Congratulations to Our 2025 Impact Award Honorees!
We’re proud to celebrate 11 exceptional teams and two outstanding individuals in this year’s Impact Awards—our third annual recognition of remarkable achievements across the division. As you prepare for the ceremony, please check this page regularly for the latest updates and event details.
Andy
Date:
October 17, 2025 │ 5-10pm
Attire:
Semi-formal/cocktail attire –
knee length cocktail dresses,
jacket & tie.
Location:
The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner
Salon 2 & 3 – Sixth Floor
1700 Tysons Boulevard
McLean, Virginia, VA 22102
PARKING (Free and valet parking available)
1650 Tysons Blvd Garage (Recommended)
Park on third level; take elevator to fourth floor lobby. Take elevator across from front desk to the sixth floor – Salons 2 & 3.
1750 Tysons Blvd Garage
Park on first level and enter hotel near valet; take elevator to fourth floor lobby. Take elevator across from front desk to the sixth floor – Salons 2 & 3.
People and Culture
For exceptional performance in supporting our goal “to become employer of choice in defense technology.”
Onboarding and leadership development took a bold leap forward at Mission Technologies in 2025, thanks to a reimagined approach that blends clarity, scalability and brand alignment.
This visionary work earned a 2025 Impact Award in the People & Culture category, recognizing the team behind the transformation: Noelle Geron, Andrew Reiter and Stephen Schwedhelm.
Nominated by Joan Nicoli, the team’s work has redefined how new employees and managers integrate into the organization. Through the creation of over 60 concise instructional videos and a robust onboarding framework, they’ve built a scalable, engaging and brand-aligned experience that sets a new industry benchmark.
The team’s sub-10-minute training modules cover essential topics like timekeeping, Costpoint Self-Service, IT Service Desk and MyHR navigation, streamlining the onboarding process and empowering employees from day one. With 69 professionally edited videos on the ADO SharePoint site, their work has become a cornerstone of HII’s digital learning ecosystem.
“They’ve turned onboarding into a strategic advantage,” Nicoli said. “It’s not just about orientation—it’s about culture, clarity and confidence. From day one, employees feel equipped, connected and aligned with HII’s values.”
By embedding customer-first principles and brand knowledge into every training touchpoint, the ADO Training Team has improved employee satisfaction, retention and leadership readiness. Their work reinforces HII’s commitment to innovation, knowledge sharing and mission-critical support, cementing its influence on broader industry practices.
Leadership at Mission Technologies took a bold leap forward in 2025 with the launch of LEAD—Leadership Exploration and Development—a program designed to reshape how future leaders are identified, nurtured and empowered.
Nominated by Melanie Anderson, senior vice president of human capital, this team is recognized with a 2025 Impact Award in the People & Culture category. Keishon Graham, Jeff Jackson, Jayme Myers, Brandi Toskes, Cat Vo and Meagan Williams developed a concept into a culture-shaping reality.
“The LEAD initiative is more than a curriculum—it’s a strategic investment in people,” Anderson said. “By designing and delivering LEAD, this team has laid the foundation for a future where leadership is not just taught, it’s lived.”
Comprised of three pillars, IGNITE launched in April 2024, is a quarterly learning series that brings together ~280 leaders—from supervisors to directors—for immersive, virtual sessions. Sponsored by senior leadership and featuring expert insights, IGNITE sets the tone for consistent leadership behaviors and expectations across Mission Technologies.
In June 2024, the team introduced FOUNDATIONS, a curriculum of core leadership courses available to all employees and the New Leader Experience (NLE), a six-month journey for newly hired or promoted managers
And lastly, in September 2024, the launch of ACCELERATOR, a high-potential development program. With 360 assessments, coaching, senior leader networking and a capstone project, this cohort-based experience is Mission Technologies’ first formal step in preparing mid-level talent for senior roles.
Growth
For exceptional performance in supporting our goal “to achieve industry-leading topline growth.”
In a landmark achievement for HII Mission Technologies, the company secured a $12 million Other Transaction Authority (OTA) award under the CHIPS and Science Act—an investment that significantly expands its technical capabilities and positions it at the forefront of the emerging microelectronics sector.
