Leadership

Mr. Randy Cash is President and CEO at Axient. He was the Chairman of the Board at QuantiTech and oversaw the acquisition of Dynamic Concepts and Systems Engineering Group, the merger with Millennium Engineering and Integration, and rebrand of those entities into Axient. He was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of QuantiTech in October 2019 and previously served as QuantiTech’s President from August 2013 to October 2017 and Chief Executive Officer from October 2017 to October 2019. During his tenure as President and CEO, Mr. Cash was responsible for leading QuantiTech’s Executive Team in the development and execution of strategic plans, day-to-day operations, business growth, and performance measurement. Under his leadership, Mr. Cash saw the company grow from 52 employees to over 700 and increased its annual revenue from $9 million to $200 million.

Mr. Cash has more than 30 years of operational leadership and business development experience in large, mid-size, and small Federal Government contracting firms providing information, programmatic, and engineering support services to DoD and Civilian agencies. Prior to QuantiTech, Mr. Cash held Vice President and General Manager positions for both Computer Sciences Corporation’s (CSC’s) Engineering Solutions and Technology (ES&T) Division and SAIC’s Enterprise Solutions Business Unit. During his tenure at CSC and SAIC, Mr. Cash held profit and loss responsibility for over $500M in revenue and was responsible for daily operations providing information technology solutions to multiple DoD and Civilian agencies. Prior to CSC, Mr. Cash was the Senior Vice President of the Federal Division at Computer Systems Technology, Inc. (CST), where he contributed to the company growth of 60 to 900 personnel and increased its annual revenue from $10 to $92 million over seven years. Mr. Cash played a significant role in the marketing and sale of CST to SAIC in 2003.

Mr. Cash earned a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Alabama.

Gerald Burnett is the Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Burnett is responsible for the strategic, operational, and financial performance of all Axients’s business areas. Mr. Burnett brings over 30 years of experience leading and managing mission-critical services for DoD programs for customers such as US Air Force Material Command (AFMC), Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), US Army PEO Missiles and Space, Army Material Command, Joint Strike Fighter, and the Logistics Support Agency. He is a certified PMI PMP, PgMP, and an ITIL Expert. Mr. Burnett holds a BS in Computer Science from Middle Tennessee State University and a MS from the University of Tennessee.

Dan Deans is the Chief Growth Officer. Mr. Deans oversees business growth across the company’s portfolio, working with each business unit to execute strategic and tactical growth goals. Mr. Deans is responsible for corporate development, M&A, business development, capture, proposals, marketing, and communications. Dan is a seasoned Program Manager within the Aerospace sector with experience managing large global teams. Mr. Deans has extensive corporate management experience and subject matter expertise in several disciplines including Program/Project Management, Business Development, Six Sigma Methodology, and Mission Assurance. Previously, he has held positions as Vice President at ManTech, global executive with Dow Chemical, subject matter leader for Lam Research, and supported NASA and the U.S. Air Force for several companies. Mr. Deans holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.

John Defourneaux is the Chief Technical Officer. Mr. Defourneaux oversees a range of research activities associated with the defense intelligence, aviation, space, and missile defense communities. Mr. Defourneaux led the Systems Engineering and test support efforts for PD C-RAM for 16 years. Mr. Defourneaux has also been the Principal Engineer supporting the study of advanced BMC4I concepts for SLAMRAAM and System Concepts supporting Maneuver Force Protection BMC4I. Previously on the PATRIOT Missile Defense System SETAC Team, he supported the design, development test, and evaluation of changes and upgrades to the PATRIOT Air Defense System Radar. Mr. Defourneaux holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Orleans and a MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Mr. Jay Kovacs is the Chief Innovation Officer. Mr. Kovacs is responsible for developing and overseeing Axient’s long-term growth and innovation strategy to expand the company’s discriminating capabilities. From 2021-2023, Mr. Kovacs was Senior Vice President of Growth Strategies and worked directly for Axient’s Chief Growth Officer, Dan Deans. As Senior Vice President of Growth Strategies, Mr. Kovacs led strategy development and technical solutioning, as well as provided subject matter expertise across the company’s top strategic pursuits. In his previous role and in his Chief Innovation Officer role, he leads innovations and solutioning for strategic technical capabilities across Axient, including Axient’s Digital Engineering and Data Analytics practices.

