Talent, growth and tech leadership moves across the market
Gettyimages.com / Yuichiro Chino
By
Ross Wilkers
Plus one of the market's most high-profile consulting firms appoints a new president that will work right under its CEO.
Amentum
Darren Burton has joined the newly minted public company as chief people officer, a role that involves responsibility for talent strategy and management functions supporting 53,000 employees.
Burton most recently worked in the same role at Eightfold AI, a talent intelligence platform provider. Prior to that, he was vice chair of human resources at KPMG and a member of its management committee.
His career also includes senior HR roles at Raytheon and IBM.
Guidehouse
John Saad has elevated from his current role as defense and security industry leader to president, the second-highest ranking position at the consulting firm.
Saad will oversee client service delivery functions as Guidehouse looks to further build its presence across the public sector, financial services, healthcare, energy and infrastructure verticals.
In addition to that, Deborah “Debbie” Ricci’s role has expanded to chief financial and administrative officer from solely CFO duties.
Nava
James Gordon has joined as executive vice president of growth amid this company’s push to both enter and go further up the government market’s middle tier.
Gordon is a former president of Cognosante and most recently worked as chief executive at DRT Technologies.
His three-decade industry career also includes senior roles at General Dynamics IT and Maximus.
Omni Federal
Paul McQuillan has joined the software developer and integrator as chief growth and strategy officer following three decades across the federal, commercial and international markets.
A three-decade market veteran, McQuillan’s career includes several C-level roles including chief operating officer for Culmen International and CEO of PlanetRisk. He joined Culmen upon its acquisition of the PlanetRisk federal business in 2018.
Omni was acquired by the private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners during the summer.
Tria Federal
This midsized technology and advisory services provider has added a pair of leaders to its team with one now in charge of a core business line and the second being a C-suite hire.
Michael Anderson joined Tria as executive vice president for public safety, one of three segments under the company’s new alignment. The 23-year market veteran most recently worked as a partner at Guidehouse responsible for digital opportunities in energy, sustainability and infrastructure programs.
Ray Khuo is now Tria’s chief human capital officer and will oversee all aspects of the company’s talent function, which includes hiring and engagement efforts for its 1,500 employees. Khuo is a three-decade veteran who joins after a stint in the same role at BlueHalo, which has agreed to be acquired by AeroVironment.
Tribalco
Joe Galindo has moved up to chief technology officer and will oversee this company’s push to expand its C5ISR portfolio across the government market, including defense.
Galindo joined Tribalco in May as director of intelligence and special missions following a stint as chief technology and innovation officer at Trophy Point Solutions.
Tribalco opened for business in 2004 and describes itself as a global systems integrator, original equipment manufacturer and software developer.
Voyager Space
Wallis Laughrey has joined the spaceflight and exploration company as chief strategy officer following a one-year stint at Anduril, perhaps the defense market’s high-profile startup.
At Anduril, he established and led its Labs organization in support of efforts to expand across key defense technology programs.
Laughrey’s 25-year defense career also includes roles at Raytheon Technologies and Northrop Grumman. Before joining industry, he served as an Air Force officer with assignments in areas such as space systems development and strategic acquisitions.