Lieutenant General (US Army, Retired) John Caldwell, Jr. has extensive executive experience in the defense industry. He served eight years (1995 – 2003) as a General Officer, with twenty years experience planning and executing military research, development and acquisition (RDA) programs. His latest position within the Army was Lieutenant General and Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. He is currently employed as a consultant in various capacities, primarily with The Spectrum Group (January 2008 – present) and Wesley K. Clark Associates (2008 – present). He was also employed (2004 – 2011) as Executive Adviser to PTC Corporation. Sr. Vice President, Defense Information Technology Solutions, QSS Group, Inc., and Executive Vice President, Perot Systems Gov Sys (July 2004 – June 2007). He currently serves on several corporate boards of directors (including TASER International) and multiple corporate advisory boards.
During his Army career, LTG (R) Caldwell, Jr. reengineered the Joint Strategic Planning process for the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also reengineered the oversight of defense acquisition programs for the Secretary of Defense. As project manager for the Abrams Tank System he, led the research, development, production, quality assurance, procurement and logistical support of the Army's tank program. This was a $600 million R&D, and a $15 billion procurement program to field the M1A2 Abrams tank (digital architecture) to the U.S. Army; field the M1A2 tank and modernize the Saudi Arabian armored forces and the Kuwaiti Army; and to co-produce M1A1 Abrams tanks for Egypt. He also developed and directed the program that pioneered the digital transformation of the Army with a significant role developing the Army’s Future Combat System. Then, as Commanding General, US Army Tank Automotive and Armaments Command, he provided technical and logistics support for more than 70% of the Army's ground forces.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from the US Military Academy, West Point and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Brigadier General (US Army, Retired), Thomas Cole concluded over 31 years of active Army service as the Program Executive Office for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (PEO-IEW&S). As PEO IEW&S (2007-2010) he was the senior official responsible for overall direction and programs performance for intelligence, electronic and cyber warfare, and sensor targeting capabilities with seven direct report Project Managers who managed 93 separate programs. The valuable contributions of PEO IEW&S were highlighted by the Defense Acquisition Executive with the presentation of the 2010 David Packard Team Award for Department of Defense acquisition excellence. His promotion to the range of general officer and assignment as PEO culminated 22 years of acquisition experience and positions of responsibility. He has leveraged these skills and formed a consulting company (Thomas Cole and Associates, LLC) that provides independent, senior level business strategy development and programmatic advice.
He has a broad range of experience with a depth of expertise and knowledge in how to execute the defense acquisition process. He has senior level leadership and programmatic skills that span across concept inception, integrated systems development, test and evaluation, logistics, delivered capability and final disposition of material, all of which make up the total lifecycle of providing complex systems capabilities, He has strong foundation in leadership, ethics, setting vision and objects, strategic planning, systems engineering, program integration, and developing personnel.
His high level of competency is derived from varied responsibilities, experiences, and assignments throughout his Army career. As the Deputy Program Manager, Networks for Future Combat System (2005-2007) he directed the network integration of communications and sensor systems employed on manned and unmanned ground and air platforms to provide a common operation view of the battle space. Assigned to the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) he was the Deputy to the USSOCOM Acquisition Executive (2004-2005) and led technology development and program management efforts for the command. As Project Manager Warfighter Information Tactical (2001-2004) he was the organization leader responsible to develop, acquire, and field the Army’s largest communications capability involving terrestrial and space-based communications architectures with integrated network control. This position included developing and acquiring satellite communications tactical ground control stations for the Army.
Complementing his programmatic experience, he worked in high level policy as the Deputy for Theater Missile Defense Systems (1999-2001) in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he helped direct major defense acquisition programs for theater missile defense. Prior to this assignment he gained his first experience of being directly accountable for programs costs, schedule, and performance as the Product Manager Firefinder (1995-1998) for target acquisition radars. Early in his acquisition career he had operational assignments at the U.S. Army Space Command in the Space Plan/Missile Warning Division (1992-1995) fielding the Joint Tactical Ground Station which was instrumental in providing missile launch warning information to tactical commanders. And at the U.S. Air Force Space Systems Division as the Chief, Small Satellite Programs (1988-1991) where he led a program responsible for building, launching and providing on-orbit support of three small communications satellites.
Thomas Cole has successfully led the execution of the Army’s acquisition function and management system. He has vast experience dealing with Congress, all Services, National Agencies, and industry. He has performed at every level, through a wide range of technology disciplines, and has a comprehensive understanding of the phrases of acquisition and lifecycle management.
He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy class of 1979. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery and services in various artillery assignments most notable as a firing battery commander responsible to lead, care for, and train his Soldiers to be successful on the battlefield. In 1998 he transition to the acquisition career field. Included in his acquisition development was a professional development curriculum that included obtaining advanced degrees. He earned a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from San Diego State University 91987) and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (1999). He is also a graduate of the Advanced Program Management Course from the Defense Acquisition University (1996) and the Army’s Command and General Staff Course (1992).
Major General (US Army Retired) Jeanette K. Edmunds is the Senior Vice President for Logistics at Cypress International, a consulting organization that specializes in helping Defense industry companies meet their market objectives. At Cypress she established and leads a logistics practice that has progressively expanded to address client goals across the spectrum of DoD contracted services. She provides assistance with strategic planning, business development and opportunity capture to Defense companies of all sizes. Her particular areas of expertise include logistics services such as maintenance, supply chain management, product support and lifecycle management, as well as a broad range of other contracted professional services.
