A leadership professional who has a wide range of experience in: Offshore Wind Development, First of A Kind Solutions, Coaching for Performance, Environmental & Regulatory Engagement, and Avoiding Failures. Exceptional outcomes have been achieved for organizations such as the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, Ford Motor Company, NASA, and Global Asset Management. Each success resulted from embracing organizational goals, building the team, asking the right questions, gathering the facts, and coaching the team to success. Some of these include: securing $65 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for one of two Advanced Technology Offshore Wind Demonstration Projects; attracting $10 million private investment for the first freshwater offshore wind project in North America; and developing a highly profitable Deep Learning Neural Network for trading 30 Year U.S. Treasury Bonds.
He received his Bachelors of Interdisciplinary Engineering, Masters in Nuclear Engineering and his Ph.D. from Purdue University, where he developed several new heat transfer models for Fusion Reactors. This research included experimental research, theoretical modeling, and empirical simulations to explain and predict liquid metal heat transfer under the influence of a magnetic field. Over the course of his business career he has led numerous companies including start-ups as well as established businesses. His current role is as Principal of Holt Murphy Advisors, Ltd, a consulting group focused on failure prevention for industrial and offshore wind projects. Off the clock, he was Team Engineer for KR Powerboat Racing, winner of the 1992 Offshore Profession Tour, as well as Head Coach for two Division I University swimming teams. He is a lifelong boater and member of Cleveland Underwater Explorers (CLUE), who have discovered more than 30 wrecks in Lake Erie.
As Vice President for Advanced Programs and Concepts, Justin Kugler leads new business development initiatives for Made In Space, Inc. focused on space manufacturing and industrialization. He has more than 15 years of industry experience, engineering degrees from Texas A&M and Rice University, and certification in strategic foresight from the University of Houston. Mr. Kugler previously led the industrial R&D portfolio for the International Space Station National Laboratory. He also managed pathfinder projects for the NASA ISS Program Office, developed crew training models for the Constellation Program, and served as an intelligence analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency.
Andy has 40 years with NGC/TRW working in advanced space programs specializing in space, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, astrophysics projects and in-space manufacturing. As a NG Fellow, he supports NGC’s key space customers including NASA, AFRL, NRO, DARPA, Army/SMDC, Space RCO, USMC, and the Navy. He is considered one of the prominent advanced manufacturing (AM) experts in the country and has produced numerous papers in AM, as well as advanced satellite technology, in-space manufacturing using advanced additive manufacturing techniques, unique logistics solutions, and miniaturization of spacecraft components. Andy brings his innovative approach to problems and has won several Corporate awards for innovation. His leadership of applying advanced space concepts to a transitional operational problem has been critical to NGC’s success.
Andy is an appointed Research Scholar at the University of New Mexico and is on their staff in the Electrical and Computing Engineering Department, supporting satellite and space research. He is on the Technical Advisory Boards for Virginia Tech, U of Michigan, Cornell, and U of New Mexico. Andy Kwas graduated from the University of Michigan in 1978 with two Bachelor degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and received a Masters degree in 1980 from the University of Missouri Science and Technology in Astrophysics.
Tia Benson Tolle is the Director of Materials & Fabrication for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. In this position she is responsible for the integrated materials portfolio for Boeing’s commercial airplane products. Prior to joining Boeing she held several technical leadership positions in the Air Force Research Laboratory, including USAF Deputy to the DoD Reliance Community of Interest for Materials and Processes, coordinating research interests across Defense Science and Technology. She also served as a Flight Crew Instructor in NASA’s Space Shuttle Flight Training Division.
Tia is a Fellow of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE), an International Past President of SAMPE, and was President of the Materials Research Society. She serves on the Industry Advisory Councils for Iowa State University’s Aerospace Engineering Department and University of Washington’s Materials Science & Engineering Department, and is a Trustee of Edmonds Community College. Tia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington, a Master of Science and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Dayton, and a Masters Certificate in Leadership and Executive Development from the University of Dayton. She is a member of AIAA, ASME, ASC, MRS and SAMPE.
Wesley L. Smith is a Lockheed Martin Fellow and Digital Transformation Leader who directs company-wide Artificial Intelligent (AI) enabled software solutions. In this position he is responsible for leading teams of data scientists and software engineers building solutions that reshape business operations. Wes also provides executive leadership for the Factory Operations Research AI business. He serves as the principal representative to Lockheed programs and functional groups on technical matters, and provides management oversight to all engineering activities and requirements in this field.
Wes joined Lockheed in 2003, and since that time has held roles of increasing responsibility in Engineering, Programs, Innovations and Strategy. He developed and managed software engineering teams through 2009 delivering embedded software systems spanning robotic sensors, weapon system communication systems, and missile navigation software. In 2009, Wes joined production operations as the enterprise systems architect establishing executive technology roadmaps and leading cross functional teams for reshaping operations by establishing common enterprise processes, systems, and data interfaces.