This strategic win earned a 2025 Impact Award in the Growth category, recognizing the team behind the breakthrough: Thomas Eckenrode, Kathy Koshi, Charles Kryzak and Christeen Sangha. Their efforts have not only unlocked new market potential but also aligned HII with national priorities in semiconductor innovation and defense modernization.
Nominated by Dino Cencetti, the award recognizes the efforts of this team who led the development and acquisition strategy for the Digital Direct Waveform Synthesizer (DDWS) program—a cutting-edge solution designed to revolutionize secure-edge processing across Department of Defense applications.
HII heads a powerhouse team including Purdue University, Marvell Government Solutions, NHanced Semiconductors, the Air Force Research Laboratory (Rome) and the Naval Surface Warfare Center—Crane Division, collaborating to develop the first broadband DDWS ASIC, a ruggedized, low-SWaP/C secure-edge module that enables AI/ML-driven computing with minimal footprint, enhanced thermal management and intermittent cloud independence.
“This isn’t just a contract win—it’s a strategic leap,” Cencetti said. “The team’s vision and execution have positioned HII at the forefront of secure-edge innovation.”
The successful integration of DDWS will result in the first fully integrated small signal transceiver and secured data processor on an ASIC, unlocking potential applications in radar, EW and missile seekers.
In a year marked by record-breaking performance, HII’s Unmanned Systems (UxS) group achieved extraordinary growth in global markets.
Driving this transformation were Lorna Bandstra, Michael Chovaz, Nick Goodwin, Nick Green and Maureen Kelly, whose achievements earned them a 2025 Impact Award in the Growth category.
Nominated by Gary Rogeness, the team’s performance was nothing short of transformational. They more than tripled order income for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), surging from $12M to over $42M. As of April 2025, Mission Technologies booked $36M in international orders, setting the stage for another record-breaking year.
Mission Technologies’ United Kingdom office expanded into Scandinavia (Finland, Sweden and Norway), securing hardware purchases that support both national defense and NATO’s mine countermeasure (MCM) efforts in Ukraine. The team also spearheaded growth in the Indo-Pacific, unlocking new markets in the Philippines, Taiwan and Malaysia, and driving a booking backlog of nearly 100 SUUVs.
“Beyond sales, the team plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of UxS technology,” Rogeness said. “As active members of the UxS Technology Council, they provide critical input on new product features and technology insertions, ensuring REMUS vehicles remain ahead of evolving customer needs and market trends.”
Their efforts have positioned HII’s REMUS product line as the No. 1 UUV producer globally, supported by a robust network of relationships with NATO and partner navies and strategic sponsorship of REMUS technical training for foreign operators.
Their support of the REPMUS exercise in Portugal further solidified HII’s leadership in the global defense community, reinforcing the brand’s reputation for innovation, reliability, and mission-readiness.
This team’s relentless pursuit of growth, strategic foresight and global collaboration has not only elevated HII’s market position, it has reshaped the future of unmanned systems worldwide.
Technical Capabilities
For exceptional performance in supporting our goal “to expand capabilities into higher end, differentiated solutions.”
Eight employees at HII’s Chief Technology Office have been honored with a 2025 Impact Award in the Technical Capabilities category for their pioneering work on FortisAI, a cutting-edge artificial intelligence solution that’s redefining how global missions are supported through data and insight.
Sam Bannan, Mondal Benedict, Jacob Brink, Ramon Cepeda, Chase Fahler, Alyssa Gregory, Antoine Nguyen and Julia Marco were nominated by Jen Blum for their exceptional contributions to the development and deployment of FortisAI.
FortisAI leverages advanced natural language processing and machine learning to augment analyst teams in sorting, connecting and interpreting vast amounts of information. The platform has become a cornerstone of HII’s AI strategy, enabling faster, smarter decision-making across a wide range of mission-critical environments.
“The team’s work has not only elevated HII’s technical capabilities—it has directly contributed to winning new business and expanding the company’s footprint in the AI space,” Blum said. “Their efforts earned an ‘exceptional’ rating in all categories, including overall performance, on a five-year task order in the contractor performance report.”
