveraged strategic acquisitions (most recently, Enlighten IT Consulting in January 2017) – and focused on organic growth – to replace 80 percent of MacB’s revenue that converted to small business over the past five years.
In addition, he’s expanded MacB’s capability portfolio to include areas such as cybersecurity, secure cloud engineering and data analytics, along with specialized manufacturing and product development; agile software engineering and tools development.
Why watch: Under challenging market conditions, Fuchs has transformed MacB from a once predominantly US Air Force SETA contractor into a high-end engineering, cybersecurity, and product solutions company across new markets such as Intelligence and USSOCOM. In 2015 and 2016, the company delivered combined bookings of almost $800 million in total contract value – an all-time high for the company.
Tiffanny Gates, President of Novetta’s Federal Division
Tiffanny Gates joined Novetta as president in January 2016 after successfully transitioning her cyber practice to Raytheon, with the successful acquisition of Blackbird Technologies. In her action-packed first year, she led her leadership team through the transition to new PE leadership in the Carlyle Group; reorganized the federal operations group to align with strategy and top-line growth objectives; and built a world-class business development team.
Gates also helped ensure the company achieved, for the second time in a row, Washingtonian’s Great Places to Work distinction. Gates was recently appointed by the Board of Directors as the company’s next Chief Executive Officer effective March 27, 2017.
Why Watch: With a dynamic leadership team in place post-acquisition and the momentum gained in 2016, Novetta is poised for significant top-line Growth; add to the formula, the Carlyle Group, and it will be interesting to see whether M&A activity in 2017 complements the organic growth Gates is targeting. The combination of relevant experience in big data, media and predictive analytics, as well as a longstanding reputation in cyber security – all in support of defense and national security customers – make Novetta a company to watch as well.
John Goodman, COO of Accenture Federal Services
Goodman is leading the expansion of innovative and cost-effective delivery models to the federal government. This past year, Goodman helped expand Accenture Federal Services’ San Antonio Delivery Center to offer new capabilities to federal clients and create new local jobs. Goodman has also helped expand its ASM subsidiary’s commitment to serving defense and Veterans Affairs clients to serving as a national workforce that scales quickly to support missions across the federal government.
Why watch: Goodman oversaw four acquisitions (Endgame’s U.S. federal government services business, Defense Point Security, Agilex, ASM Research) that accelerated growth areas in cyber, digital, and federal health. As chair of the Professional Services Council Executive Committee, Goodman is championing a stronger partnership between government and industry.
Mark Gray, President and CEO of ASRC Federal
After taking the top spot at ASRC Federal in the summer of 2014, Gray set forth a number of priorities to grow the company both organically and acquisitively. So far so good.
Over the past 18 months, Gray and his team have completed two major acquisitions (Vistronix Intelligence & Technology Solutions, and Data Networks Corporation). Under Gray’s leadership, ASRC Federal has also reenergized its focus on community involvement, raising over $140,000 for the American Heart Association and expanding the company’s involvement in STEM initiatives at the high school and middle school levels.
Why watch: Gray’s guidance of M&A activity has since expanded the company’s customer footprint in the intelligence, national security and health IT markets. That strategy has also strengthened discriminating capabilities in the areas of advanced analytics, signal intelligence, cybersecurity and large-scale data processing.
Dan Helfrich, Principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP
What’s big for the federal government? Deloitte Federal Services leader Dan Helfrich has kept his pulse on that question in the nearly 20 years he’s been working with federal clients. That longevity affords Helfrich a big-picture view.
Regardless of administration, Helfrich sees a continued focus on a “digital-first government,” as he puts it. True to that mission, Helfrich is leading Deloitte’s federal practice in a variety of priorities: customer experience, cyber, fraud, shared services, IT modernization and workforce, to name a few.
Why watch: Helfrich’s focus is on innovation, and ways to apply it both internally and more broadly, within the federal marketplace. He’s championing a new initiative – an internal crowdsourced-based hub to capture market-changing ideas and solutions to client challenges. Plus, he’s speaking out for more intentional innovation in the federal marketplace.
