Core4ce’s Curtis Arnold Takes Home WashingtonExec’s 2026 Chief Officer Award
Curtis Arnold of Core4ce has won WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Award for Cybersecurity Executive of the Year (Private & Public Company). On June 2, WashingtonExec unveiled the winners of the 2026 Chief Officer Awards, its premier recognition of the executives shaping the future of government contracting. This annual can’t-miss event celebrates bold, innovative leaders across government
Jennifer Roberts of FGS Wins Chief Officer Awards’ CISO of the Year
Jennifer Roberts of FGS has won WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Award for Chief Information Security Officer of the Year (Private & Public Company). On June 2, WashingtonExec unveiled the winners of the 2026 Chief Officer Awards, its premier recognition of the executives shaping the future of government contracting. This annual can’t-miss event celebrates bold, innovative leaders
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Kyle Tuberson is Scaling AI for the Mission
Kyle Tuberson’s job is making AI work in environments where trust isn’t optional. As CTO at ICF, he turned the company’s AI efforts into a single enterprise platform, built for federal use, cleared to CMMC Level 2, and designed to go from contract to deployment in 48 hours. Tuberson was a finalist for the Chief
Chief Officer Awards Finalist John Wasson on Leading ICF through the AI Shift
ICF spent 2025 and 2026 moving from AI experimentation to implementation. The company launched ICF Fathom, its suite of AI solutions for federal agencies, achieved CMMC Level 2 certification and invested in technology platforms to help clients modernize faster and deliver better outcomes. John Wasson, ICF’s CEO, is a finalist for the Chief Officer Awards’
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Jeff MacLauchlan on the Discipline Behind Free Cash Flow
Over the past nine months, Jeff MacLauchlan guided CACI to a 12% EBITDA margin, a 90-basis-point improvement from the prior year, while absorbing $22 million in ARKA-related transaction costs and generating $503 million in free cash flow, up roughly $200 million from the prior year. With a $33.4 billion backlog and 98% of this year’s
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Young Bang Wants Warfighter Tech Delivered in Days, Not Months
From helping advance a first-of-its-kind Army data center initiative to expanding non-kinetic technologies for warfighters, Young Bang leads teams delivering mission-focused capabilities for the Defense Department. As president of Two Six Technologies, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, Bang is a finalist for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards in the Private & Public Company DOD
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Julie Myers Wood Shunned Exotic Food Abroad. Now, ‘Eat the Sushi’ is Her Mantra.
Julie Myers Wood is CEO of Guidepost Solutions and a finalist in WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards in the Private Company CEO of the Year (annual revenue less than $100 million) category. The event takes place live June 2. But Wood didn’t get to her current role by staying safe. In the last two years, she’s
For Chief Officer Awards Finalist Pete Rodriguez, a NASA Win Was About More Than the Contract
As chief technology officer at Victory Solutions, Pete Rodriguez is especially proud of the company successfully winning a recompete that continues its work supporting Marshall Space Flight Center. It wasn’t just about winning a contract, he said. It was a statement about Victory Solutions’ ability to keep evolving, innovating and delivering value. Rodriguez is a
Chief Officer Awards Finalist John Steckel on Scaling AMERICAN SYSTEMS through the Epsilon Acquisition
In August 2025, AMERICAN SYSTEMS acquired Epsilon, Inc., completing the integration in January 2026. The deal added over 400 employee-owners along with capabilities in advanced digital transformation and proactive data infrastructure management. A 100% employee-owned company, AMERICAN SYSTEMS delivers high-end mission engineering and information engineering solutions to the nation’s priority programs. Steckel, president and CEO
How Chief Officer Awards Finalist Shawn Gundrum Doubled CATHEXIS and What Comes Next
Shawn Gundrum has led CATHEXIS through a period of significant transformation, doubling the company’s size and expanding its capabilities. Following the integration of Paradyme, Gundrum has helped reposition CATHEXIS from a traditional services provider into a more solutions- and AI-driven organization, while prioritizing operational alignment, unifying teams and culture. Gundrum, CEO of CATHEXIS, is a
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Hilary Hageman on Guiding SAIC’s Growth with Strong Governance
Over the past year, Hilary Hageman played a critical role in guiding SAIC’s legal, governance and compliance strategy as the company expands its portfolio of advanced digital, cyber and AI-enabled capabilities to meet evolving national security demands. From overseeing complex regulatory frameworks to supporting strategic growth initiatives, Hageman helped ensure SAIC’s innovation efforts are grounded
For Chief Officer Awards Finalist Vishal Deshpande, Enterprise AI Has to Earn Trust
In early 2026, Unissant deployed multiple AI capabilities into production at a federal agency, supporting targeting, vetting, analytics, and operational decision support missions. The work cut complex data and threat analysis timelines from 24–48 hours to under 15 minutes. As chief data officer at Unissant, Vishal Deshpande led the establishment of an enterprise AI Enablement