With FortisAI now driving growth and recognition across multiple sectors, the team’s work continues to set the standard for excellence in AI development. Their award is not just a celebration of what they’ve accomplished—it’s a signal of what’s still to come.
Seven employees from HII’s Enlighten subsidiary earned a 2025 Impact Award in the Technical Capabilities category for their pivotal role in modernizing the Department of Defense’s Big Data Platform (BDP).
Tristan Fillmore, Tim Israel, Daniel Murnane, Mark Murnane, William Murnane, Joseph Skora and Edward Wagner were nominated by Steve Wagner for delivering the JCWA Common Runtime Stack for Data (JCRS-D)—a secure, scalable and cloud-native rewrite of the BDP baseline.
Originally developed by Enlighten, BDP and its tactical counterpart, LTAC, support cyber and all-domain missions across the DoD. But after the baseline was handed off to competing contractors, mismanagement and architectural drift introduced serious security risks and stalled innovation.
Instead of watching the platform deteriorate, Enlighten mobilized. They rallied the Army, Air Force and unified platform program offices to align three separate contracts—ELICSAR, UPDM and GNDE—under the Joint Cyber Warfighting Architecture (JCWA). Their mission: rebuild the foundation of BDP with zero room for failure.
In just six months, the team delivered JCRS-D, a complete overhaul that unified legacy systems, resolved critical vulnerabilities and introduced Enlighten’s commercial IONIC platform. The result was a high-performance, future-ready solution that now anchors innovation across the DoD.
“This was a high-stakes mission with weekly progress reviews and monthly briefings to SES sponsors,” Wagner said. “The team not only met the challenge—they outpaced competing contractors who couldn’t complete a minor release in the same timeframe.”
Each team member played a critical role—navigating scope creep, making tough technical tradeoffs and maintaining transparency under pressure.
Rodney Wright, lead engineer at the Joint Integrated Test and Training Center Nellis (JITTC-N), has earned a 2025 Impact Award in the Technical Capabilities category for his extraordinary leadership in standing up the first operational instance of the Joint Simulation Environment – Nellis (JSE-N).
Nominated by Tom Atkins, Rodney’s work has directly advanced the U.S. Air Force’s No. 1 training priority: JSE. His efforts have positioned HII and JITTC-N as the cornerstone of high-end tactical training for U.S. and allied aircrews.
Relocating from Virginia to Nevada, Wright assembled a team of experts and led the early standup of JSE-N, overcoming significant hardware limitations and end-of-life systems. With only eight F-35 cockpits available and no Virtual Air Threat Systems (VATS) in place, Wright designed and integrated a low-fidelity VATS solution, enabling realistic threat simulation until additional cockpits arrive in 2026.
This innovation allowed JITTC-N to begin training Combat Air Force (CAF) and USAF Weapons School aircrews 18 months ahead of schedule.
“Rodney spearheaded the creation of the JITTC-N Dev Lab, coordinating with the U.S. Navy to accelerate JSE development,” Atkins said. “His clear planning and technical vision are laying the groundwork for JITTC-N to reach full operational capability in the years ahead.”
Wright’s work doubled the USAF’s advanced F-35 sim capacity, enabling the first-ever training of 8-ship F-35 formations against manned VATS aircraft—a capability unmatched anywhere in the world. JITTC-N is now the only alternate JSE training location globally, supporting USAF, Navy, Marine Corps and Australian pilots.
Service Delivery
For exceptional performance in supporting our goal “to be renowned for ‘best-in-class’ customer experience.”
David Mora of HII’s Information Technology team has earned a 2025 Impact Award in the Service Delivery category for his extraordinary leadership, technical mastery and unwavering commitment to mission success.
Nominated by Wendy Downing, Mora’s work on HII NEXT—a suite of enterprise tools and services—has been nothing short of heroic. From architecting secure authentication systems to streamlining user experiences, Mora has become the go-to expert for every critical initiative tied to HII NEXT.
“There is no hill we can’t climb and no problem we can’t solve with ‘Magic Mora,” Downing said, referencing Mora’s uncanny ability to fix everything “auto-Mora-magically.”
