Steve Cornelius

about

Explain how your background, training, experience and/or personal qualities support your candidacy to assume a governance position on the Executive Committee. Provide vitae as a separate attachment.

I lead the Kord Operating Unit activities with a focus on missile systems and high energy laser weapon system development. My responsibilities include advanced weapon system development and integration research and development, aerodynamics and thermal analysis, advanced composite materials, solid rocket propulsion system prototyping and component design, analysis, and fabrication, and program management for the company.

I am a former member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and served as Director of Weapons Development and Integration Directorate of the US Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC). There I led Army research, development, and engineering activities for future Army tactical missiles. I also served as the Army SES Director for Missile Development and as the Deputy Program Executive Officer for Missiles and Space. I led and served on executive technical advisory boards for the Army, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and Department of Energy. I hold four U.S. Patents, authored over 40 technical publications, and was awarded two Army Research and Development Achievement Awards for my work on tactical missile development.

What do you see as the most significant challenge(s) facing the business type you will represent and how would you propose to address those challenges if elected?

The most significant challenge that I see is the growing timeline between white paper submission and award. I realize that this is due to many factors including delays in technical, contractual, and legal reviews to name but a few. The length of time to get started an OTA contract underway has certainly diminished the attractiveness of the whole OTA value proposition – fast prototyping of critical new defense technologies. I will collaborate with senior leaders across the government customer base to identify systemic roadblocks and work with them to develop effective solutions that are agreeable to the stakeholder network of government and NAC industry partners.

Please describe the importance of the NAC to your organization and provide a synopsis of the participation in NAC/DOTC since becoming a member (e.g., number of proposal submissions, awards, industry days and membership meeting attended).

Kord’s participation in the NAC activities has been and continues to be a major contributor to Kord’s growth and success. The funding and contracts for Kord are almost exclusively Other Transaction Authority activities for the Army, Air Force, and Navy. I am a currently one of three NAC representative on the AMTC ExCOM. Our OTA efforts to date are primarily through DOTC and AMTC. Kord is currently executing three DOTC and three AMTC efforts as prime and have recently been selected for a new DOTC award (currently in SOW development/proposal stage). We have recently successfully completed one DOTC and one NSTIC effort. I am a currently NAC representative on the AMTC ExCOM. My Kord team has participated in DOTC and AMTC industry days, submitted approximately 40 white papers as a prime, and 20 as a teammate.

WILLINGNESS TO SERVE CERTIFICATION

I have read and understand the NAC Consortium Member Agreement (CMA) and the Ordnance Technology Base Agreement. Upon being elected as an NAC Executive Committee member, I agree to abide by all the requirements and uphold the responsibilities of this position as stated in the CMA and the Executive Committee Member position description.