In 2010, Wes founded the Factory Operations Research Engineering team focused on deploying end to end AI software. Wes served as the executive leader and chief engineer helping to grow technology into the company’s most used AI & Analytics platform in operations, which was awarded trade secrets and the company’s prestigious NOVA award for technical innovation.
In 2019, Wes moved to a corporate AI team as the principal architect of company-wide digital transformation and AI software systems in manufacturing.
A native of Texas, Wes is a graduate of Texas A&M, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. He holds a Masters of Science in Systems Engineering and a Masters of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University.
Miranda Jones is the manager of Business Analytics, a data science team, at Spirit AeroSystems. Her area of expertise is in building predictive statistical and machine learning models to support business initiatives. Her recent work has been focused on creating models and tools for organizations to reduce cost, collect cash, simulate risk, optimize engineering, and predict future costs. She is also currently a leader in transforming Spirit’s Finance group into a self-service analytics organization. Formerly, she has developed and applied predictive models to support procurement of detail components and major assemblies. She graduated from Wichita State University with an MS in Mathematics, Kansas State University with a dual BS in Mathematics and Secondary Education, and is a Certified Cost Estimator/Analyst with the International Cost Estimating & Analysis Association.
Mr. Mutzman spent over 35 years in the Aerospace and Defense Industry. He currently serves as an airworthiness and systems engineering consultant for the Air Force Research Laboratory. His last assignment prior to retiring from government service was as the Chief Engineer and Technical Engineering Authority for the Aerospace Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, providing advice and counsel to the Director on systems engineering and programmatic matters, and developing and implementing SE processes and practices across the Directorate. After graduating from The Ohio State University, and prior to entering government service, Mr. Mutzman spent time in industry working as a Flight Test Engineer for the Boeing Commercial Aircraft Company, and as a Preliminary Design Engineer with Gulfstream Aerospace. During his career with the Air Force, Rich worked on such major and high visibility programs as the B-2 Bomber and the F-22, during their design, development, and flight testing. He was the lead for the Integrated Flight-Propulsion Control IPT during the Joint Strike Fighter Concept Demonstration Program, and also served as the Air Vehicle Platform Chief for the Global Hawk Program during its transition to operations. Prior to his selection as the AFRL Aerospace Systems Directorate Chief Engineer, Rich was the Chief Engineer for AFRL’s highly successful X-51 Scramjet Engine Demonstrator where he had overall technical responsibility for the design, development, and flight testing of the hypersonic X-51 scramjet powered research vehicle.
Dr. David Van Wie is the Head of the Air and Missile Defense Sector of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory where he is responsible for strategic planning, execution, and performance of more than $350M in annual funding in programs advancing the ability of the nation to defend itself and its allies against airborne and ballistic threats. Prior to his current appointment, he served as Mission Area Executive for Precision Strike focusing on advanced weapon development, electromagnetic spectrum dominance, and novel long-range detection and targeting systems through revolutionary application of technologies in the areas of hypersonics, adaptive coordination of discrete kinetic and non-kinetic systems, and upstream data fusion. Dr. Van Wie is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a fellow of the AIAA, and a recipient of the Air Force Award for Meritorious Civilian Service. Dr. Van Wie has been an active member of the U.S. science and technology community, and has published more than 140 papers in the fields of hypersonics, high-temperature fluid dynamics, airbreathing propulsion, and plasma aerodynamics. Dr. Van Wie earned his Bachelor of Science (summa cum laude), Master of Science, and Ph.D. degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland as well as a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
President, FDB Associates – Jan/1992 – Present
Mr. Boensch provided the Air Force Research Laboratory with Technical Assistance in the areas of High Temperature Structures, Structural Health Management, Program Management and Program Development for advance metallic structures, hypersonics and aging aircraft. He developed and executed a plan for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Technology Division to expose their technology to and partner with the aerospace industry utilizing those available at Oak Ridge. Mr. Boensch also provided a hypersonic state of the art review to the Institute for Defense Analysis. Currently he is the DARPA structures lead for the Advanced Full Range Engine (AFRE) propulsion system for hypersonic vehicles.
USAF Structures Engineer – 1958 – 1992
Previously, Mr. Boensch was in the initial cadre of the National AeroSpace Plane Joint Program Office. As the Deputy Director of Airframe, he was responsible for the adequacy of the initial contractor developed configurations. He later became the Director of Consortia responsible for a $135M program which developed the structures, materials and manufacturing technologies necessary to build the X-30. Finally, he became the Director of Technology.
Mr. Boensch was Program Manager for the X-24C, a joint USAF/NASA research vehicle. He was Project Engineer on a series of hypersonic vehicle (FDL-5) structural concepts. He successfully developed ceramic nose caps, leading edges and reusable metallic heat shields for high L/D vehicles.
Early in his career, Mr. Boensch was a test engineer in the USAF Structures Test Facility. He was Project Engineer for the most complex elevated temperature test ever done in the test facility by heating a wing-fuselage section of the original USAF Aerospace Plane to 2000F using fuel simulant and loads simulating lift off to orbit and re-entry. Additionally, he was the heating test engineer for the X-20 (2000F) as well as the B-58 (250F over 70% of the aircraft exterior).
