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Stellar Solutions’ Betsy Pimentel to Receive Women in Aerospace Leadership Award

Aerospace engineering maverick honored for a career of inspiring excellence and cultivating achievement for women and men to the industry.

Los Altos, CA, September 23, 2025 — Betsy Pimentel, Strategic Advisor at Stellar Solutions, Inc., a global aerospace engineering services leader, will receive the Women in Aerospace (WIA) Leadership Award to honor her career of advancing groundbreaking aerospace solutions and cultivating women leaders in the global space industry. 

“Stellar Solutions is extraordinarily proud that Betsy Pimentel, a humble yet powerful force behind many great aerospace achievements, is being recognized with the WIA Leadership Award. With generosity and guidance in mentoring women and men, Betsy has made immeasurable contributions to the health and future of our company, and indeed the industry,” said Janet Grondin, CEO of Stellar Solutions, a Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award-winning privately-held company serving the Defense, Intelligence, Civil, Commercial and International sectors. 

Pimentel has been a maverick in the industry for 45 years. She was part of the first United States Air Force Academy class to graduate women in 1980, followed by 20 years in the US Air Force. She was part of the team supporting the Columbia Shuttle flight, STS-4, in 1982, which laid the groundwork for future missions. 

Betsy Pimentel, Strategic Advisor at Stellar Solutions, Inc.

She was the second woman to serve as a nuclear missile Squadron Commander overall, and the first at Malmstrom Air Force Base where she was responsible for 24-hour operations of a strategic nuclear missile squadron of 230 personnel and 50 nuclear missiles spread over 2,500 square miles.

Following key roles in the White House and at Northrop Grumman, Pimentel joined Stellar Solutions in 2003 and proceeded to lead award-winning programs for the US Air Force. For example, she helped bring to fruition the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) that set the stage for a key element of today’s Space Domain Awareness approach. In 2020, she began direct support to the International Affairs Directorate at Space Systems Command, LA, helping to define the roles and responsibilities within the new US Space Force field command.

Throughout her years at Stellar, Pimentel has contributed fundamentally to the company’s success by driving the development and retention of its people, from attracting promising, early career aerospace engineers to the STAR (Stellar Talent and Recruiting) program, to building a company-wide strategy for advancing leaders throughout the company.

She has been a longtime advocate of continuous improvement, aligned with the company’s pursuit and attainment of the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award in 2017. As a mentor for the California Council for Excellence (CCE), Pimentel led the team to win California Award for Performance Excellence (CAPE) – Eureka Gold in 2016. She served as a member of the Boards of CCE and Rocky Mountain Performance Excellence (RMPEX) in Colorado, and as a senior mentor for the CCE Fellows program.

Women in Aerospace (WIA) is a premier professional organization committed to advancing women’s leadership, education, and visibility in the aerospace community. For the past 40 years, the WIA Awards have celebrated remarkable contributions to advancing women in aerospace, honoring female leaders and allies who have made a lasting impact.

The WIA Awards Dinner will take place October 9, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City Hotel in Arlington VA. The 2025 WIA Awards proudly celebrates seven trailblazing women for their notable achievements and unwavering dedication to forwarding women in the field.

About Stellar Solutions, Inc.:  Stellar Solutions, Inc. is a global aerospace and systems engineering services provider to commercial, defense, intelligence, civil and international sectors.  Stellar Solutions provides systems engineering capabilities and strategic support for global communications, remote sensing, national defense, and space exploration. These solutions to customer critical needs connect technology and customers across multiple domains. With physical operations throughout the U.S. and around the globe, Stellar Solutions is a recognized leader in delivering end-to-end critical expertise and problem-solving skills. https://www.stellarsolutions.com

Media Contact: Lynthia Romney, romneycom@gmail.com 914-589-2140

Stellar Solutions names Dino Murray VP of Expanded Defense Sector

Murray to marshal his own warfighting experience, Stellar’s aerospace engineering expertise and its elite cadre of senior military and foreign service consultants to meet Defense customers’ critical needs.

Los Altos, CA – May 27 – Stellar Solutions, the global aerospace engineering services company, has named Paul “Dino” Murray to the position of Defense Sector Vice President a move that significantly expands the company’s capabilities in meeting the fast-evolving critical needs of customers such as the US Air Force, Combatant Commands, NATO and the US Space Force.

