Constellis hires former C3 AI, CAE exec as CEO

Constellis has hired a new chief executive in Dan Gelston, a 24-year defense industry veteran who joins the global government services company after previously leading C3 AI’s federal operations.

Gelston succeeds outgoing CEO Terry Ryan, who led the company for five years and oversaw its emergence from a financial restructuring and recapitalization initiative. Ryan will transition to the role of executive vice chairman of the board of directors, Constellis said Monday.

As CEO, Gelston will lead Constellis’ ongoing efforts to integrate predictive analytics and other artificial intelligence-driven technologies into its core training and risk management service offerings.

The company’s idea behind that approach is to move beyond a reactive security model to one that is more proactive and tech-enabled to prevent issues.

While at C3, Gelston worked as president of its federal systems unit and oversaw the launch of that business. He joined C3 in February 2024 after four years as president of CAE’s defense business, a tenure that included the acquisition of military training and combat propulsion businesses from L3Harris Technologies.

"Dan brings a unique combination of enterprise-level leadership, deep defense and security expertise gained through military service and private company leadership, and expertise in AI and data-driven solutions,” Michael Lundin, the Constellis board’s lead director, said in a release. “His strategic leadership will accelerate Constellis' transformation as we sharpen our focus to advance technology, data integrity, and leverage artificial intelligence to better serve customers and to anticipate evolving global challenges."

Gelston’s career in industry also includes leadership roles at L3Harris, Smiths Detection and Cobham.

As executive vice chairman, Ryan will act as an adviser on key strategic initiatives and market opportunities.