Dennis Kelly, President and CEO of Buchanan & Edwards
In December, Kelly was tapped as the new president and CEO of Buchanan & Edwards, a fast-growing technology leader creating transformative solutions for government customers. Kelly had previously been responsible for growing some of the industry’s most successful companies, including Anteon (now General Dynamics IT) and A-T Solutions, which was acquired by PAE in 2015. That track record has solidified Kelly’s recognition as one of the most-admired CEOs in the government contracting market.
Why watch: Within the first 60 days, Kelly has already helped set a new course for Buchanan & Edwards to create rapid growth, enhance its services to current customers, expand its customer base in national security, and provide employees additional benefits – and increased opportunities – for professional growth. Kelly is also quickly moving to support an active acquisitive strategy to augment the company’s organic growth and further enhance its capabilities and offerings.
Kevin Kelly, CEO of LGS Innovations
As CEO of LGS Innovations, Kelly has cemented the company’s reputation as a leader in government and commercial innovation, communications and network assurance, and R&D. Under Kelly’s leadership, LGS continues to maintain a leading edge on cybersecurity, photonics, spectrum management, C4ISR, satellite communications, and other advanced communications initiatives in order to promote the nation’s technological advantage in security.
Why watch: LGS has seen substantial growth under Kelly’s leadership, resulting in contract wins with major government agencies such as DARPA, IARPA, and many others organizations within the Intelligence, DoD, and commercial spaces. In 2014, Kelly and his management team at LGS guided the sale of the company from Alcatel-Lucent to private equity firms Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP) and CoVant, taking LGS private as one of MDP’s premier platform companies. Since then the company has grown in staff and profits more than 100 percent.
Roger Krone, Chairman and CEO of Leidos
Within one year of joining Leidos, Krone instituted a strategy to increase the company’s EBITDA. That move, in turn, helped the company reduce billing rates for customers; it also led to a 130-basis point increase to the bottom line. Major wins have since followed: In July 2015 Leidos was awarded a prime contract by DoD to provide an off-the-shelf electronic health record solution, integration activities and deployment across the Military Health System.
Why watch: Krone led the significant merger of Leidos and Lockheed Martin’s Information Systems & Global Solutions business. In August 2016, the company completed the $5 billion merger, enabling Leidos to become a market leader in government IT, expanding its footprint in both civil and commercial business, as well as internationally. The deal strengthened the company’s portfolio, with even greater opportunities ahead for its customers and stakeholders alike.
Tina Kuhn, President and CEO of CyberCore Technologies
A key challenge for government and commercial organizations is managing risk associated with the supply chain. That’s where CyberCore comes in – and Tina Kuhn is helping lead the charge. Since coming onboard the Elkridge, Md.-based company in mid-October, Kuhn has been guiding CyberCore toward greater delivery of supply chain risk management, value added reselling, managed services for insider threat and cyber operations, and professional services for government and commercial customers.
Why watch: A supply chain attack seeking to damage an organization by targeting less-secure elements in the supply network can happen at any time. Kuhn’s work – and CyberCore’s focus – is part of a larger conversation to ensure such scenarios are kept at bay. The company has the credentials to lead the charge: It’s one of the few U.S.-based companies with ISO 28000 certification – and was ranked No. 4 in cybersecurity this past year by Baltimore Business Journal.
Phil Lacombe, President and COO of STG
This retired Air Force colonel joined STG about six months ago with one very big goal: to help the 30-year-old company build on its recent relaunch as a public company on the heels of an acquisition. Lacombe has been building a new leadership team of proven leaders who share the company’s vision. His previous track record offers ample training ground: Prior to joining STG, Lacombe co-founded an integrated cyber solutions company and worked with Parsons Corporation to create an innovative strategy for integrated cyber and physical resilience for smart cities.
Why watch: Lacombe is leading the transformation of STG into a growth-oriented company, focused on being an agile and innovative mission partner that delivers knowledge solutions, cyber operations and security; and software and systems for complex challenges facing government customers.