Mora led the design, implementation and testing of authentication services for Okta and Zscaler, ensuring seamless integration across HII NEXT. He also architected security services for Trustwave and Microsoft Defender, reinforcing the platform’s resilience against cyber threats.
At the top of the list: the Okta integration, a complex rollout requiring compliance with security and operational standards. Mora worked tirelessly to deliver the solution in just three weeks, including a workaround for CAC user authentication—a challenge that demanded both technical ingenuity and relentless determination.
“David’s unique ability to evaluate problems, script solutions, document processes and deliver results under pressure has earned him deep respect across IT and customer teams,” Downing said. “His work didn’t just meet expectations—it redefined them.”
In a defining moment for service excellence at HII Mission Technologies, a groundbreaking initiative reshaped how contract support is delivered across the enterprise. Marked by a series of firsts, this effort set new standards for responsiveness, innovation and operational impact.
Earning a 2025 Impact Award in the Service Delivery category, Christine Ford, Sharon Korpi, Jonathan Mayer, Lauren Schneider and Melissa Thompson were nominated by Tim McAtee and Tim Craven for their trailblazing work that now serves as a blueprint for future enterprise-wide support strategies.
At contract launch, the SubK/Procurement team executed 12 IDIQs and eight task orders and onboarded 74 suppliers, enabling the LOGIX program to meet contractual and transition requirements with speed and precision. The team pioneered the first shared IDIQ agreement between Subcontracts and Procurement—an innovation that will now serve as a model for rapid acquisition on future programs.
They went on to streamline RFQ timelines that led the buyer team through a high-volume supply order surge and developed a new vendor advance payment addendum to HII’s standard terms and conditions—negotiating with vendors and internal stakeholders to ensure compliance and strategic alignment.
“Their efforts saved the government hundreds of thousands of dollars by negotiating out inflation-related price increases, securing favorable terms that protected HII and reduced overall contract costs,” McAtee said.
The team used innovation and collaboration to successfully obtain over $19M of contract financing from GSA Assisted Acquisition Services—the first contract at Mission Technologies to ever receive such financing. This was needed to procure long-lead items for TDL 1C3, saving the task from potential termination and preserving $143 million in revenue.
“Their work represents multiple ‘firsts’ for Mission Technologies, setting new standards in contract financing, supplier onboarding and procurement strategy,” Craven said. “They didn’t just support a contract they redefined how contracts are supported.”
A strained customer relationship became one of Mission Technologies’ most remarkable turnaround stories in 2025, thanks to a bold and strategic shift in service delivery.
This transformation earned a 2025 Impact Award in the Service Delivery category, celebrating a team whose efforts redefined partnership and performance. Nominated by Brian Teer, Dana Bolles, Matt Breden, Kaitlyn Fee, Patty Fernandez, Steve Manzo, Joel Miller, Heather Mills, Chris Needham, Wade Oakes and Jim Welch proved that exceptional service isn’t just about solving problems, it’s about building trust that lasts.
Following negative CPAR ratings in 2024, the team launched a comprehensive “Get Well Plan” for the Navy Continuous Training Environment (NCTE) and Navy Integrated Training Environment (NITE) programs. Their initiatives were aligned with Mission Technologies Policy D30 and included:
“This wasn’t just a recovery, it was a reinvention,” Teer said. “The team didn’t just fix what was broken, they built something better. These efforts led to a dramatic turnaround: Both NCTE and NITE returned to green status, and customer feedback shifted from concern to commendation.”
Among the standout achievements was the creation of the HII Management Services Portal (HMSP)—a project management tool born from necessity and now poised for deployment across other GS programs. Its success underscores the team’s ability to innovate under pressure and deliver scalable solutions.
In some of the world’s most austere and high-risk environments, a team at HII Mission Technologies delivered mission-critical services with precision, resilience and lifesaving impact, setting a new standard for operational excellence across USAFRICOM.
The elite team—Clif Causey, Joshua Evers, Chad Houllis, Kyle Karstens, James Kirk, Scott Luckie and Rodney Weathers—was nominated by Scott Luckie for their unwavering commitment to excellence. For this extraordinary achievement, they were honored with a 2025 Impact Award in the Service Delivery category.
