AEVEX completes CEO transition by promoting Wells
AEVEX's new chief executive Roger Wells. AEVEX photo.
By
Ross Wilkers
Roger Wells will lead the eight-year-old company's next phase of its strategy, which is highlighted by autonomous systems including loitering munitions.
AEVEX has promoted Roger Wells from president to chief executive, completing a transition plan that was set up in April when the 27-year defense industry veteran joined as president.
Wells succeeds Brian Raduenz, who founded the defense technology company in 2017 and led it through a sale in 2020 to Madison Dearborn Partners and CoVant Management.
Raduenz will move to executive chairman of the board of directors and continue supporting AEVEX’s strategy, the company said Monday.
Since its inception, AEVEX has evolved into a maker of autonomous and uncrewed systems that include loitering munitions. The U.S. sent 121 of the company’s Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems to Ukraine in 2022 as part of a larger aid package, The Hill newspaper reported at the time.
AEVEX has recorded approximately $204.9 million in unclassified prime contract revenue over the trailing 12 months. The Air Force represents 99% of that spend with the remainder at the Army, according to USASpending.gov data.
Prior to AEVEX, Wells worked as chief operating officer at Mercury Systems to help oversee its portfolio of defense electronics. Wells also spent 13 years at the former FLIR Systems, which was acquired in 2021 by Teledyne.