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Eric Moore Wants Customers AI-First Before the Window Closes
Under Eric Moore, Leidos Digital Modernization Sector cut the time to get a system authorized to operate from as long as nine months to under 90 days through a framework called ARMOR. As senior vice president and chief technology officer of the sector, Moore is a finalist for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards in the Public Company
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Terry Benedict Guided SPA Through 4 Acquisitions While Expanding National Security Capabilities
As president of Systems Planning & Analysis, Terry Benedict spent the past year integrating four acquisitions while keeping the company growing through what he calls a “particularly dynamic period” in the industry. Benedict is a finalist for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards in the Private & Public Company DOD Executive of the Year category. The event
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Mike Cavalier Drives Growth Through Strategic Leadership
From leading pricing strategy on major contract pursuits to overseeing a 10-month acquisition process, Mike Cavalier has focused on building scalable systems and strong teams that position organizations for sustained success. Cavalier, chief financial officer at Victory Solutions, is a finalist for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards in the Private Company CFO of the Year (annual
For Chief Officer Awards Finalist Srinivas Rautwar, the Priorities are Security, AI, Data
In 2025, AMERICAN SYSTEMS earned a perfect 110/110 on its CMMC Level 2 assessment and launched ConnectGPT, its enterprise generative AI platform now in daily use across the company. The same year, AMERICAN SYSTEMS integrated Epsilon, Inc., bringing over 400 employees and active federal programs across multiple states into its environment with no downtime, no
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Vinnie DiFronzo Is Racing Warfighter Tech Into the Field
As executive vice president of SAIC’s Air Force, Space and Intelligence Business Group, Vinnie DiFronzo is focused on getting national security capabilities into warfighters’ hands faster. His team is delivering on two recently awarded programs, the $1.4 billion COBRA task order and the $928 million AF TENCAP HOPE 2.0 contract. DiFronzo is a finalist for
Chief Officer Awards Finalist Bob Deegan Took Unissant’s Financial Close From 30 Days to 4
In 2025, Bob Deegan led a modernization of Unissant’s financial and contract management systems through the implementation of Unanet, cutting the company’s monthly financial close cycle from roughly 30 days to four. Deegan, chief financial officer of Unissant, is a finalist for the Chief Officer Awards’ Private CFO of the Year (annual revenue less than
Chief Officer Award Finalist Marni Puente on Data, AI & SAIC’s Marketing Engine
Marni Puente is building SAIC’s marketing and communications function around a clear premise: government decision-makers want mission partners that can prove their value with speed and precision. To sharpen that case, her team analyzed over 600,000 market data points and feedback from nearly 200 customers and prospects, then used the findings to shape how the
Chief Officer Award Finalist Nancy Edwards on Leading Board Ops & a Landmark Acquisition
When AMERICAN SYSTEMS undertook the largest acquisition in its history, Nancy Edwards helped guide the transaction from boardroom approvals to closing and through post-deal integration. In her dual role supporting the CEO and serving as corporate secretary, she coordinated governance, managed critical documentation and helped ensure a seamless transition, all while advancing broader efforts to
Chief Officer Award Finalist Angela Rothwell on Scaling Precise Systems Through 89% Revenue Growth
Angela Rothwell helped guide Precise Systems through a stretch that would test most finance organizations: nearly 89% revenue growth, four acquisitions to integrate, and a workforce that climbed from 793 employees to over 1,340 — all while keeping DCAA and DCMA compliance intact across mission-critical government programs. Rothwell is a finalist for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer
Chief Officer Award Finalist Christina Payne on Building a People First Culture Amid Rapid Expansion at Precise Systems
As Precise Systems, Inc. continues to expand through acquisitions and mission growth, Christina Payne has been focused on a constant challenge: ensuring that people, culture and compliance evolve in step with the business. From guiding the people side of multiple integrations to strengthening HR’s partnership with operations, finance, contracts and program leadership, she has worked
Chief Officer Award Finalist Chris Townsend on Breaking Down Data Silos & Scaling AI Across Government
As federal agencies race to operationalize AI and secure siloed data environments, Chris Townsend has been focused on a parallel challenge: making that data accessible, actionable and secure without driving up cost or complexity. Under his leadership, Elastic has expanded access to its platform through the GSA OneGov contract, advanced a governmentwide SIEM-as-a-service effort with
Chief Officer Award Finalist Fouzan Pal on CMMC, AI & the Cybersecurity Mission
When AMERICAN SYSTEMS acquired Epsilon, Inc., Fouzan Pal faced a problem with a tight clock attached: fold a new company’s infrastructure into an already CMMC-certified environment without losing the certification, slowing the business or exposing federal customers to risk. His team pulled it off, and the combined enterprise earned full CMMC certification. Pal, information technology
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