Operating under a relentless 24/7 alert posture, they deployed rescue specialists and Mobile Surgical Resuscitative Teams (MSRTs) across rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft, executing 176 casualty evacuation missions that preserved the lives of 166 U.S. and partner force personnel engaged in counter-terrorism operations.
Beyond medical support, the PRESS team oversaw 3,079 flight sorties, transporting 7,068 passengers and 638,512 pounds of vital cargo. Their logistical precision and medical integration ensured uninterrupted support to frontline operations, reinforcing HII’s reputation for resilience, adaptability and customer-centric excellence.
“Their work isn’t just operational—it’s transformational,” Luckie said. “They’ve built a network of trust and capability that saves lives and strengthens alliances. By embedding best practices and leadership development into every mission, they elevated preparedness and performance across the board.”
Their efforts were recognized by the U.S. government and led to the expansion of PRESS operations, including support to African and French partners, boosting program revenue by 75% and setting new industry benchmarks.
Talent management at HII underwent a transformative shift in 2025, thanks to a cross-functional initiative that redefined how the organization identifies, deploys and supports its workforce. This breakthrough approach not only streamlined operations but also enhanced agility and alignment across the enterprise, earning a 2025 Impact Award in the Service Delivery category.
The team—Erica Dover, Jeff Jackson, Arpita Saraiya, MaryBeth Sword, Jennifer Thompson and Set Tikoyan —was nominated by Nicole Goldman for their exceptional innovation and impact in building a smarter, more responsive talent ecosystem.
This groundbreaking platform integrates three core components: MyCareerCompass, TalentView and BidAssist. Together, they form a unified, scalable and AI-enabled ecosystem that streamlines how HII sources, develops and retains talent. By pulling data from multiple internal and external sources, the team delivered a dynamic solution that shifts the organization’s focus from manual, tactical tasks to strategic priorities.
The platform has significantly reduced voluntary attrition and empowered employees with curated job opportunities and personalized learning pathways. It has also revolutionized bid strategy through AI-powered precision, enabling smarter staffing decisions, stronger proposals and more competitive wins.
Since its launch, the Talent Marketplace has supported over $5 billion in proposal activities. MyCareerCompass alone has been accessed by 67% of employees, resulting in thousands of internal job applications and talent searches.
“This team’s work exemplifies the power of innovation, collaboration and strategic thinking in delivering lasting value to both employees and the business,” Goldman said.
Shareholder Value
For exceptional performance in supporting our goal “to drive shareholder value through growth in earnings and free cash flow.”
Six employees at HII Mission Technologies have been awarded a 2025 Impact Award in the Shareholder Value category for their exceptional leadership and legal expertise in resolving one of the most complex subcontractor challenges in recent history.
Jason Beckner, Tim Craven, Jared Goul, Tim McAtee and Matt Sheehan, nominated by Christian Ortego, played a pivotal role in protecting HII from an $82 million liability tied to the DMATS-Cyberlux program.
Cyberlux, a subcontractor on the DMATS task order, failed to conduct a required independent product safety assessment, prompting the U.S. Navy mission partner to cancel a planned purchase of nearly 2,000 drones. The fallout left HII exposed to a massive financial risk, caught between an uncooperative subcontractor and a government customer facing an unprecedented situation.
Rather than accept the liability, the HII team mobilized. Leveraging deep knowledge of federal acquisition regulations (FAR), contracts and legal strategy, they worked relentlessly to shield HII’s interests. Their efforts led to a historic outcome: GSA AAS-D issued its first-ever termination for convenience on a technical direction letter, formally releasing HII from the $82 million obligation.
“This was a situation with no precedent,” Ortego said. “The team’s ability to stay aligned with the government customer while shielding HII from performance risk was nothing short of masterful. What could have been a devastating setback became a defining moment of professionalism, integrity, and operational excellence.”
The team went further, conducting a full inventory of over $44 million in government assets and securing a full settlement payment. Their actions preserved HII’s relationship with GSA, reinforced federal contracting standards and ensured zero financial impact to the company.
The DMATS team’s leadership didn’t just protect shareholder value—they elevated it. Their story is a testament to what’s possible when expertise, collaboration and mission focus converge.
Thank you.
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