How Top Aerospace Executives Set the Vision, Grow Their Business & Develop Talent
Episodes
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
In the defense industrial base, everyone knows the primes dominate the big programs, but that leaves a huge gap in the middle.
Startups don’t scale, the primes can’t move fast, and decades of consolidation have hollowed out the space in between.
For years, everyone has recognized this gap, but no one has really solved it. The primes are getting bigger, the small innovators get attention but struggle to scale, and the middle tier keeps shrinking.
Meanwhile, the need for companies that can deliver speed, value, and scale has only grown more urgent.
That’s starting to change. A new class of “next-gen primes” is emerging, companies that can think like small disruptors but deliver like established contractors. They’re leaner, faster, and built for the kind of problems the bigs won’t touch.
One of the leaders of this movement is John Albers, retired Marine Colonel and now CEO of Albers Aerospace. After diving into entrepreneurship, he became a voracious student of business and started building what he calls a next-gen prime.
In less than a decade, he’s grown Albers Aerospace into a nine-site operation by combining organic growth, acquisitions, and a relentless focus on lean execution and leadership development.
In this episode, John shares how Albers Aerospace is reshaping the defense industrial base, what it really takes to scale in this space, and why leadership culture, not technology alone, drives speed and impact.
You’ll also learn:
- How Albers Aerospace scaled from a one-man shop to 9 sites through a mix of organic growth and acquisitions
- Why humility and getting your “rear end kicked” is often the most important leadership lesson
How over-consolidation at the top has created a roll-up opportunity for mid-tier defense companies - Why financial literacy and leadership training are as important as operations in a fast-growing business
- Why speed, lean execution, and value, not allowable costs, win contracts in today’s environment
- How John thinks about building impact for the warfighter and the industrial base, not just chasing dollars
Guest Bio
John Albers is the founder and CEO of Albers Aerospace, a Dallas-area defense and aerospace company organized into three business units. Since its founding in 2015, Albers Aerospace has grown rapidly through acquisitions and organic expansion, delivering innovative products and services to today’s warfighter. A retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel with 24 years of active duty, John served as a fleet pilot, flight instructor, and developmental test pilot. As an entrepreneur and senior executive, John brings more than 35 years of leadership and operational experience across defense acquisition and private industry. He thrives in fast-paced environments, excels at building and aligning teams, and is deeply committed to developing people while driving organizational growth. Visit https://www.albers.aero/ and connect with John on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers, and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Thursday Aug 28, 2025
Thursday Aug 28, 2025
In aerospace and defense, every breakthrough is built on material science.
From the alloys powering jet engines to the composites shielding spacecraft, innovation isn’t just about design—it’s about what the machines are made of.
Yet the way we discover and scale new materials hasn’t meaningfully changed in more than a century.
Research cycles drag on for decades, costs skyrocket, and supply chains remain fragile.
Meanwhile, other nations have poured resources into material science—developing advanced alloys, stockpiling rare earths, and in many ways, weaponizing the periodic table.
That leaves the U.S. and its allies with a hard question: how do you compete with adversaries accelerating discovery while you’re trapped in outdated cycles? The future of hypersonics, space defense, and even energy security depends on faster, smarter breakthroughs in material science.
That’s where Joseph Krause and Radical AI come in. The New York–based startup is combining AI, autonomy, and materials expertise to compress R&D timelines from years to weeks—and slash costs along the way.
In this episode, Joseph shares how a cold call to a VC led to the founding of Radical AI, why aerospace innovation is fundamentally a materials problem, and what’s at stake in a world where control of supply chains may decide the balance of power.
You’ll learn:
- How Radical AI’s “materials flywheel” is redefining discovery and deployment
- Why rare earths and advanced alloys are now a geopolitical flashpoint
- What it takes to build a deep-tech culture driven by speed and mission
- Joseph’s journey from PhD researcher to founder—and how it could reshape the future of defense and space
Guest Bio
Joseph Krause is the co-founder and CEO of Radical AI. Radical AI is reinventing the way materials science is done and designing new materials for the world’s needs. Harnessing the most advanced AI discovery engine and full-scale laboratory automation, they’re pioneering a bold new era of innovation, accelerating the development of materials that transform human development. Radical AI is made up of a world-class group of materials scientists, physicists, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Visit https://www.radical-ai.com/, email joseph@radical-ai.com, or connect with him on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Thursday Aug 21, 2025
Thursday Aug 21, 2025
In aviation, the most transformative breakthroughs often take place far above the commercial flight lanes, and far below the public radar.
