Management Team

John Hillen - President and Chief Executive Officer

President and Chief Executive Officer

John Hillen has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc., formerly Global Defense Technology & Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:GTEC), since 2008 and is Chairman of the Board of Directors.  Prior to joining the company and then taking it public in 2009, Dr. Hillen served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs. Prior to that, Dr. Hillen was President of what is now CGI Federal Inc., a federal IT services company that is a subsidiary of CGI Inc (NYSE: GIB), a Canadian IT services firm. Prior to that Dr. Hillen led the defense and intelligence business at American Management Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMSY), which was sold to CACI International, Inc. in 2004.  

From 2000 to 2002, Dr. Hillen served as a Vice President and then Chief Operating Officer of Island ECN Inc., a capital markets firm in New York City. Prior to that, Dr. Hillen spent 12 years as an officer in the U.S. Army in both conventional and special operations units and has been decorated for his actions in combat. He has held positions in several public policy research institutes and is the author/co-author of several books and numerous journal articles on international security affairs that have been published in Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere.  Dr. Hillen currently serves as a trustee at several non-profit institutions and is a member of the board of directors of Applied Communications Sciences.  He also serves on the federal advisory commission for the U.S. Navy, having been appointed to that position by the Secretary of Defense in 2007.  A government contracting industry leader, Dr. Hillen is a member of the executive committee of the board of the Professional Services Council and is a 2011 recipient of the “Fed 100” award from Federal Computer Week magazine.

Dr. Hillen received a B.A. in Policy Studies/History from Duke University, an M.A. degree in Defense Studies from King’s College, London University, a D.Phil. in International Relations from Oxford University and an M.B.A. from Cornell University.

Joseph M. Cormier - EVP and Chief Financial Officer

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Joe Cormier is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc. (Sotera). He joined the company in January 2010 and oversaw the Company’s - formerly Global Defense Technology & Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:GTEC) - financial operations. Mr. Cormier is responsible for directing the fiscal functions of the company in accordance with its strategic objectives, generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, other regulatory and advisory organizations(including the Securities and Exchange Commission) and in accordance with financial management techniques and practices appropriate within the government contracting industry. In addition, Mr. Cormier is charged with advancing Sotera’s corporate strategy and enhancing shareholder value through the delivery of industry-leading financial management techniques and practices. In this role, Mr. Cormier is responsible for the Company’s merger and acquisition (M&A) program, leading the execution of capital markets transactions and is an integral participant in developing Sotera’s corporate strategy.

Prior to joining Sotera, Mr. Cormier was Senior Vice President, Corporate Development for ManTech International Corporation. He joined ManTech in 2005 where he was the corporate officer who led and executed ManTech’s M&A, capital structure and investor relations programs. Before ManTech, Mr. Cormier was the Vice President, Corporate Development for DigitalNet, which was sold to BAE Systems, North America in 2004 following its IPO in 2003. Prior to DigitalNet, Mr. Cormier was an investment banker in the Technology Group at Banc of America Securities, LLC.

Mr. Cormier currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) National Capital Chapter, a global community for business leaders, middle market M&A dealmakers and capital providers focused on driving growth. The National Capital Chapter serves the fourth largest economic region in the country.

Mr. Cormier has a B.A. in Economics/Political Science from Columbia University, N.Y.

Ronald C. Jones - EVP, Corporate Strategy & Development

Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Development and Member of the Board of Directors

Ron Jones is responsible for driving the strategy and accelerating the growth and corporate development of Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc. (Sotera) and is a member of Sotera’s Board of Directors.  Mr. Jones is the primary visionary, architect and energy behind Sotera's establishment, growth and transformation, starting with the acquisition of SFA, Inc. in February 2007. Mr. Jones initiated, led and closed the SFA transaction, and then singlehandedly set out to establish and recruit a high caliber Board of Directors while attracting and hiring key talent to strengthen the company’s senior leadership and business development teams. In 2009, Mr. Jones was the driving force behind the IPO of SFA, Inc.  - who changed it’s name to Global Defense Technology & Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: GTEC) -  in November , and managed the follow on acquisitions closed by GTEC in the Intelligence Community, before the strategic sale of GTEC to Ares Management, that created Sotera. Mr. Jones continues to champion the growth and evolution of Sotera as a leading agile, innovative, mid-tier force in the national security community.

Before joining Sotera, Mr. Jones was the Senior Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development, and a member of the board of directors for Gray Hawk Systems, Inc. Mr. Jones was the primary force behind the  build and transformation of Gray Hawk as a national security technology company, improving organizational effectiveness, hiring key talent in the leadership ranks, and closing add on acquisitions. Finally Mr. Jones initiated, led, developed and closed the strategic sale of Gray Hawk Systems to ManTech (NASDAQ: MANT), helping to launch ManTech into the counterterrorism community.

