A trio of CEO transitions and more leadership moves across the market

Austal USA

Michelle Kruger, president of the shipbuilding company’s U.S. subsidiary, will retire from the position on June 1 after two years at the helm.

Kruger first joined Austal USA in 2022 as vice president of global services and support, then became its interim president in 2023 when then-leader Rusty Murdaugh stepped down.

Austal USA’s chief operating officer Gene Miller has moved into the interim president post, while the board of managers’ chairman Chris Chadwick has been appointed executive chairman.

Austal USA is a subsidiary of Australia-headquartered Austal Ltd. and is one of two makers of the Navy’s Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship alongside General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.

CSSI

The board of directors at this aviation services provider has hired a new chief executive in Chris Hegedus, a three-decade industry veteran and most recently senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Hegedus joins the Proteus Enterprises-backed company to succeed Kelly Caccetta, who has retired from CSSI after 15 years at the helm.

Hegedus previously led a portfolio at Booz Allen that included the departments of Energy, Homeland Security and Transportation. His career also includes roles at Science Applications International Corp. and General Dynamics IT.

Ursa Major

Chris Spagnoletti has moved up to the chief executive post at this rocket propulsion system maker, which he first joined in 2022 as a senior vice president.

The three-decade industry veteran most recently worked as president of liquid systems at Ursa Major and will now lead the company’s push toward full-scale production from its current development program focus.

Spagnoletti succeeds Dan Jablonsky, who previously led Ursa Major as CEO since August 2024. Jablonsky has already lined up a new board of directors role at BWX Technologies.

Accelint

Josh Kussman has joined the information gathering and analysis software maker as senior vice president of business development, a role he brings nearly three decades of public sector experience to.

Kussman is a co-founder of Sentinel, the national security advisory and analytics company that became part of Avantus Federal in 2018. Five years later, QinetiQ US acquired Avantus for $590 million.

Prior to Sentinel, he served as director of policy at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Akima

Lauren Cates has joined the government services company as vice president of business development for its emerging markets group, which focuses on advanced technologies and digital solutions.

Cates is a 15-year veteran of the market and most recently led the growth team at Indigo IT, where she oversaw pursuits of opportunities in areas such as cybersecurity and cloud computing.

She also spent more than a decade at the Bowhead Family of Companies.

AEVEX

Christi Morrison has joined the maker of unmanned systems and loitering munitions as chief legal officer, a role that also involves compliance and governance functions.

Morrison most recently worked as deputy general counsel and corporate secretary at Weatherford International in a three-year period that included its emergence from a Chapter 11 restructuring.

She spent 11 years in total at Weatherford, the supplier of energy industry equipment and related services.

Axionus

Jared Vichengrad has joined the computer network security software provider as vice president and general manager for its public sector team, known as Axionus Federal Systems.

Axionius designs its toolsets to act as a single asset data model that helps organizations address hard-to-spot exposures, misconfigurations and other operational challenges.

Vichengrad is a 27-year market veteran who most recently led Check Point Software Technologies’ public sector team. His career also includes roles at Semperis, Rubrik and Veritas Technologies.

C5MI

Deven Joshi has joined this provider of IT and supply chain software solutions as chief artificial intelligence officer, a role he brings 26 years of tech experience to.

C5MI has tasked Joshi to lead its AI strategy for adoption, scaling and extracting value from the technology.

He most recently worked as a customer engineer at Google. His background also includes roles at Amazon Web Services, Novocure, KochaSoft, SAP and Deloitte.

Diné Development Corp.

Jen Creamer and Dale Ward have moved up to the C-level executive team at this provider of IT, engineering and professional services owned by the Navajo Nation.

Creamer is now DDC’s chief business officer, a role that involves enterprise-wide business optimization strategies. She first joined DDC in 2022 as chief of staff to the chief operating officer after 12 years at Amazon Web Services, Booz Allen Hamilton, RLS and Daimler Chrysler.

Ward was named chief artificial intelligence and innovation officer, a role that involves advancing an AI-first operating model. He joined DDC in 2020 after 25 years at companies such as Booz Allen, LexisNexis and Innovative Technologies Corp.

Kodiak

Chet Gryczan has joined the provider of ground autonomy software solutions as vice president and managing director for its defense business, a role he brings two decades of experience to.

He most recently led the Detroit Defense business that partnered with the Army, Navy and larger defense primes to bring dual-use commercial technology into the field.

Kodiak is pushing to bring its flagship Kodiak Driver offerings onto military vehicle platforms.

MIL Corp.

Teresa Hunter, formerly chief financial officer at the IRS, has joined the technology and professional services provider as vice president of business development.

The two-decade public sector veteran will lead MIL’s efforts to bring its federal financial services and systems solutions to clients.

Hunter’s career in government also includes financial leadership roles at the General Services Administration, plus departments of Homeland Security and Interior.

Strider Technologies

Robert Turner, a former chief security officer at the FBI, has joined this provider of strategic intelligence data and software as vice president for its government vertical.

The 22-year FBI veteran will lead Strider’s work in the federal, state and local government markets.

His FBI career includes service in roles such as deputy assistant director of the security division, section chief of counter espionage, and assistant special agent in charge of the Baltimore division.

Systems Planning & Analysis

Doug Coleman has joined the technical services provider as chief legal officer, a role he brings 25 years of experience in law to.

Coleman most recently worked as Americas regional counsel at ABB’s motion business area.

His career also includes legal leadership roles at Reliable Robotics, Aerion Corporation, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems and Curtiss-Wright.

BWX Technologies

As mentioned earlier, former Ursa Major and Maxar CEO Dan Jablonsky has joined the board of directors at this provider of nuclear fuel and components.

Jablonsky will sit on the BWXT board’s audit and finance committee when his term starts on March 2. He led Maxar in the three-year period culminated by its sale to Advent International in 2023.

BWXT’s board size grows to 10 members from nine with this appointment. Jablonsky began his career as a surface warfare officer and nuclear engineer in the Navy.

Northrop Grumman

Christopher Grady, a retired Navy admiral and former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has joined the defense giant’s board of directors.

Grady will sit on the panel’s audit and risk committee, plus the policy committee. His appointment also grows the board’s size to 13 members from 12.

His four-decade military service career culminated with four years in the JCS vice chairman post before his retirement in October 2025.

Siemens Government Technologies

Alia Drescher, chief financial officer for the global buildings business in Siemens’ smart infrastructure segment, has joined the board of directors at this subsidiary focused on the U.S. federal market.

Siemens Government Technologies integrates the parent company’s products and services for federal efforts in energy and smart infrastructure. SGT’s other core focus area is in software-driven optimization of maintenance, sustainment and production activities.

Drescher has been with Siemens for three decades and moves into the SGT board seat formerly held by Axel Meier, CFO for the smart infrastructure segment.