But in today’s defense and aerospace economy, those breakthroughs are harder than ever for small companies to bring to life.
Government budgets overwhelmingly favor the largest primes. Smaller, more agile innovators are forced to bankroll their own R&D while competing against firms with deeper pockets, stronger political clout, and guaranteed contracts.
Venture-style “build-to-flip” incentives tempt some to chase quick exits over long-term quality. Even when technology works, commercial adoption can stall as customers demand bespoke designs for each use case.
Swift Engineering’s record-breaking high-altitude glider is one such breakthrough fighting its way through that gauntlet.
Designed to fly at 67,000 feet for days at a time, this ultra-light, solar-powered aircraft can do what satellites can’t: hold a fixed position, deliver real-time intelligence, and land on a runway. At just 1% of the cost.
For Hamed Khalkhali, Swift’s president, the innovation story isn’t just about engineering excellence. It’s about surviving and thriving in a system that often seems built for incumbents.
In this conversation, he unpacks the strategic, funding, and talent challenges that determine which companies survive in the next wave of aerospace innovation.
You’ll also learn:
- High-altitude, solar UAV that outperforms satellites at 1% of the cost.
- Why system integration is aerospace’s next frontier.
- The funding squeeze forcing small firms to self-finance R&D.
- The “moral accuracy” gap shaping U.S. drone strategy.
- How fresh grads can drive bigger breakthroughs than veterans.
- Keeping start-up creativity alive in bigger organizations.
Guest Bio
Hamed Khalkhali is the President of Swift Engineering and an adjunct professor at Cal Poly Pomona, with more than 25 years of experience spanning technical innovation, leadership, and cross-disciplinary communication. He brings over a decade of expertise in system-level design for Fly-by-Wire flight control systems with the highest safety standards (FDAL-A), along with deep knowledge of ARP-4752, DO-160, and DO-178 certification processes. Throughout his career, Hamed has led high-performance engineering organizations, managing teams across mechanical, electrical, verification and validation, manufacturing, AI, machine learning, quality control, supply chain, and R&D. He is known for integrating manufacturing engineering into the earliest stages of design, optimizing products through rigorous processes such as Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen, and design-for-manufacturability. His leadership approach blends technical precision with a focus on systems integration, efficiency, and innovation in both aerospace and defense. Connect with Hamed on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Thursday Aug 14, 2025
Thursday Aug 14, 2025
As AI continues to reshape everything from medicine to flight decks, the question isn’t whether it’s coming to your organization; it’s whether leaders are ready for it.
The future belongs to executives who can blend critical thinking with adaptive leadership, who can shed old assumptions and operate ahead of the curve.
According to psychologist and organizational strategist Eric Olson, the most crucial skill for tomorrow’s leaders is resilience rooted in clarity, connection, and courageous action.
What’s driving this leadership revolution isn’t just digital disruption; it’s cognitive disruption.
Across industries, AI is exposing the limits of traditional thinking and highlighting the cost of bias, rigidity, and ego-driven leadership. In this high-stakes environment, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and mission-first thinking are no longer soft skills; they’re survival tools.
Eric Olson, PhD, is the founder of EMO Advisors and a trusted advisor to leaders at Microsoft, Hawaiian Airlines, Ford, and Spirit Airlines. In this episode, we unpack the emerging playbook for 21st-century leadership, from the cockpit to the boardroom.
You’ll hear how elite teams regulate for excellence, and what over 1,000 pilots revealed about what makes teams thrive under pressure.
You’ll also learn:
- Why past performance fails in AI-disrupted environments, and what to assess instead
- The surprising truth about pilot personalities
- How Microsoft is reengineering its executive ranks to lead in an AI-first world
- What the Norwegian Sovereign Fund did to eliminate bias and boost performance
- Why effective leaders must press pause during crises to regain clarity
- How self-regulation and cross-functional trust reduce catastrophic errors in high-stakes teams
- The hidden costs of amygdala-driven leadership, and how to train for resilience
- How Delta Airlines is using AI to extract more wallet share, and why that's just the beginning
- The “Olson Resilience Model” that Fortune 50 teams use to perform under pressure
Guest Bio
Eric Olson, PhD, is the founder of EMO Advisors. He develops leaders and management teams to improve business performance through a growth mindset. He builds resilience with senior teams using strategic planning offsites, culture change, innovation labs, team coaching, and other methods. Eric’s client list includes Microsoft, Hawaiian Airlines, Ford, GitHub, IBM, The Coca-Cola Company, Disney, and Novartis, among many others. He works in the digital transformation space (Cloud + AI, mixed reality, engineering, UX, devices, etc.). Eric coaches leaders to build highly engaging cultures through a blend of financial, organizational, and psychological insights. Connect with Eric on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Thursday Jul 31, 2025
Thursday Jul 31, 2025
Commercial aviation is booming, but not for the reasons you'd expect.