Michael Lustbader, Managing Partner at Arlington Capital Partners
Over the past 18 years, Lustbader has helped establish Arlington Capital’s prominent role in the D.C. investment community. As a managing partner, Lustbader leads the firm’s investments in the government services and technology sector. Lustbader’s track record includes leading the recent creation of Polaris Alpha, a provider of mission-critical technology, software and solutions to defense and intelligence customers. Lustbader led the creation of Novetta Solutions, a leading provider of advanced analytics solutions; and currently serves on the boards of the following Arlington portfolio companies: MicroPact, Polaris Alpha, Quantum Spatial, and Zemax.
Why watch: Now that Arlington Capital Partners has raised a $700 million-fund, Lustbader will be actively investing funds to back innovative and disruptive firms serving the public sector. Arlington anticipates that the majority of new capital will be deployed in the aerospace and defense, and government services and technology sectors – with many of those companies headquartered in the Greater D.C. area.
Andrew Maner, Chairman, The Sentinel Company/Managing Partner, Liberty Advisor Group
Maner’s acquisition arm, Beech Maner LLC, purchased a majority share of The Sentinel Company, a national security focused advisory and management consulting firm assisting clients in both the commercial and federal sectors. Maner also acquired a minority stake in Liberty Advisor Group, a Chicago-based strategy and technology consulting firm with significant capabilities and past performance in strategy, analytics, mergers and acquisition and marketing/omni-channel. Soon after joining in January, Liberty immediately acquired G2S, a cyber/threat intelligence firm. Maner is working to fuse key capabilities and bring eminent people and solutions in key areas at both commercial and federal clients to drive mission-focused value and growth.
Why watch: By acquiring Sentinel and Liberty, Maner is building companies with decades of experience and deep subject matter expertise in areas that are among the highest priorities of the administration and Congress, including homeland security, cyber, border and immigration enforcement, intelligence, and aviation security.
Judy Marks, U.S. CEO of Siemens
Judy Marks has spent more than 30 years working in large global businesses, and for the past almost six years Siemens has been her home. In 2011, Marks was hired to help launch Siemens Government Technologies, a federally-compliant organization that harnesses the full spectrum of Siemens products, services and solutions to serve federal customers. Marks was recently promoted to serve as Siemens’ U.S. CEO in addition to her current responsibilities as executive vice president with Dresser-Rand, part of Siemens’ oil and gas portfolio.
Why watch: “As we witness truly historic changes in the global energy landscape, driven largely by the discovery of vast underground resources in the U.S., this is an exciting time to be working in the energy industry,” says Marks. “I bring to my work at Siemens the same commitment to customer service that I’ve had throughout my career. Having grown up in a small business family, I know that it’s all about people doing business with people and serving the customer. At the end of the day, people want to know they can count on you – and that’s my focus every day in my new role as Siemens’ U.S. CEO.”
Dr. Steve Omick, President and CEO at Riverside Research Institute
Steve Omick has plenty of reason to celebrate these days, as Riverside Research, a high-tech nonprofit, successfully leverages internal innovation to bring more customer-sponsored research and development to their Intelligence and DOD customers. “In line with our research goals, we are delighted with the progress of the Open Innovation Concept, our internally funded research and innovation center,” says Omick. Within OIC, the firm brings government, academia and industry together in a collective pursuit of next-generation technologies.
Why watch: Riverside is rapidly developing an increased presence in the Washington, D.C. area, as the group moves its executive and back-office operations from New York to Washington. With a critical focus on the defense contractor community, as well as a skilled workforce and significant spending in technology development, Riverside is setting itself apart in a crowded industry under Omick’s watch.
Chuck Prow, President and CEO at Vectrus
Last December, Chuck Prow joined Vectrus, a leading, global government services company with a history in the services market that dates back more than 70 years. The company provides facility and logistics services along with information and network communication services to U.S. government customers around the world. This background was a natural fit for Prow, a 30-year industry veteran who’s held leadership positions at companies such as IBM Corporation, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Coopers & Lybrand.
