NDIA Board Chair Welcomes New National Security Leaders to NDIA Board and Executive Committee

For Immediate Release 

NDIA Board Chair Welcomes Addition of New of National Security Leaders to NDIA Board and Executive Committee

ARLINGTON, VA –NDIA Board Chair Maj Gen Arnold L. Punaro, USMC (Ret.) announcednewly-elected executive committee members Paula Edwards, founder, president & CEO of Lexair Corporation, and ML Mackey, CEO and co-founder of Beacon Interactive Systems.

Punaro praised the new members for their experience and expertise. “Both Paula and ML bring first-hand, small business expertise and proven track records to NDIA and its members,” said Punaro.“We're very excited about this year’s additions to our executive committee as well as the addition of our newest board members listed below. These leaders bring exceptional business acumen and demonstrated leadership to NDIA, enriching our ability to build a vigorous, responsive, and collaborative community in support of our military, industry and national security,” said Punaro.

Paula Edwards is the founder, President & CEO of Lexair Corporation. By focusing on multi-year, tier-one national and global contracts, Edwards has grown her business from an in-home start-up to a global corporation headquartered in Greensboro, NC.  It is noteworthy to mention that more than 80% of the employees at Lexair are women, from the warehouse to the executive level.

ML Mackey is the CEO and co-founder of Beacon Interactive Systems, a digital innovator headquartered in Waltham, MA. Over the past 25 years, Beacon has grown from a bootstrapped technology startup delivering enterprise software systems in the private sector to a leading provider of mission critical systems to the Department of Defense.

Newly Elected Members of NDIA Board of Directors Effective October 1, 2022

Mr. Rodney D. Bullard CEO Carter Days, LLC Lt Gen John B. Cooper, USAF (Ret) Senior Vice President, Global Government & DefenseAAR Corporation Mr. Michael P. Dietz Immediate Past President NDIA Lonestar Chapter Mr. Bruce Gjovig Strategic Advisor Grand Sky, Inc / USAF Civic Leader Program Hon. Stephen C. Hedger Senior Vice President, Head of US Business and CEO American Rheinmetall Defense LTG Thomas A. Horlander, USA (Ret) Director, Strategic Business Development, Defense/National Security Division Intel Corporation Mr. Logan Jones President & General Manager SparkCognition Government Systems   For media queries, contact media@NDIA.org.

Mr. Matthew J. Kuta President, COO and Co-Founder Voyager Space Holdings Maj Gen Lee K. Levy II, USAF (Ret) President and CEO The Levy Group, LLC Mr. Fola Ojumu Partner Kearney & Company Mr. Kraig M. Siracuse Senior Vice President, Washington Operations Textron, Inc. Dr. J. Mitch Stevison Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer Mercury Systems, Inc. Col Pete Trainer, USAF (Ret) Vice President and General Manager, Air & Space Force Solutions, Intelligence & Security Sector BAE Systems, Inc.