While the media fixates on tariffs, inflation, and geopolitical risks, industry insiders are seeing a very different picture. Airline profits are up, demand is strong, and aircraft backlogs are stretching eight years into the future.
But underneath the optimism is something more nuanced: a market defined by high-cost inputs, a scramble for qualified labor, and a reshuffling of what counts as “value” in M&A.
In this episode of The Aerospace Executive Podcast, M&A specialist Bill Alderman returns for his quarterly check-in on the state of the aerospace and defense sector.
We unpack the surprising resilience of commercial aviation, why job shops are suddenly hot properties, and the real reasons behind rising multiples in the MRO and manufacturing space.
Key Topics Covered:
- Why Job Shops Are Suddenly a Seller’s Market
- The Real Tariff Story
- MRO’s Growth May Have Peaked
- Delta’s Blowout Quarter and What It Signals
- Good Accounting is Deal Fuel Defense
- Two Speeds, One Future
Guest Bio
William H. Alderman (Bill) is the Founding Partner of Alderman & Company. Bill is an M&A specialist in the middle market of the aerospace and defense industry with over $2 billion in mergers and acquisition-related transactions to his name. Prior to founding Alderman & Company in 2001, Bill worked for 15 years on Wall Street and in the Aerospace & Defense Industry, principally on M&A transactions in the middle market. His employers included BT Securities, Fieldstone, and General Electric. Bill is a Securities Principal registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and has four securities industry licenses (Series 7, 24, 63, and 65). Bill is a commercial pilot and owns and operates a Cirrus SR22.
- URL Link: https://www.aldermanco.com/
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamalderman/
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker, and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers, and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Thursday Jul 17, 2025
Thursday Jul 17, 2025
The new space race is beginning; It’s not just between nations, but between commercial giants, shadow governments, and emerging players staking claims to orbits that are becoming dangerously crowded. The world is entering an era where control of the orbits will define global power.
What’s fueling this revolution isn’t just rocket science. It’s economic scale, exotic propellants, and a surge in miniaturized, high-functioning satellites. But with this explosion comes risk: orbital debris fields, collisions that could cripple constellations, and the looming specter of space warfare.
Join Tory Bruno, CEO of United Launch Alliance, the man behind one of the most ambitious launch companies, and me on this episode of The Aerospace Executive Podcast, Tory bring unparalleled insight into what’s next in space - from transforming ULA away from use of Russian engines to pioneering modular rockets designed for both commercial and defense missions, he has done it all!
We cover the radical shifts reshaping orbital real estate, why small launch companies are failing despite demand, and why directed energy weapons in space might be the future of global defense.
You’ll also learn:
- Why the true space cost revolution isn’t in launch, but in satellite architecture
- The hard truth about the “300% drop in launch prices” myth
- How mini satellites are creating billion-dollar constellations and traffic jams in orbit
- The quiet arms race: Anti-satellite weapons, Kessler syndrome, and debris fields that could end entire constellations
- Why lasers may be the only real answer to hypersonic threats
- Why methane propulsion is suddenly viable and what finally cracked the code
- Why the biggest competitive edge isn’t rockets, it’s people
Guest Bio
Tory Bruno is the President and CEO of United Launch Alliance (ULA), the largest rocket launch company in the world. Since taking the helm in August 2014, he has led ULA through a transformative era, retiring legacy systems, developing the next-generation Vulcan rocket, and expanding the company’s commercial and national security portfolio. Before ULA, Tory spent over three decades at Lockheed Martin, where he began his career as a propulsion engineer and steadily rose through the ranks to become a senior executive. He has deep expertise in advanced propulsion, hypersonics, missile defense, and launch systems, and is widely recognized as one of the aerospace industry’s most accomplished and forward-thinking leaders. Connect with Tory on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Thursday Jul 03, 2025
Thursday Jul 03, 2025
A fully loaded airliner lined up to land on a taxiway where four fuel-packed jets were waiting to depart. A catastrophic crash was avoided—by just 59 feet.
What caused the near-miss? Not a single pilot’s error, but a systemic breakdown: fatigue, communication failures, flawed assumptions, and organizational complacency.