Mr. Kovacs has over 35 years of experience in technical leadership roles at KBR, former SGT, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and General Electric. Mr. Kovacs’s technical expertise spans systems and software engineering practices, CMMI, digital engineering, model-based systems engineering, and systems architecture. Corporately, he has led strategy development, research and development, business development, strategic capture, and programs across the commercial, civil, defense, scientific, and academic communities.

Mr. Kovacs is based in Axient’s Arlington, VA office and is also President of the Pennsylvania State Graduate School Alumni Society (GSAS) Board of Directors. He is a Penn State Alumni Fellow and an INCOSE Expert Systems Engineering Professional.

Patience Samson is the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer. Ms. Samson navigates and balances the internal and external needs of the business and builds relationships to market and advocate for Axient capabilities, contracts, employees, and business interests. Ms. Samson aligns the responsibilities of corporate communications, government relations and public affairs, stakeholder engagement, and community relations and ensures Axient’s vision, mission, and strategy are aligned, communicated, and executed internally and externally across all platforms and audiences. As CCAO, Ms. Samson oversees strategic communications (public relations, marketing, public/government affairs), corporate responsibility and community relations, employee engagement and internal communications, M&A integration, change management, and quality/continuous improvement.

From 2020-2023, Ms. Samson was the Vice President of Corporate Development at Axient. As Vice President of Corporate Development, she was responsible for growth and business development (BD) activities and personnel at Axient, from market analysis, M&A, marketing, and opportunity identification to capture and proposal development across all business segments and customers. She partnered directly with the CEO and C-suite to develop and execute corporate strategy to meet organic and inorganic growth targets and led all internal and external strategic communications, public relations, marketing, and branding for the company (which will continue in her current role).

Ms. Samson has 20 years of experience in the defense, civilian, and intelligence markets in program management, corporate operations, and business development/marketing roles. Prior to joining Axient, Ms. Samson held corporate leadership positions in corporate operations and business development at Leidos and Noblis and program management and business development roles at SAIC. She holds a BA from Pepperdine University and an MBA from the University of Maryland. She is based in Axient’s Huntsville, AL office.

Porf Dubón is the Chief of Strategy. Mr. Dubón is responsible for providing a corporate level focus on developing, communicating, and realizing strategy. He supports the CEO and collaborates with the executive team to execute key corporate initiatives to enable growth throughout the organization. Mr. Dubón has 38 years of comprehensive hands-on experience in operations, management, training, education, decision-making, strategic planning, directing, evaluating, motivating and quality improvement, including 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. He has provided executive level technical and programmatic support for multiple DoD programs and has overseen the integration of risk, reliability, safety, quality, engineering, and software assurance specialties into the system engineering lifecycles of space and missile systems development and testing, launch support and launch vehicle system development activities.

Mr. Dubón has earned three associate degrees, two undergraduate degrees (a BS in Electronics Engineering and a BA in Social Innovation Social Entrepreneurship with a music minor), and two master’s degrees in both Space Systems Management and Government Systems Acquisition Management. In addition, he has an Executive Graduate Certificate in Management and Leadership from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Angie Helms is the Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Helms is responsible for Finance and Accounting, Project Control, Office Management, and Facilities. Ms. Helms leads a team of professionals supporting the day-to-day business operations of Axient and is a key member of Axient’s proposal team. Prior to Axient, she managed the project control and pricing organization for the MDA business organization at Computer Sciences Corporation. She has over 20 years of experience in Finance and Accounting with a focus in Project Control and Pricing. Ms. Helms holds a BS in Accounting from Athens State University.