Since heading Stellar Advisors as Vice President in 2024, Murray has led the company’s unique team of 70-plus senior military and foreign service advisors – Generals, Admirals, Ambassadors, PhDs, engineers and scientists. They now join him in Defense, augmenting Stellar’s high-impact engineering and program management team with their portfolio of cyberspace, missile defense, warfighter support and international strategy.

Murray himself is a Retired US Air Force Brigadier General and Command Pilot.  He culminated his career serving as Deputy Director of Operations at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), where he became intimately familiar with the threat that is driving national priorities, including Golden Dome.

Dino Murray, Vice President of Stellar Advisors, Stellar Solutions

“Dino’s spectacular military and professional experience is enabling Stellar to create synergies and integrated solutions for our clients, who are looking beyond legacy space acquisition to deliver warfighting capabilities at the speed of relevance,” said Stellar Solutions CEO Janet Grondin. “Under Dino’s leadership, Stellar Solutions deepens our commitment to supporting US and allied warfighters in all domains  for decades to come.”

An evaluator pilot in the F-16 with over 580 combat hours, Murray excelled at every level of leadership and command.  Prior to his role at Stellar Solutions, his 29 years of military experience spans integrated air and missile defense, joint operations, strategic planning, cyber operations, space operations, and homeland defense.  He is intimately familiar with NORTHCOM, CENTCOM, INDOPACOM and EUCOM areas of responsibility where he served and commanded at the wing, group and squadron levels.  Murray earned a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, holds a MS in National Security & Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and a MS in National Security Strategy from the National War College.

About Stellar Solutions, Inc.:  Stellar Solutions, Inc. is a global aerospace and systems engineering services provider to commercial, defense, intelligence, civil and international sectors.  Stellar Solutions provides systems engineering capabilities and strategic support for global communications, remote sensing, national defense, and space exploration. These solutions to customer critical needs connect technology and customers across multiple domains. With physical operations throughout the U.S. and around the globe, Stellar Solutions is a recognized leader in delivering end-to-end critical expertise and problem-solving skills. https://www.stellarsolutions.com

Stellar Solutions Change Agent Craig Fairlee to Receive Baldrige Foundation Leadership Award

Retired CFO and Baldrige Quality advocate honored for redesigning business operations to achieve transformative growth and opportunity.

Los Altos, CA, January 29 – Craig Fairlee, longtime CFO at Stellar Solutions, Inc., has been honored by the Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Inc. with the Baldrige Foundation Leadership Award of 2025. Fairlee, who joined the global aerospace services company in 2014 and recently retired as CFO, positioned it for transformative growth while sustaining its three-decades commitment to meeting customers’ critical needs and ensuring that its employees are in their dream jobs.

Craig Fairlee, longtime CFO, Stellar Solutions.

“Craig has been a visionary catalyst in Stellar Solutions’ success. From initiating our engagement with Baldrige quality standards, to redesigning our business processes for efficiency, to deepening our culture of entrepreneurial innovation, Craig has ensured that our company anticipate and meet the opportunities for the thriving aerospace community,” said Janet Grondin, Stellar Solutions CEO.

“The Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence is an honor of a lifetime. It has been my privilege to work at the nexus of quality and excellence between the Baldrige Foundation and Stellar Solutions. Each exemplifies and encourages the very best intentions, systems and outcomes for our corporations and the people who drive their success,” Fairlee said.

The Foundation Awards for Leadership Excellence were established to recognize leaders who provide exceptional support to Baldrige and the Foundation’s mission, helping to sustain Baldrige into the future, and promoting the positive impact of Baldrige on organizational and community success. Fairlee is being honored for his accomplishments in the Business sector.

Al Faber, President and CEO of the Foundation, praised Fairlee, saying, “For many years Craig has embodied Baldrige leadership and management values and principles, and has provided outstanding service to the Baldrige community and beyond.”

In serving Stellar’s customers across defense, intel, commercial, civil and international realms, Fairlee cultivated excellence and agility among Stellar’s systems engineers and business experts. Over the last decade, Fairlee’s strategies and leadership resulted in substantial growth among its employees, customers and revenues. He enabled this while adhering to Stellar’s enduring vision for employee and customer satisfaction. Stellar’s 2024 annual survey found that 99% of customers said they are satisfied; 97% said that they would refer Stellar to others; and 98% said that Stellar employees are satisfying their critical needs.

On the employee side, 84% are in their dream jobs or working toward them. Stellar continues to achieve pre-eminent listing in Fortune Best Medium Workplaces™ 2024; 2024 PEOPLE® Companies that Care; and Fortune Best Workplaces for Millennials™ 2024 (Small And Medium).

