July 10, 2020.
Silicon Valley aerospace company Stellar Solutions has announced that longtime Vice President for Defense Programs Betsy Pimentel will transition to a consulting role for the company effective July 1.
Pimentel, who was part of the first U.S. Air Force Academy class of women in 1976, has amassed forty years of proven experience in all aspects of space systems planning, acquisition and operations as well as systems engineering and defense program management.
“Betsy has provided Stellar Solutions with invaluable technical expertise in defense policy, program management and in-depth knowledge of customer and contractor relations. We are incredibly grateful for Betsy’s illustrious leadership and presence over the past 17 years,” said Celeste Ford, Stellar Solutions’ Founder and Board Chair.
Succeeding Betsy Pimentel is Janet Grondin, who joined Stellar Solutions as Director of Emerging Space Capabilities in 2018 after supporting Northrop Grumman Corporation as Director for Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Exploitation Systems as well as Operations Director for MILSATCOM and National Program ground systems. Before that, Grondin served 25 years in the U.S. Air Force in numerous leadership, project management and technical roles, developing significant expertise in command, acquisition, program management, and systems engineering for space and ground systems. These positions included Chief of the Range and Network Division that oversaw the Eastern and Western Ranges; Air Force Satellite Control Network and Standard Space Trainer; Program Manager for the Global Positioning System (GPS) Operational Control Segment; Program Element Monitor for Space Situational Awareness and Special Access; and a Director of Engineering supporting the National Reconnaissance Office.
As VP for Defense Programs, Grondin will assume leadership and oversight of Stellar Solutions’ robust technology, management, and expert solutions for Department of Defense customers related to space and missile systems for national protection and security. These efforts include space superiority, launch enterprise integration, and web services development programs; major programs like GPS and the Space-Based Infrared System; and related capabilities that serve the Air Force in missile warning, weather, precision navigation and timing, and communications. Stellar Solutions has established an exemplary breadth of engagement to ensure continuity of operations across the globe in the event of a threat. The company, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020, is recognizing and leveraging this legacy of success resulting from the decades of commitment by dedicated leaders like Betsy Pimentel, while positioning its team and capabilities for the next 25 years of satisfying customers’ critical needs.
Chief Executive Officer Michael Lencioni remarked, “We are also pleased to further Stellar’s rich history as a woman-owned company by maintaining our comparatively high percentage of women in top leadership positions. There are five points of the Stellar ‘star’: intelligence, defense, civil, commercial, and international. Among the Stellar Solutions senior leadership team of the CEO, CFO, Executive VP, and six VPs–three are women. In addition to Janet, we have Melissa Farrell as VP for Commercial Programs and Amy Chaput as VP for Civil Programs. Women are responsible for a majority of these key technical lines of business, in addition to Celeste Ford and Betsy Pimentel remaining in vital executive positions—yet another example of our company ‘Leading the Way’.”
The press release is available online here: https://www.prweb.com/releases/stellar_solutions_announces_defense_programs_leadership_transition/prweb17223729.htm .