Prior to joining Cypress she spent 32 years as an officer in the United States Army, serving in a variety of key leadership roles. Her most recent assignment was as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics, Headquarters, Department of the Army. She was responsible for Army logistics planning, policy formulation, and program development for an enterprise valued at approximately $500 Billion. She oversaw logistics transformation, development of the Army’s logistics automation portfolio management program, business process re-engineering and strategy formulation as well as development of logistics force structure, and issues involving National and Multinational logistics.
MG Edmunds has served as a leader at every level in the Army and the Department of Defense. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and a Masters of Business Administration in Logistics Management from Florida Institute of Technology. She is a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College Program Managers Course, Defense Acquisition University and the Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She is affiliated with the Association of the United States Army, The National Defense Industrial Association, and Women in Defense. She previously served as a member of the President’s Advisory Board for the South Carolina Research Authority’s (SCRA) Advanced Technology Institute and an Advisory Board Member for SCRA’s Institute for Solutions Generation.
Mary Fuller & Associates, LLC was founded in 2006 by Colonel Mary Fuller (US Army, Retired). As a Senior Acquisition Executive and Defense Acquisition Specialist with over 30 years of combined military service and industry experience, Mary provides a unique perspective on establishing or improving customer relationships, establishing or winning product and program business strategies, preparing unique marketing plans and fostering and developing leadership for effective teams. Mary specializes in building winning teams for Army/DoD business initiatives and provides a personalized consulting approach.
Mary’s experience includes systems acquisition, information technology, research, development, test and evaluation and other business areas to include business development and strategic planning.
Mary’s Army career culminated as the Chief of Staff and Senior Executive Assistant to the Army Acquisition Executive/Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisitions, Logistics, and Technology. Other career highlights include being selected as the first Director of the Army Acquisition Support Center and assignments as Project Manager of the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) and as Product Manager for the Army Small Computer Program (ASCP).
Mary entered the Army in 1977 when she was awarded a Direct Commission. She was initially assigned to the Women’s Army Corps and later branch transferred to the Signal Corps and was one of the first women to be assigned to the First Armored Division in Ansbach, Germany. Mary did not follow a traditional career path. Her assignments included Signal Platoon Leader, Meteorological Station Commander, Senior Review Officer for the Chief of Staff of the Army, Brigade Adjutant and various staff positions in communications, intelligence, and acquisition organizations. Mary became an Army Acquisitions Corps member in 1990.
Mary has demonstrated leadership, management, and organizational skills at all leadership levels. She has extensive military program management experience, knowledge of the Department of Defense acquisition processes and insight into the workings of the government and military at the lowest and highest levels. Before entering the military, she had experience in the commercial and educational sector both in operations, teaching, coaching, broadcasting, marketing and sales.
Mary is a graduate of Miami of Ohio with a Bachelor of Science in Radio, TV, Film and a Master of Arts in Computer Resource Management from Webster University. She is a graduate of the US Army War College, University of Texas Acquisition Fellowship Program and the Defense Systems Management College Program Managers Course.
Mary was born in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. She is married to LTC Gerald F. Monin, US Army Retired. Mary’s career assignments took her worldwide, including Germany, Alaska, California, Georgia, Kansas, Texas, Alabama, New Jersey, and Virginia. Mary was a competitive downhill and cross country skier and was on the Army Ski Team from 1980-1981. She was the 1980 winner of the Women’s Nordic/Alpine event and the 1981 Women’s Nordic Champion.
Michael Stafford has a unique 360-degree perspective with regards to federal contracting, particularly for the Department of Defense, as well as direct experience with ensuring ethical conduct under a compliance agreement. He has more than 40 years experience with federal contracting, crisis management, and compliance programs.
He was the senior contracting officer for the Navy's F/A-18 Hornet Strike Fighter and Harpoon Anti-Ship Missile Programs. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, he was the Director of Acquisition Regulations for the Navy, reporting directly to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and was responsible for the successful implementation of the Competition in Contracting Act and the first Procurement Reform Act into the Federal Acquisition Regulation. At the request of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, he also served as the Director of the Defense Acquisition Regulatory Council.
Stafford then moved to industry where, as Senior Vice President for Ogden Environmental and Energy Services, he was part of the management team that grew the company from a $12-million to a $250million per year enterprise. When one of Ogden's environmental testing subsidiaries fell under criminal investigation for testing protocols, Stafford was appointed Chief Executive Officer to restore ethical conduct, and he negotiated an omnibus settlement that avoided debarment and allowed the company to continue doing work with the federal government. Since then, Stafford has provided crisis management and compliance consulting for many major defense contractors.
Stafford returned to federal service and concluded his 30-year federal career as the Director for Acquisition Management for the Department of the Treasury's Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Currently, Stafford is the Director for Contracts and Pricing for Booz Allen Hamilton, where he is responsible for compliance with government-approved pricing, estimating, and accounting systems.
He is in the unique position of being able to provide insight and guidance regarding compliance after a criminal investigation. He fully understands the federal contracting arena and its allowable cost, accounting, and ethical conduct standards. He understands the military marketplace and the industry techniques necessary to grow a company exponentially.
Stafford graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering and from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Master of Science degree in management.