Leadership

Stephen Hanna

President

Steve Hanna is currently President of Onyx Aerospace, a HUBZone small business providing engineering and development support to multiple customers including NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s Advanced Concepts Office and Boeing’s mission development efforts for the Space Launch System. Steve Hanna’s aerospace career encompasses a range of domestic and international launch vehicles and includes in-depth experience in propulsion systems. He is a certified and experienced government acquisition professional, an internationally recognized subject matter expert in rocket propulsion, and a noted industry authority on space launch vehicles and systems. Prior to moving into private industry, Steve Hanna served in a variety of government leadership positions. Most recently he led a team of ninety-five engineers/scientists at NASA MSFC’s Flight Programs Office as Senior Manager and Materiel Leader (GS-15) for Advanced Exploration Systems. He previously served as the Program Executive for the Space Launch System Program at NASA Headquarters, overseeing the program from inception through successful completion of Milestone C. His civil service career began at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Edwards AFB where he led propulsion-related research and development efforts. During this time, Steve Hanna served as Portfolio Manager for Hydrocarbon Boost Technology, and Program Manager for the Integrated Powerhead Demonstration, a transformative new liquid rocket engine cycle selected as a finalist for the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy.

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Jonathan Morris

Executive Director

Jonathan Morris is presently the Executive Director of NOTED, an Alabama non-profit engaged in tech transfer sharing and cooperative activity between Industrial and US Department of Defense (DoD) mission partners. Jonathan Morris also serves as a Senior Advisor to the US DoD Office of Secretary of Defense, the US Space and Missile Defense Command, and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Mr. Morris’ areas of emphasis include industrial base growth, cooperative development, advanced engineering, remote sensing, and digital transformation. Jonathan Morris has over twenty years of senior-level experience within the US Government and the US Intelligence Community. Mr. Morris has previously served as the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Technology Transfer Advisor for the Southeastern US as well as the DHS Senior Intelligence Liaison Officer to the State of Georgia. In that role, Jonathan Morris has served as the Principal Federal Official in support of disaster response actions, as well as the front-door to all DHS services throughout the Southeast and the State of Georgia. More recently, Jonathan Morris has served as an Operational Location Commander to the US Air Force in support of acquisition, fielding, and operations of sensitive US DoD capabilities in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Morris graduated with a Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering (Electrical Power) with honors from Louisiana Tech University.

Tom Hicks

Board of Director

Tom Hicks is a Founding Principal and Managing Director of Mabus Group; a strategic advisory firm. Tom is also on the Board of Advisors at Avenue Capital on their Impact Fund and on the Board of Advisors of Arctaris Impact Investors’ Opportunity Zone Fund. Tom Hicks performed the duties of the Under Secretary of the Navy from 2014 to 2016 and again in 2017 representing the Department on all policy, budget, and strategy matters and serving as the Chief Operating Officer/Chief Management Officer of the Navy. Concurrent with this role, Tom served as Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy for Management as the Secretary of the Navy’s principal advisor on all business management functions including offices of the Chief Information Office, Strategy and Innovation, Business Operations, and Administration. Prior to these roles, Tom served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy; the Secretary’s senior official on all matters pertaining to energy sourcing, energy efficiency, and alternative fuels managing an energy investment portfolio of $1 billion annually. Prior to the Navy, Tom was Vice President of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) and International Programs with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Prior to the USGBC, Tom was a Senior Program Manager with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® program and created the ENERGY STAR commercial building rating system enabling measurement and tracking of building energy performance on a 1 to 100 scale. Tom received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland.

Lieutenant General James H. Pillsbury

Board of Director

Jim Pillsbury retired from the Army in July of 2011 after 38 years of service. He retired as a Lieutenant General with last duty as Deputy Commanding General Army Materiel Command in Huntsville. Most of his career was in Aviation Logistics. Pillsbury spent 16 years in Infantry Divisions leading and serving soldiers and their families, spending tours on both the Army Staff and the Joint Staff. Jim Pillsbury works for HONTEK, a rotor blade coating company, and is the owner of Pillsbury Solutions. Jim Pillsbury served as AMC's Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and Operations, G-3, from July 2007 to October 2008 and as the Commander of the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command from December 2003 to July 2007. Jim Pillsbury has served in a variety of command and staff assignments. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in May 1973 and began his military career as a mortar platoon leader and later support platoon leader, with the 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington. Early in his career, he served as a platoon leader, detachment commander, and company executive officer and commander. From 1991-1993, Jim Pillsbury served as Commander, 8th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; from 1993-1994 he served as Executive Officer, Force Development, Aviation Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, U.S. Army, Washington, DC; and from 1995-1997 he served as Commander, Division Support Command, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell. Lieutenant General Pillsbury also served as Assistant Division Commander (Support), 10th Mountain Division (Light), Fort Drum, New York, from 1997-1998. Jim Pillsbury’s joint assignments include Chief, Sustainability, Mobilization Plans and Exercises Division, J-4, from 1998-1999; Deputy Director, Logistics, Readiness and Requirements, J-4, from 1999-2000; and finally, as Commander of the Defense Distribution Center, Defense Logistics Agency, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, from 2000 to 2002. From 2002 to October 2003, he was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany. Jim Pillsbury’s awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), National Defense Service Medal (with two Bronze Stars), and the Parachutist, Senior Army Aviator, Air Assault, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification, and Army Staff Identification Badges.

Joe Ritch

Board of Director

Joe. H. Ritch is a practicing attorney and shareholder in the law offices of Dentons Sirote in its Huntsville, Alabama office. His legal practice includes business and corporate matters with a concentration on defense and aerospace companies engaged in advanced technologies. He has been active for more than 25 years in the Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee (now known as the Redstone Regional Alliance) which has been active in supporting growth efforts at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. He has served on the Board of Directors of many corporate and non-profit organizations for many years. He served on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority from 2013-to 2017 and as Chair of the Board from May of 2014 until his term ended in 2017. He rejoined the Board of Directors of TVA in January of 2023. He was previously a member of the board of trustees of the University of Alabama System and is now a trustee emeritus. He was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in 2021.

Bruce Dollard

Partner

Bruce Dollard presently serves as a Logistics Consultant for NOTED Consortium, an Alabama non-profit engaged in tech transfer sharing and cooperative activity between Industrial and US Department of Defense (DoD) mission partners. Bruce Dollard retired from the Air Force in April of 2022 after 28 years of active-duty service. He retired at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant as the Command Fuels Functional Manager for the United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), Barksdale AFB, LA. As the Fuels Functional Manager, he was the primary advisor to AFGSC leadership regarding strategic planning and operational fuel support to fulfill USSTRATCOM requirements. Additionally, his duties were critical in providing technical guidance to ensure safe and efficient fuels and cryogenic operations across eight installations, impacting over 305 enlisted fuels personnel. Prior to Bruce’s time at Barksdale AFB, he served as the Superintendent of the Air Force Petroleum Office (AFPET) at Ft. Belvoir, VA. At the Air Force Petroleum Office, Bruce’s team provided Air Force leaders with comprehensive information, services, and technical expertise needed to provide fuel support to air, space, and ground forces across the spectrum of operations. Additionally, the AFPET operates a 24/7 emergency fuel support call center that serves 206 locations world-wide, 5.4K personnel and is the Service Control Point link between the Air Force and the Defense Logistics Agency-Energy. His career includes various assignments covering the full spectrum of fuels management flight operations under multiple major commands with overseas and CONUS tours to Turkey, Guam, Italy, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia. Additionally, Bruce has also deployed six times in support of operations in the United States Central Command area of responsibility. Bruce graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a focus in Project Management from Columbia Southern University.