Why watch: Prow will leverage his experience and skill set to build on what Vectrus has already achieved. He plans to create a higher-value platform through strengthening the IT competencies of Vectrus and by fusing the physical and digital aspects of its clients’ facility and logistics missions.
Sumeet Shrivastava, CEO and President at Array Information Technology, Inc.
Sumeet Shrivastava has spent the past 25 years focused on public sector contracting – all in small business and mid-tier environments. Now he’s bringing that expertise to bear in leading the application solutions firm, ARRAY, and its strategy in successfully navigating out of the small business contracting world.
Why watch: For any 8(a)/Small business looking for growth strategies, now’s the time to borrow a tip from Shrivastava’s playbook. At ARRAY, he is focused on evolving into a solutions provider for the Aerospace and Defense marketplace; specifically focusing on solving challenges in the logistics domain across air, land and marine platforms, including those of the commercial and international defense sectors. Shrivastava actively provides advice to young entrepreneurs through various GMU GovCon Initiative programs.
Carey A. Smith, Parsons Group President
In late November, Smith joined Parsons as president of its Federal business unit. In that short time, the aerospace and defense industry veteran has reorganized the business unit to better position it for growth; engaged with key customers on programs and new business pursuits; established an IDIQ center of excellence; and reviewed operational performance and customer feedback to ensure complete satisfaction across hundreds of contracts.
Why watch: Smith has a demonstrated ability to drive increased throughput on IDIQ vehicles; capture “game changer” strategic pursuits; drive simultaneous top- and bottom-line growth; exceed customer’s performance expectations; and leverage the unique differentiators of the One Parsons brand – focused, in large part, on the company’s ability to build infrastructure and secure it with its converged physical and cyber solutions. “We are uniquely qualified in the vertical sectors of transportation, health, energy, and water/wastewater to provide ‘total infrastructure’ solutions,” says Smith.
Jeff Snyder, Vice President of Cyber Programs at Raytheon Company
Jeff Snyder leads his current role in steady alignment with the company’s larger mission: To provide cyber strategy, pipeline development, capture, and M&A of strategic cyber programs and assets that benefit our nation’s cybersecurity posture.
Why watch: Snyder is busy behind the scenes helping to expand America’s cybersecurity pipeline through additional cyber human capital. It is, quite simply, a “critical need,” says Snyder. Toward that end, Snyder is active on a variety of university fronts, participating with the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Center Florida College of Engineering and Computer Science, and the President’s Advisory Board at CalPoly. He is also a senior fellow at the George Washington University Center for Cyber.
Bill Weber, President and CEO of KeyW
Bill Weber joined KeyW in October 2015, following the passing of company founder Len Moodispaw. Since then Weber has grown the company while preserving its “entrepreneurial, fun and familial culture,” as he puts it. Weber has since divested non-mission focused assets, invested in a growth engine, given back to the IT community through open source development, and unified the narrative and refreshed the company’s brand.
Why watch: Weber has established a track record of making – and keeping – promises to shareholders regarding financial performance. Weber’s taking decisive, calculated steps to further KeyW’s growth, and set a goal for KeyW to become a $500 million provider of the most advanced engineering and technology solutions for the intelligence, cyber and counterterrorism communities by 2020. Plus, the company announced a public offering of common stock in late January – a signal of greater potential ahead.
Amit Yoran, Chairman and CEO of Tenable
Before he joined Tenable in January 2017, Amit Yoran had been living and breathing security for years. In the international security firm, which holds offices in 20 countries, Yoran saw a natural next fit. “Not only because it’s one of the top security companies in the world,” says Yoran, “but because of our compelling vision for the future.” In keeping with that vision, Tenable helps customers answer two of the most important tech questions: ‘What is my level of risk?’ and ‘What can I do about it?’
Why watch: Under Yoran’s watch, Tenable is poised to continue its momentum as one of the fastest-growing security companies in the world. Yoran plans to keep his attention squarely on one overriding priority. “Job No. 1 is empowering our customers to understand their exposure in the world of rapidly expanding technologies so they can control their risk,” says Yoran.