Before Gray Hawk Systems, Mr. Jones was Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Development for Veridian (NYSE: VNX). He was the chief architect behind Veridian’s growth strategy and the leader and driver behind the highly-charged Veridian Mergers & Acquisitions program that, for over eight years, propelled the company through renewal, transformation, accelerated growth, an IPO and a highly valuated strategic sale to General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).

Mr. Jones formerly served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and holds a B.S. in Engineering from the US Naval Academy and an M.B.A. from Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

Kirk Herdman - SVP, Business Development

Senior Vice President, Business Development and Operations

Kirk Herdman is the Senior Vice President of Business Development and Operations for Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc. (Sotera) providing leadership and oversight to the company’s business development and operations functions.

Immediately prior to joining Sotera, Mr. Herdman was the Senior Vice President and General Manager for Defense and Science Programs at Wyle Information Systems where he was responsible for nearly 1000 employees supporting mission critical programs valued at over $150M in annual revenues for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA).

Before Wyle, Mr. Herdman spent over 15 years with General Dynamics (formerly Veridian) where he was Vice President for Defense Business Development within General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS). While there, Mr. Herdman was responsible for defense agency business development activities for over a $1 Billion operation. Other positions Mr. Herdman held include Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Veridian Engineering’s Applied Technology Group (ATG) and Director of Veridian Engineering’s San Diego, C.A. office.

Mr. Herdman has a B.S in Applied Mathematics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; he is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Darden Business School Executive Training Program on Leadership Change; and he has attended numerous other senior management training courses.

William L. Cave III - SVP, Operations

SVP, Operations

William “Bill” Cave is Senior Vice President, Operations of Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc. (Sotera).  Mr. Cave works with Sotera’s leadership team to effectively execute the company’s business strategy by providing overall direction and guidance for company operations. Mr. Cave also provides day-to-day leadership and management across all company programs and customer-facing operations to ensure that Sotera delivers operational efficiency, superior performance, continues to exceed the expectations of its important national security customers and meets its growth and profitability goals.

Mr. Cave joined the Sotera team in June 2011. Before joining Sotera he was Senior Vice President and Program Development Director for SAIC’s Surveillance and Reconnaissance business unit responsible for business development, strategy, M&A and discretionary investments, including internal research and development, for high-technology solutions and products. Earlier leadership roles included Operations Manager for the Sensor Systems Operation and Division Manager for Advanced Systems and Technology division. Prior to SAIC, he worked at the Central Intelligence Agency and Naval Surface Warfare Center – Carderock Division.

Mr. Cave’s career with the U.S. Army Reserve was focused on special operations.  Mr. Cave has a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and has received several professional awards, including the Exceptional National Human Intelligence Collector award issued by the Director for Central Intelligence.

Steve Niezgoda - Vice President, Mission IT

Vice President, Mission IT

Mr. Niezgoda is the Vice President of the Mission IT business of Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc. (Sotera). Mr. Niezgoda has over 25 years’ experience leading mission-focused information technology solutions for both the public and private sectors.

Mr. Niezgoda’s extensive career has included several high profile roles including the position of Science and Technology Advisor, Terrorist Screening Center (TSC), directly serving the TSC Director, with responsibility for improving overall mission effectiveness and operational efficiency.  As part of this position, Mr. Niezgoda helped to establish organizational mission/vision/values, strategy maps, balanced scorecards and led a comprehensive analysis of operational effectiveness across all operating units which resulted in changes in organizational structure, business process and performance metrics, and information technology.

As Program Manager for the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a program that helps solve crimes by matching DNA evidence recovered from crime scenes to DNA collected from known arrestees and convicted offenders, Mr. Niezgoda built and developed a solution from initial concept (serving 14 pilot laboratories) to an international program serving over 100 crime labs and received the FBI’s Director Award for Science and Technology as a result.

Mr. Niezgoda has authored and co-authored numerous articles in professional journals and magazines, including Byte and Science.  Mr. Niezgoda has spoken at conferences throughout the world and is a recognized expert in DNA informatics and information sharing.  He served on the Hurricane Katrina Victim DNA Identification Expert Group and the World Trade Center Victim Identification Panel.

Mr. Niezgoda earned a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1986 and a Masters of Business Administration from George Mason University in 1997.

