Reffett Associates Places Senior Advisor to Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability
September 9, 2021 – Following a nationwide search, Seattle, WA-based Reffett Associates has helped to place Howard Meyer as the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) liaison and senior advisor to the Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability (AFWIC). The search was led by Eric Reffett, managing director; Thomas Young, director of operations; and Marshall Reffett, managing director of the firm’s Seattle office.
AFRL is the Air Force’s premier research organization that leads the discovery, development, and integration of advanced warfighting technologies for U.S. air, space and cyberspace forces. AFWIC’s mission is to drive enterprise-wide integration and future force design that enables the Air Force to rapidly transition into a networked, multi-domain 21st century force. Dr. Meyer will be the AFRL commander’s senior representative to AFWIC and will serve as AFRL’s principal scientific and technical advisor to the AFWIC director, providing guidance to AFWIC on both the utility and feasibility of current and future science and technical programs.
A Subject Matter Expert
Dr. Meyer is a subject matter expert in a number areas including electronic warfare and directed energy. Previously, he was a subject matter expert with Strategic Analysis Inc. where he served as the science advisor to the director of electronic warfare and countermeasures in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Dr. Meyer has served in advisory positions for the U.S. Army as the science advisor and basic research area monitor for the Army chief scientist and in several positions focused on weapons of mass destruction counterproliferation. Additionally, Dr. Meyer was on the board of directors and served as vice president of the Directed Energy Professional Society.
The Air Force Research Laboratory is a scientific research organization operated by the U.S. Air Force Materiel Command dedicated to leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable aerospace warfighting technologies, planning and executing the Air Force science and technology program, and providing warfighting capabilities to U.S. air, space and cyberspace forces. It controls the entire Air Force science and technology research budget, which was $5 billion in fiscal year 2018.
AFRL is based at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH, and accomplishes its mission through nine component technology directorates and a central staff. The directorates are the 711th Human Performance Wing, aerospace systems directorate, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, directed energy directorate, information directorate, materials and manufacturing directorate, munitions directorate, sensors directorate and space vehicles directorate.
Trusted Recruiters
Reffett Associates is a nationally recognized executive search firm. The boutique talent provider has extensive experience in retail and consumer packaged goods, private equity, commercial and federal services, government sectors, and associations and non-profits. Its team is made up of executives with tangible industry experience, possessing real world, relatable knowledge about the challenges executives face in managing talent in a competitive marketplace.
Dr. Eric Reffett joined the search firm after working for Booz Allen Hamilton and serving for over 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. He specializes in identifying and recruiting highly technical talent for a variety of government clients.
Mr. Young brings 13 years of federal legislative, policy and constituent services experience to Reffett Associates. As district director and counsel for U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert of Washington State. Mr. Young oversaw constituent services, casework and was the district office policy lead for business, energy, environment and transportation issues. He works closely with a number of leading industry groups including the Clean Technology Alliance, the Center for Advanced Manufacturing Puget Sound and the aerospace and maritime supply chain.
Naval Postgraduate School Taps Reffett Associates to Find New Provost
Reffett Associates has been selected by the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) to assist with the search for its next provost. The assignment is being led by William Reffett, managing partner and founder, with assistance from Marshall Reffett, managing director. “We are pleased to have been selected by the provost search committee to work with the NPS to assist them in their search,” said William Reffett. “This is a dynamic graduate education university that has a wonderful reputation in the fields of both basic and applied research, as well as international studies. It is located in a very attractive part of the country. We are confident that we will be able to attract a deep group of educational leaders from the research, scientific and education communities.”
Mr. Marshall Reffett joined the search firm after having worked for Rep. Reichert. He served as a legislative assistant to the congressman, advising him on legislation relating to financial services, small business, housing, consumer affairs, government oversight and reform, defense, veterans, foreign affairs and transportation. He helped to position the congressman as a leader on global health issues, working with organizations such as UNICEF, Save the Children and the U.S. Global Leadership Campaign.
A Strong Partner
Late last year, Reffett Associates assisted AFRL in placing Yadunath Zambre as chief microelectronics technology officer (CMTO). Dr. Zambre previously led the new ventures initiative for Lockheed Martin where he established two communications start-ups and drove execution of over $150 million associated programs. Prior to that, he led multiple high tech start-up firms acting as chief technology officer and co-founder, including UTrue Inc., a start-up focused on intermodal cargo container security and protection. Dr. Zambre recently served on the Air Force scientific advisory board.
Reffett Associates also assisted the AFRL in placing Justin Gallivan as senior scientist for systems and synthetic biology in it’s 711 Human Performance Wing. Previously, Dr. Gallivan led Rockbluff Consulting, which specialized in technical consulting services to universities and start-up companies and clients seeking federal research funds.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