In this episode of The Aerospace Executive Podcast, I’m joined by Eckhard Jann—former airline captain, aviation safety investigator, and best-selling author of Error One. With over 30 years of experience across airlines, healthcare systems, and global safety organizations, Eckhard shares how accidents are almost always set in motion long before anything "goes wrong."
What actually causes disasters? How do we get better at spotting the first domino before it falls?
Eckhard shares why “blame the individual” is the most dangerous mindset of all, and how single-plane operators can up their safety management.
You’ll learn:
- Why human error is never the true starting point of a disaster
- The “Swiss cheese model” of safety and how latent failures align
- How to conduct internal investigations that go beyond surface-level analysis
- Why confidential reporting systems are essential in high-risk industries
- What the aviation world teaches hospitals, banks, and factories about risk
- 3 critical questions every executive should ask to test their safety system
- Why attitude (not skill or knowledge) is the biggest driver of accidents
- How complacency creeps in and what leaders can do to stop it
Guest Bio
Eckhard Jann is an author, speaker, pilot, and business consultant, and error management and error culture expert. With over 15 years of experience as a business consultant and more than 35 years in commercial aviation, he brings in-depth expertise in safety and crisis management. In his current role, he supports organizations in implementing robust error management systems and fostering a safety culture that minimizes risks and enhances operational excellence. Eckhard’s goal is to enable sustainable improvements through strategic consulting and proven practices in error management. Drawing on his experience as a pilot and safety manager, he provides teams with practical solutions that have proven effective in aviation. To get a discount on Eckhard’s Investigation Training in September 2025, visit aviationinvestigation.com and use code AEP25.
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm, so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Thursday Jun 26, 2025
Thursday Jun 26, 2025
Today’s defense landscape is chaotic and fast-moving. Drones, AI, autonomy, and cyber threats are reshaping how wars are fought…and how the Pentagon spends.
For companies and CEOs, the barrier to entry has never been lower. Any startup with a pitch deck and some funding can say they're in “defense.” But actually succeeding in this market? That’s never been harder.
Small businesses get lost in red tape, big businesses lose their edge chasing shiny objects. Most companies looking to break into the defense space still pitch like it’s 2005, leading with tech specs, chasing every shiny RFP, and assuming that great engineering sells itself. It doesn’t…not in today’s environment.
So what’s the right strategy in this market? How do companies set themselves up to win?
In this episode, I sit down with Gemo Yesil, founder and managing partner of Bastion Atlas, to unpack why so many well-funded startups, savvy CEOs, and legacy contractors are falling flat, and what it really takes to win in today’s high-stakes, high-complexity market.
Gemo knows the DoD world inside and out. An MIT-trained aerospace engineer, Air Force veteran, and founder of a fast-scaling fractional BD firm, he’s seen firsthand how companies of all sizes struggle with the same fundamental issue: a lack of clear, executable strategy.
Gemo explains how defense acquisition has evolved from lumbering legacy programs to fast-moving, software-driven warfare. He shares why the real differentiator today isn’t tech specs or connections, it’s clarity: about your market, your business model, and what “good” defense revenue actually looks like.
You’ll also learn:
- The biggest misconceptions companies have when trying to sell to the DoD
- Why most “strategies” aren’t really strategies and how to create one that’s tangible and repeatable
What it actually means to define “good business” in the defense sector - The risks of chasing large contracts that don’t align with your long-term goals
- How Bastion Atlas approaches fractional business development and execution
- Why understanding the DoD’s operational context is key to communicating product value
The growing shift toward treating AI and software as major weapon systems - Why traditional consulting is fading and how fractional BD is becoming the new model
- How to win with process, patience, and a long-term perspective
Guest Bio
Gemo Yesil is a combat veteran, aerospace engineer and founder and principal at Bastion Atlas. He is a Global Defense Business Development executive with 20 years of experience, and a dual-rated U.S. Air Force pilot, who has flown Combat Rescue helicopters and Tactical Airlift jets in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and South America.
After managing Fortune 500 engineering teams on multiple $2B+ programs at Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin and scaling his EdTech startup nationally, Gemo has served as CMC Electronics' Global Sales & Strategy Director, Gecko Robotics' Head of Defense Business Development, and HABCO Industries’ VP of Sales & Marketing. He launched Bastion Atlas in 2024 to assemble a team of revenue growth experts and scale their impact across the global Aerospace & Defense industry. Gemo remains proudly connected to his alma mater (MIT), retains an active security clearance, and — as a personal passion — continues to manage national STEM Education initiatives. To learn more, visit https://www.bastionatlas.com/ and connect with Gemo in LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Thursday Jun 19, 2025
Thursday Jun 19, 2025
Planes scooping water from lakes. Crews flying into firestorms. Mechanics maintaining aircraft in warzone-like conditions.
