Experience

Aerial Evolution Association of Canada

• Canada
• Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chairman Emeritus Unmanned Systems Canada

  • Nov 2019 - Present



Ottawa

• Business and Policy Strategist

  • Nov 2014 - Present

  I am inspired by creating novel solutions to complex problems with 40 years of successes in the defence, aerospace and not-for-profit sectors. I am inspired by creating novel solutions to complex problems with 40 years of successes in the defence, aerospace and not-for-profit sectors.



Unmanned Systems Canada

• Chairman

  • Nov 2015 - Nov 2019



Unmanned Systems Canada

• Director

  • 2010 - 2015



Thales

• France
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 700 & Above Employee

• Business Development Manager Air Programs

  • Jun 2003 - Nov 2014

  Responsible for Canadian defence and security market in air, space and simulation domains. Developed market strategy, identified pursuits and solutions to meet technical, contractual, offset and price requirements with winning strategy. Six consecutive years with 100% win rate on bids.Provided recommendations to both the Jenkins and Emerson reports on defence industrial strategy and procurement. Wrote well-regarded paper on defence system integration in Canada as a member of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada defence procurement subcommittee



Department of National Defence

• Canada
• Armed Forces
• 700 & Above Employee

• Commandant CF Experimentation Centre

  • 2001 - 2003

  Selected to establish and lead new multidisciplinary high performance organization exploring new defence and security concepts through concept development and experimentation.Developed the analytical framework for the Canadian government's 3D approach to the Afghanistan campaign.Initiated the first experiments in Canada with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Led to first operational use of these systems in providing surveillance support for G8 in Kananaskis.Introduced novel technologies and processes to enable distributed modeling and simulation, bringing organizations and people across Canada and allied nations together to explore new ideas.



Dept of National Defence

• DG Joint Force Development

  • 2000 - 2001

  Selected as the first Director General of Joint Force Development in DND, to align various disparate staffs at National Defence Headquarters, including Command and Control, Space, Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defence, Joint Training, Doctrine and Lessons Learned. The results were high level support for a $1B budget through a strengthened organizational mandate and improved service delivery. Selected as the first Director General of Joint Force Development in DND, to align various disparate staffs at National Defence Headquarters, including Command and Control, Space, Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defence, Joint Training, Doctrine and Lessons Learned. The results were high level support for a $1B budget through a strengthened organizational mandate and improved service delivery.



Department of National Defence

• Canada
• Armed Forces
• 700 & Above Employee

• Director Space Development

  • 1998 - 2000

  Responsible for space policy, $700M space program portfolio and related research and development in Canadian DND. Initiated 'surveillance of space' project, which culminated in launch of first DND satellite (Sapphire) a tenet of the new DND space policy which strengthened bilateral relations with the United States through NORAD.Military representative on blue ribbon panel establishing recommendations to Government of Canada on Ballistic Missile Defence policy.Represented DND interests, and interface to US DoD on the team which negotiated a ‘shutter control’ treaty with the United States for imaging satellites. Without the successful conclusion of this agreement, the launch of the Radarsat II satellite, a cornerstone of Canadian space strategy would have been in jeopardy at great embarrassment to the Canadian government.

• Wing Commander 12 Wing

  • 1995 - 1998

  Command of an operational Air Force Wing, responsible for 1300 personnel and the safe and effective execution of Sea King helicopter operations worldwide, including in combat zones. This period was particularly challenging with the government cancellation of the EH101 helicopter program and at a time of major budget cutbacks. Successfully made the case for an extensive Sea King modernization program, implemented a budget devolution strategy resulting in a 20% increase in operational efficiency, while reducing the workforce by 100 civilians without a single grievance.



Canadian air force

• Maritime Navigator

  • 1975 - 1998

  Field leadership with 3000 hours of accident-free maritime flying operations which necessarily involves crew decision-making in complex situations and environmental conditions. Missions ranged from tactical co-ordination of crews on Soviet nuclear submarine surveillance to command of a rescue mission for which the whole crew was recognized by the Governor General for its bravery.Key role in transforming Canadian naval anti-submarine warfare into a world-leading capability. Led development and delivery of training programs for navy and aircrews, integration of major new technologies into operational trials programs, and development of new tactics and techniques.



Government of Canada

• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Chief of Staff, Estonian Air Force

  • 1994 - 1995

  Seconded by the Government of Canada, reporting directly to the Estonian Chief of Defence Staff to act as an advisor on NATO integration, and to act as the Chief of Staff of the Estonian Air Force. Of note, the last Soviet military units departed Estonia in 1994, days prior to my arrival. My task was to rapidly understand the most pressing strategic issues, which organizations needed to be engaged in developing solutions, and what was in the art of the achievable.Developed and briefed to the government a strategic concept which provided the rationale for the establishment of an Estonian Air Force.Initiated the concept of a Baltic Air Surveillance Network. BALTNET was accepted by the three Baltic governments as a common political, operational and fiscal framework which enabled them to address their need for air sovereignty, and address one of the key requirements for future NATO membership. Extensive consultations and negotiations undertaken with multiple departments of the three Baltic nations, NATO's Air Defence Committee, the United States Regional Airspace Initiative (led by VP Al Gore who visited Tallinn in February 1995), and, key supporting nations.



Canadian Forces

• Deputy Chief of Staff Personnel

  • Jul 1992 - Sep 1994

  Responsible for developing and implementing management programs for 16,000 Air Force personnel.Architect of the implementation methodology for government-directed 40% downsizing of the Air Force. Developed the Air Force’s first strategy-to-task model to ensure identification of the operational risk of reductions down to the individual. This model brought rigour to what otherwise looked like the makings for chaos.Led one of five teams responsible for a complete review of the National Defence Act. The results led to significant changes in the Act, particularly to military legal processes, to address the crisis in public confidence in the Canadian Armed Forces resulting from the Somalia inquiry. A great opportunity to learn from the legal profession and participate in the evolution of our legal statutes.



Department of National Defence

• Canada
• Armed Forces
• 700 & Above Employee

• Ops Reqts Manager, NSA Project

  • 1986 - 1990

  Responsible for articulating the operational requirements for the multibillion dollar New Shipborne Aircraft project in the Request for Proposal, conducting the proposal evaluation, and briefing senior management and the government for a decision. Operational oversight of related $100M world-leading research and development program. A successful presentation to the Minister of National Defence resulted in contract award. Responsible for articulating the operational requirements for the multibillion dollar New Shipborne Aircraft project in the Request for Proposal, conducting the proposal evaluation, and briefing senior management and the government for a decision. Operational oversight of related $100M world-leading research and development program. A successful presentation to the Minister of National Defence resulted in contract award.