Daniel Gelston - Vice President, Intelligence Analysis & Operations

Vice President, Intelligence Analysis & Operations

Mr. Gelston is the Vice President of Sotera's Intelligence Analysis & Operations business.  Since joining Sotera in 2009, Mr. Gelston has expanded the scope of the intelligence analysis and operational support services that Sotera provides while growing the company's presence across the Intelligence Community. Prior to joining Sotera, Mr. Gelston was the Director for Counterterrorism Analysis and Operations at BAE Systems Global Analysis, where he served in counterterrorism (CT) management and analytic roles since leaving active duty military service.

Upon graduating from Bucknell University in 1998, Mr. Gelston was commissioned in the US Army as an Intelligence Officer branch-detailed Armor.  From 1998 to 2002 he served as an Armored Cavalry Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, HQ Executive Officer, and S2 Squadron Intelligence Officer in assignments at Ft. Lewis, Ft. Knox, and the DMZ in Korea.

From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Gelston was a CT analyst at the DIA, where he personally briefed or provided products to Combatant Commanders, the Chairman and Joint Staff, the Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries of the Defense and State Departments, and the President of the United States. In 2005, he managed deployed analytical support to the Iraq Survey Group, a program recognized with the only BAE Systems Chairman’s Gold Award in the history of his 5,000-person business unit.  While supervising an increasingly large CT portfolio, Mr. Gelston continued to serve as an Intelligence Officer in the US Army Reserve, and in 2006 earned his MS in Strategic Intelligence with a concentration in Terrorism Studies from the Joint Military Intelligence College.  In 2007, one of Mr. Gelston’s CT programs was acknowledged with the Defense Intelligence Community’s Industry Partner of the Year Award.  

Mr. Gelston was promoted to Director for Counterterrorism Analysis and Operations in 2007.  As the youngest manager ever advanced to the Director level at BAE Systems, Mr. Gelston was responsible for a 250+ person organization supporting CT activities for the DIA, OGA, FBI, NCTC, and US Army. In 2008, his organization was recognized as the fastest growing and most profitable Directorate in the business unit.

Mr. Gelston is a US Army Intelligence School Distinguished Honor Graduate and Armor School Draper Awardee Graduate, and a 1995 graduate of Airborne Infantry School.  He is a Bucknell University Magna Cum Laude and Distinguished Military Graduate, a George C. Marshall Awardee, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and one of Bucknell’s “Top 24 Most Outstanding Graduates of 1998.” As an Olof Palme Memorial Scholar, he was funded to study NATO strategic relations and EU economic policy for 6 months at Stockholm University in Sweden.  In 1997, Mr. Gelston was selected to be a Middle and Far East Roundtable member at the National Foreign Affairs Conference. In 2006, he entered the BAE Systems Leadership Development Program as one of 20 US managers chosen to attend the year-long executive training program.  In 2003, Mr. Gelston was recognized as the BAE Systems New Employee of the Year. 

Timothy Jones - SVP and General Manager, Engineered Solutions

Senior Vice President and General Manager

Timothy Jones has served as  the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Sotera Engineered Solutions, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc. (Sotera) since 2009.  The engineering services and systems integration business of Sotera, Engineered Solutions provides technical support and highly engineered,  integratedmobile solutionsto support of the critical missions of defense and homeland security customers.  Mr. Jones joined the company in 2005 as Senior Program Manager and Director of Finance, where he developed an independent finance department, including all staffing, policies, procedures and reporting systems. As Senior Program Manager he transformed a product line with lackluster performance into one of Sotera EngineeredSolutions’ capstone programs, repositioning Sotera as the preferred vendor.

Prior to joining Sotera, Mr. Jones served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for the Delmarva Foundation for Medical Care, Inc.   Delmarva, now a division of Quality Health Strategies, is a not-for-profit organization charged with improving the quality of health care and support services to the elderly, poor and developmentally disabled across the U.S.  As Senior Vice President, he was responsible for the daily operations of multiple state and regional health care and human services programs.   A national leader in quality improvement, Delmarva was the first organization to champion large scale, outcomes based quality improvement  initiatives for individuals with developmental disabilities, a feat that achieved national recognition.

Outside of the company, Mr. Jones serves as a Director for  the Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board.  Previously, he has served on the Leadership Council of the Maryland Patient Safety Center and has been a presenter at national conferences for developmental disabilities and health care quality improvement.   Between 1998 and 2004, he served on the Executive Committee of Finance & Human Resources Network for the National Trade Association and was elected as Chairman for a two year term. 

Mr. Jones holds a B.S. in Economics and an M.B.A. from Virginia Tech. He is also trained in ISO 9001, completed Motorola University’s Six Sigma Greenbelt program and has undertaken the Enhancing Leadership Performance, Leader as a Teacher program from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Greg Hofstrand - VP, Cyber Solutions

Vice President, Cyber Solutions

Greg Hofstrand is Vice President of Sotera’s Cyber Solutions business, responsible for managing the operations and growth of this critical business that supports the cyber intelligence and cyber warfare priorities of our national security clients.