Stellar Solutions was bestowed the National Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award in 2017, which led to the company’s support and mentorship of other companies seeking Baldrige quality over the years. Stellar Solutions Founder and Board Chair Celeste Ford was named a recipient of the E. David Spong Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.

The Foundation’s Leadership Awards will be presented during the Foundation Awards Ceremony held as part of the annual Quest for Excellence® conference in Baltimore, MD on April 1, 2025.

About The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award:
The Baldrige Foundation was created as the private partner to the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program in 1988. Its mission is to ensure the long-term financial viability of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program and to support organizational performance excellence throughout the U.S. and the world. The Baldrige Program located at NIST within the US Department of Commerce, is a separate entity and is solely responsible for managing and administering the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.  For more information on the Baldrige Award process please visit: https://www.nist.gov/baldrige/baldrige-award.

About Stellar Solutions, Inc.: Stellar Solutions, Inc. is a global aerospace and systems engineering services provider to commercial, defense, intelligence, civil and international sectors. Stellar Solutions provides systems engineering capabilities and strategic support for global communications, remote sensing, national defense, and space exploration. These solutions to customer critical needs connect technology and customers across multiple domains. With physical operations throughout the U.S. and around the globe, Stellar Solutions is a recognized leader in delivering end-to-end critical expertise and problem-solving skills. https://www.stellarsolutions.com

Don Rynkowski Named Vice President of Intelligence Sector at Stellar Solutions

Space leader and award-winning USAF veteran brings systems engineering expertise and management gravitas to government and space clientele 

Los Altos, CA – Stellar Solutions, the global aerospace engineering services company, has named Don Rynkowski as Vice President, Intelligence Sector. He brings to the position 25 years of experience in space operations, program management and systems engineering, along with a track record of solving customer critical needs at the strategic and operational level. 

Don Rynkowski, Vice President, IntelligenceSector, Stellar Solutions

“We are excited to welcome Don to the Stellar Solutions leadership team.  His  deep understanding of our national security space customers, combined with his demonstrated mission success on fast-paced, game-changing programs, is key to delivering solutions in today’s complex threat environment. Don’s passion for innovation and collaboration complements the amazing leaders we already have on the team,” said Janet Grondin, Stellar Solutions CEO.

Rynkowski’s experience is rooted in several decades of customer service and business development at global organizations, most recently as Program Director at SAIC, where he was responsible for overseeing and executing a $500-million program portfolio and managing a team of more than 150 highly specialized employees. He held numerous other positions during his tenure at SAIC, overseeing Space Operations efforts and personnel serving defense and intelligence community customers.

Previously, Rynkowski worked at TASC, Inc, a defense contractor, where his leadership skills were recognized with the TASC President’s Award, Director’s Award (for five years) and Team Building Award. 

Rynkowski’s military experience included leadership roles in the US Air Force, including Minuteman III ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) Combat Crew Commander Evaluator, a position reserved for the top seven percent of 300 operators. In these roles he was a high-profile wing lead for a Department of Defense communications system test, collecting critical data for the next generation Command and Control. As an ICBM Combat Crew Commander, he was responsible to the President, Secretary of Defense for nuclear missiles, crews and $4.3-billion in weapon system assets. He was honored with the elite “Ops Excellence Award.”

He holds a Master’s in Systems Engineering from Iowa State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Space Operations at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and is a Project Management Professional, from the Project Management Institute.

He lives with his wife of 25 years and three children in Northern Virginia.

About Stellar Solutions, Inc.: Stellar Solutions, Inc. is a global aerospace and systems engineering services provider to commercial, defense, intelligence, civil and international sectors. Stellar Solutions provides systems engineering capabilities and strategic support for global communications, remote sensing, national defense, and space exploration. These solutions to customer critical needs connect technology and customers across multiple domains. With physical operations throughout the U.S. and around the globe, Stellar Solutions is a recognized leader in delivering end-to-end critical expertise and problem-solving skills. https://www.stellarsolutions.com

Stellar Solutions receives 2024 HIRE Vets Medallion Award

Vice President and Navy veteran Hope DiGiusto accepts the HIRE Vets Medallion Award on behalf of Stellar Solutions. The HIRE Vets Medallion Award is the only federal-level veterans’ employment award that recognizes a company or organization’s commitment to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development.