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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. 

“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

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.

Navy veteran, aerospace engineer and seasoned professional in government sourcing and supply to fuel Stellar Solutions’ growth strategy

Los Altos, CA , August 26– Stellar Solutions, the global aerospace engineering services company, has named Hope DiGiustoas Vice President, Commercial Sector. She brings to this role a breadth of experience in building mission-impact solutions benefiting both government entities and the aerospace and technology innovators that serve them.

With a successful 22-year track record in pivotal leadership positions from mega-organizations to the military, Hope is stepping into a newly refined role that will emphasize partnerships to develop emerging nontraditional space technologies and services to solve customers’ critical needs of the future.

This builds on the accomplishments of Melissa Farrell, VP Strategic Programs, and longtime expert in emerging technologies at Stellar Solutions, who will continue to provide game-changing expertise to government and corporate investors seeking actionable commercial opportunities.

“We are thrilled to have Hope join us bringing with her a remarkable portfolio– from deep technical excellence to product development and launch skills – to deliver inventive, functional solutions to a fast-evolving marketplace,” said Janet Grondin, Stellar Solutions CEO. “Together with Melissa, she will enable commercial companies to become integrated into the defense industrial base and deepen our support of government long-term sourcing in the most efficient and innovative ways possible.”

Hopemost recently served as Senior Technical Program Manager at Amazon Devices & Service for Project Kuiper, the initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites. There she led successful proposals for commercial deployment and support for national security. Also on the commercial side, she was Senior Manager of Satellite Uplink Systems at SiriusXM, engineering connective vehicle IOT technologies and managing a macro portfolio spanning IT, operations, and acquisitions.

On the government side, Hopeheld numerous roles including Military Operations Analyst of Systems Planning and Analysis at the Naval Warfare Development Center; and Military Assistant for General Officer of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), where she was a nuclear enterprise professional supporting U.S. assets and military personnel abroad. Earlier she was SPAWAR Space Field Activity Program Manager for projects including a national tactical means friendly force tracking system.

She began her career as an aerospace engineer for the U.S. Naval Academy for the small satellite program, at the Atmospheric Neutral Density Experiment (ANDE). After commissioning from the U.S. Naval Academy, she started her distinguished military career in aviation including positions as Seahawk Helicopter Aircraft Commander, Night Vision Goggle Instructor, Functional Check Pilot and Airborne Tactical Officer Level II. She was awarded the individual action Air Medal for supporting Navy SEAL operations.

Hopeholds a B.S In Aerospace Engineering (Astronautics) at the U.S. Naval Academy, and an M.S. Systems Engineering (Systems Architecture), George Mason University. She is certified as a Program Management Professional (PMP)® , Space Cadre Space Expert level III; and Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Program Manager Level II. Hope’s commercial experience and classified credentials equip the Stellar Solutions team with an ability to offer new space solutions to our customer’s critical needs.

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

Seamless transition for leadership of Stellar Solutions’ elite cadre of senior military and foreign service consultants

Los Altos, CA, July 8 – Stellar Solutions, Inc., the global aerospace engineering services company, is pleased to announce that Paul “Dino” Murray, Stellar Solutions Senior Director, is stepping into the role of Vice President of Stellar Advisors, upon the retirement of renowned VP Harold “Punch” Moulton who since 2012 has led and shaped the company’s unique team of senior military and foreign service consultants. Moulton will remain with Stellar as a part-time employee, serving on Murray’s elite team of advisors.

Murray is a retired United States Air Force Brigadier General and Command Pilot with over 2800 flying hours. He has worked closely with Moulton, himself a retired USAF Major General, over the last year, ensuring a seamless leadership transition for Stellar Advisors. This 70-plus cadre of professionals includes Generals, Admirals, Ambassadors, PhDs, and high-end systems engineers and scientists. Together they offer clients a broad portfolio of expertise in cyberspace, missile defense, warfighter support, international defense, and commercial strategy.

“Stellar Solutions is extraordinarily proud of the leadership that Punch and Dino have exemplified in positioning Stellar Advisors to deliver on our customer critical needs in times of peace and conflict,” said Stellar Solutions CEO Janet Grondin. “Punch created a bedrock of gravitas and strategic impactfor senior leaders across the globewhile enabling expansion of the portfolio around Dino’s deep experience involving recent conflict scenarios,” she added.

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, Murray served as Deputy Director of Operations at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). 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

High-growth financial expert succeeds retiring Stellar Solutions CFO Craig Fairlee

Los Altos, CA, June 20 – Stellar Solutions, Inc., the global aerospace engineering services company, is pleased to announce that Jeffrey Langhan has joined as Chief Financial Officer. He brings to the role nearly two decades in high-growth financial operations across government contracting, aerospace and technology services. He succeeds Stellar Solutions’ longtime leader and CFO Craig Fairlee, who remains as a strategic advisor to the company throughout the transition in anticipation of his planned retirement at the end of the year.

“Stellar Solutions is thrilled to have Jeff join us as CFO at a time when our growth is accelerating in the dynamic global aerospace industry. We are enormously grateful to Craig Fairlee for driving a continuous improvement culture that led to this growth posture. Now, with Jeff in the seat and Craig advising, we have the dream team in place to fully transform our professional operations and maximize our capacity, efficiency and talent,” said CEO Janet Grondin, CEO of Stellar Solutions, a woman-owned, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award-winning company that for 29 years has served customers across the Defense, Intelligence, Commercial, Civil and International sectors.

In his numerous financial management roles, Langhan has supported both M&A and organic growth. For the last three years, he was CFO and Senior Vice President at MicroTechnologies LLC, providing telecommunications, cyber security, infrastructure and professional services. Prior to that, he led financial operations as Senior Director of Finance at MAG Aerospace, a private-equity-backed enterprise in the government contracting aerospace industry. Earlier he spent eleven years in numerous financial roles at Leidos, formerly SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation). Langhan holds an MBA and Bachelor of Science, both from Virginia Tech. He will operate at Stellar Solutions’ Chantilly, VA, office.

Fairlee joined Stellar Solutions in October 2014 following 20 years at Thermo Fisher Scientific and its predecessor company that had reached $1.5-billion during his tenure as Vice President of Finance. He has led Stellar Solutions through its own significant growth with aerospace engineers and expert teams in 30 states, as well as in England and France. Fairlee championed Stellar Solutions’ application of the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award that it won in 2017, and which subsequently led to the company’s enduring relationship with the Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Since winning the Baldrige award, Fairlee continued to drive process improvement under Board Chair and Founder Celeste Ford who subsequently won the E. David Spong Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. He holds a Master of Science from Golden Gate University and Bachelor of Science from California State University, Chico.

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