Prior to Sotera, Mr. Hofstrand was the Senior Vice President of Zytel Corporation, a specialist provider of cyber solutions to the national security community, acquired by Sotera on October 1, 2010. In this role, he was responsible for growing Zytel’s business by 250% in just 2.5 years while managing all program operations, performance, recruitment and human resources.

Before Zytel, Mr. Hofstrand spent eight years working for L-3 Communications where he was responsible for managing major national security programs, becoming recognized as a leader in the management of large government contracts and projects in a diverse array of disciplines and functions. During his 34 years of experience working in the defense sector and intelligence community Mr. Hofstrand has held senior positions within Ford Aerospace Corporation, Harris Corporation and Sperry Support Services and has amassed significant experience in systems and software engineering.

Mr. Hofstrand studied architecture at the Washington State University, Pullman, Washington. Previously he was elected as Judge of Elections and Republican Committee Chairman for Hopewell Township in Pennsylvania.

Michael Weixel - SVP, Contracts and Administration

Senior Vice President, Contracts and Administration

Mike Weixel is the Senior Vice President of Contracts and Administration for Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc. (Sotera). Mr. Weixel is responsible for the establishment of the contractual and business operations plan across the company in support of all business units.

Prior to joining Sotera, Mr. Weixel was the Vice President of Contracts for ManTech IS&T with direct management and operational oversight for all contractual, subcontracting and pricing for the IS&T Business Unit with reporting responsibility to the Senior Corporate Vice President of Contracts at ManTech International. Mr. Weixel previously worked in key business operations management positions for Lockheed Martin IT, ACS Defense and Government Services and System Planning Corporation. In 1996, Mr. Weixel was recognized by the Secretary of Defense, William Perry, for his contribution to the Atlanta Centennial Olympics and the Atlanta Paralympics, and in 2004, he received the Lockheed Martin NOVA award.

Mr. Weixel received a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, V.A. and an M.B.A. from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Lisa Broome - SVP, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs

Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs

Lisa Broome is Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs for Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc. (Sotera).  Ms. Broome joined the Company in 1996 and she works closely with the executive leadership team to create a competitive advantage, enable growth and deliver maximum business results through the recruitment and retention of quality employees. She oversees all Human Resources functions including leadership development, training, employee relations, compensation, benefits, recruiting and security. 

Prior to joining Sotera, Ms. Broome directed the human resources department for an 8(a) government contracting company. She developed and implemented policies and programs regarding transition plans for the recruitment and hiring of 500+ employees. Ms. Broome has been responsible for training, supervising and the administration of multi-million dollar department budgets. She has a proven track record of providing cost-effective management solutions to numerous human resource issues.  Prior to her career in human resources, Ms. Broome was a production manager for a large industrial services corporation.

Ms. Broome earned both her M.S. degree in management and her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland.  She is a member of the HR Leadership Council, ExecutiveBiz 4x24 HR Group, Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Washington Technical Personnel Forum (WTPF).

Jesse Watters - SVP, General Counsel

Jesse Watters is the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc. (Sotera).  Mr. Watters’ oversees all of the legal affairs of Sotera and its subsidiaries, and advises the company on such matters as corporate governance, contracts, litigation, technology licensing, acquisitions and divestitures, real estate, intellectual property management, regulatory, compliance and employment issues.  He also serves as the company’s Chief Compliance Officer responsible for the day-to-day implementation, management and operation of the Ethics Compliance Program.

Prior to joining the company, Mr. Watters served as Corporate Vice President, Deputy General Counsel of Alion Science and Technology Corporation, a technology company servicing the U.S. Government.  In this position, Mr. Watters was responsible for all the business and operational legal issues of Alion to include responsibility as the Corporate Compliance Officer for Alion’s Ethics Compliance program.  Mr. Watters previously served as the Deputy General Counsel of the Coalition Provisional Authority, Office of the Inspector General and specialized in the areas of government contracts and compliance while at the law firms of Holland & Knight, LLP and Patton Boggs, LLP.  During his professional endeavors he also served as an Adjunct Professor at the Joint Military Intelligence College where he taught National Security Law.  Mr. Watters served on active duty and in the reserves from 1984-2009 first as non-commissioned officer and later as an officer in the U.S. Navy.  His tours of duty included the USCINCLANT, USSOUTHCOM, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General and the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division.

Mr. Watters received a B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University and a J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law.