It sounds like a military operation, because in many ways, it is.
As wildfires grow more frequent, more destructive, and more deadly, the national spotlight is turning to one of the most critical and overlooked fronts in disaster response: aerial firefighting.
Events like the Lahaina fire and the Palisades blaze have shown just how high the stakes are and how essential rapid, airborne intervention has become in saving lives, homes, and ecosystems.
Bridger Aerospace sits at the center of this transformation. With a mission rooted in military discipline and public service, the company combines aviation, emergency response, and cutting-edge technology in a way few others can.
In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Davis, CEO of Bridger Aerospace, operator of the largest private fleet of CL-415 “Super Scoopers” in the U.S.
Sam opens up about what it’s really like to run a year-round, 200-person aviation operation with aircraft flying low over burning terrain across the country.
From supply chain crunches to political backlash, it’s a raw look inside one of the most demanding jobs in aviation today.
We also talk about how Bridger Aerospace is pioneering wildfire response using military-grade sensors, early detection aircraft, and a culture of service that rivals special ops.
You’ll learn:
- Why aerial firefighting is one of the most complex aviation operations in the U.S.
- How Bridger balances safety, inventory, and downtime in remote environments
- What it takes to recruit and train elite pilots for low-altitude wildfire missions
- Why sensors, software, and year-round deployments are the future of firefighting
- How culture, passion, and purpose drive performance in high-risk settings
- The role of private enterprise in strengthening America’s wildfire defense
Guest Bio
Sam Davis is the CEO of Bridger Aerospace. Bridger Aerospace is an aerial firefighting and aerospace services company based in Belgrade, Montana, located at the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (KBZN). It was founded in 2014 to support frontline firefighters with world-leading technology and aerial fire suppression systems. Since its inception, the company has grown from operating a single plane to commanding a significant Air Attack fleet, the most modern fire imaging and surveillance aircraft, and the world’s largest private Super Scooper fleet. Sam is integral in facilitating revenue growth, implementing operational efficiency, and executing strategic initiatives to expand services and global footprint. Visit https://bridgeraerospace.com/ and connect with Sam on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Thursday Jun 12, 2025
Thursday Jun 12, 2025
Drones flying over Air Force bases. Unidentified aerial systems evading detection. A homeland vulnerable to $1,000 weapons while billion-dollar jets sit powerless.
It’s not the plot of a futuristic war movie. It’s the uncomfortable reality facing U.S. defense leaders today.
In this episode, I’m joined by retired four-star General and former Commander of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and NORAD, Glen VanHerck. This is an unfiltered look at the growing threats to homeland security and the urgent need to rethink how America defends its skies.
With decades of experience flying F-15s, F-35s, and stealth bombers, General VanHerck has spent his career on the frontlines of aerospace defense.
But what he witnessed during his final years in command prompted him to speak out: America is not ready for the threats of today, let alone tomorrow.
From the vulnerabilities exposed by drones over Langley to the ambitious "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative, General VanHerck offers an insider perspective on why policy, not just technology, is our greatest weakness and how a layered, agile, and industrial-scale approach could change the game.
You’ll learn:
- Why low-cost drones may pose the biggest threat to U.S. national security
- The real story behind the drone incursions at Langley Air Force Base
- “Golden Dome” and why it's America’s Manhattan Project for defense
- The policy, tech, and industrial changes needed to protect critical infrastructure
- How the U.S. can rebuild trust, capacity, and innovation across its defense ecosystem
- Why vocational education, industrial revitalization, and AI will define the next era of defense
Golden Dome isn’t just missile defense. It’s a Manhattan Project-level effort. -Gen. Glen VanHerck
Guest Bio
General Glen D. VanHerck is Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). NORAD conducts aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning in the defense of North America. USNORTHCOM partners to conduct homeland defense, civil support, and security cooperation to defend and secure the United States and its interests. General VanHerck is a graduate of the University of Missouri and was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He has a diverse operational and training background that includes assignments in the F-15C, F-35A, B-2A, and B-1B with over 3,200 flight hours. He has served as an instructor pilot and flight examiner in the F-15C, B-2A, and T-6A. Additionally, he served as a U.S. Air Force Weapons School instructor in the F-15C and the B-2A. Connect with Gen. VanHerck on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
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