Teresa Roberson is the Vice President of Contracts and Compliance. Ms. Roberson is responsible for Contracting, Procurement, and Subcontracting. She leads a team of dedicated, experienced professionals who ensure Axient is compliant in all aspects of our business functions. Prior to joining Axient, Ms. Roberson was the Subcontracts Manager overseeing all subcontracting activities at COLSA Corporation. She has over 17 years of government and commercial contracting as well as extensive subcontract management experience. Ms. Roberson holds a BS in Business Management from Athens State University and an MBA in Acquisition and Contract Management from Strayer University.

Mr. Bourne provides executive level technical and program management support for multiple DoD system life cycle acquisition programs. Throughout his storied career with Axient and the Navy, he has supported programs including Aegis BMD, SM-3, Rolling Airframe Missile, Phalanx Close In Weapons System, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, and Extended Range Guide Munitions. Mr. Bourne holds a Master of Science in Physics and a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering.

Dan Benjamin is the Senior Vice President of Axient’s National Security and Space Systems Segment. Mr. Benjamin manages daily execution on dozens of projects and provides executive level technical and programmatic support for multiple DoD and NASA programs. He oversees the system engineering lifecycles of space and launch systems development, space vehicle rapid system development solutions, space enabling activities, and cybersecurity. Mr. Benjamin received a B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California, as well as an MBA in Finance. He has over 35 years in the aerospace industry having worked at TRW, Rockwell International, and The Boeing Co. He previously served as Chief Engineer, Program Manager, and VP of Engineering at his previous companies.

Joe Clayton is the Senior Vice President of the Axient DCI Advanced Technology Segment. Mr. Clayton has more than 30 years of DoD and NASA experience in structural dynamics, loads, vibro-acoustics, shock analysis, and physics-based simulations. He joined DCI in April 2007 and has served as the company president since 2009. He previously served as Vice President of bd Systems, a subsidiary of SAIC. Prior to that, Mr. Clayton worked at Lockheed Martin in Orlando, FL as a group lead senior engineer in the Dynamics Group. Joseph received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Central Florida and a MS in Computer Science from the Florida Institute of Technology.

Larry Foor is the Senior Vice President of Axient’s Defense Systems Segment. Mr. Foor manages daily execution of contracts that provide technical and programmatic support for our Missile Defense Agency, Army, and Navy customers. Larry has an aerospace engineering degree from Penn State (B.S.) and an MBA degree from Pepperdine. He oversees activities involved with the design, development, systems engineering, ground testing, and flight testing of the Nation’s missile defense systems. His background spans management, applied science, contracting and administration, space and missile system engineering, missile defense testing and targets, and commercial business development.

Reese Hauenstein is the Senior Vice President of the Integrated Force Systems Segment. Mr. Hauenstein manages daily execution of contracts that provide technical and programmatic support for our Army, Force Protection, Logistics Engineering, Environmental and Safety, and Aviation Services programs. He has over 23 years of experience leading and managing complex and diverse missions and projects. Mr. Hauenstein is a former Army Aviator and Acquisition Officer. He is DIAWA level III certified in Program Management, holds a MS in Management from Florida Institute of Technology, and completed the Mid-Level Management School at the Command and General Staff College.

Jon Sharpe is the Senior Vice President of the Civil Air and Space Systems Segment. Mr. Sharpe is responsible for leading programs that support our NASA, Axient, and JPL customers. He has over 30 years of experience in DoD and Civil Space markets spanning multi-program / multi-function business unit leadership. Prior to joining Axient, Mr. Sharpe served as the Huntsville Site Director and Director for Weapon Systems Integration for the Lockheed Martin Missile Systems and Advanced Programs business unit and served as the lead executive for the Lockheed Martin Civil Space / Human Space Flight – Huntsville Technical Operations business unit supporting NASA Space Shuttle and developmental programs. Mr. Sharpe holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama, and a MS in Engineering Management from Florida Institute of Technology.