Talent, growth and financial leadership moves across the market
Gettyimages.com / Zhengshun Tang
By
Ross Wilkers
A promotion focused on digital modernization also features, plus one of the government's main launch providers hires an auto sector veteran to lead operations.
AeroVironment
Archana Nirwan has joined the drone and robotic systems manufacturer as chief people officer following two decades in similar roles across high-tech and financial sectors.
Nirwan will lead AeroVironment’s global people and culture strategy that involves talent management, organizational development and human resources operations.
She will be based at the company’s Simi Valley, California campus that formerly housed the corporate headquarters before the 2021 move to Arlington, Virginia.
Her career prior to AeroVironment includes senior HR roles at Cambium Networks, Qualcomm, Fidelity Investments and Cadence Design Systems.
ASRC Federal
Dan Cuviello has joined as chief growth officer and brings to his new company 25 years of experience in leading business development.
He most recently led a 250-person BD team at CACI International as senior vice president of corporate business development, a role that also included responsibility for pursuits of governmentwide contract vehicles.
Cuviello spent nine years at Lockheed Martin in senior BD roles before he joined CACI.
B&A
Matt McElroy has joined as chief financial officer in the wake of the federal IT integrator’s move to a new private equity owner.
McElroy most recently worked as CFO for KnightSwan Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition or “blank check” company focused on national security technology.
He also held senior roles at the boutique consulting firm Pipaya Partners and Grant Thornton.
DFW Capital Partners completed its purchase of B&A in late August after the contractor’s three years of being owned by Battle Investment Group.
BlueHalo
G. Maliek Ferebee has joined the defense technology integrator as chief human capital officer to lead all aspects of its workforce function.
The 25-year industry veteran will oversee BlueHalo’s talent development efforts that include focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion. His responsibilities also include performance management, compensation and benefits.
Ferebee most recently worked as CHCO at DLH Holdings and did the same at Alion Science and Technology until its sale to HII in 2021.
His career also includes human resources leadership roles at AECOM and QinetiQ‘s U.S. subsidiary.
Guidehouse
Patrick Spoletini has joined as growth leader for the consulting firm’s health segment, which is a newly-created position.
Spoletini will oversee the health team’s work to build and maintain client relationships, plus efforts at aligning offerings to their needs.
The three-decade health industry veteran most recently lead that practice at IBM’s consulting arm. His career also includes leadership roles at Cognizant and KPMG.
Guidehouse’s chief executive Scott McIntyre joined our WT 360 podcast in April to describe the firm’s next steps under the ownership of Bain Capital.
ICF
David Birken now leads ICF’s 2,000-person digital modernization and experience business following a promotion from his prior role as manager of the cybersecurity unit.
Birken is a senior vice president who has spent two decades in other roles at ICF including as manager of its resiliency, housing, justice and workforce development business.
He has also led disaster recovery projects across the continental U.S.
Digital modernization is one of ICF’s five priority areas in this current iteration of its long-term strategy and vision.
Omni Federal
Charlie Kola has joined as chief financial officer as the software developer and integrator begins its next chapter under the ownership of private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners.
Kola has spent the last two decades of his career in the defense technology market after starting in the insurance industry.
He most recently worked as CFO at Soar Technology for six years.
MDP completed its acquisition of Omni during the summer.
REI Systems
Mark Olson has joined as chief financial officer following 13 years at Peraton and its heritage businesses dating back to Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
The two-decade veteran arrives at REI amid its marking of 35 years in business and push to climb further up the federal market’s middle tier. REI currently employs approximately 850 people.
Olson most recently worked as a vice president at Peraton. Before that, he was a senior financial executive at Perspecta from its 2018 launch through to the 2021 combination with Peraton.
He also was a finance leader at DXC Technology’s U.S. public sector arm, which folded into Perspecta, and the HPE public sector business that folded into DXC.
Rocket Lab
Frank Klein will start on Monday as chief operations officer for the launch service and space systems provider.
A three-decade automotive industry veteran, Klein will focus on Rocket Lab’s efforts to scale its manufacturing posture in order to execute on a backlog touted as exceeding $1 billion.
Included in that backlog is a $515 million Space Development Agency contract announced in January for 18 satellites.
Klein’s career includes senior roles at Daimler AG, Magna Steyr and Rivian.