J.F. Lehman & Company adds three members to Operating Executive Board

J.F. Lehman & Company ("JFLCO"), a leading middle-market private equity firm focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, maritime, government and environmental sectors, is pleased to announce the appointments of Admiral Michael Gilday, the Honorable Kenneth Braithwaite and Mark Russell to its Operating Executive Board ("OEB"). JFLCO's OEB is a group of senior executives and general and flag officers with deep expertise in the firm's target markets. Through broad relationships and unique expertise, OEB members contribute to sector-specific strategy development, investment origination, due diligence and portfolio company oversight and support.

Admiral Michael Gilday served more than 38 years as a Surface Warfare Officer before retiring from the U.S. Navy in October 2023 as the 32nd Chief of Naval Operations and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His experience encompasses assignments in the White House, NATO, U.S. Cyber Command, and the Pentagon, including senior positions on the Joint Staff. Operationally, he has led at every level including command of two guided missile destroyers, a destroyer squadron, a carrier strike group, and U.S. Fleet Cyber Command. Admiral Gilday graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. He also earned master's degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School and the National War College.

The Honorable Kenneth J. Braithwaite of Pennsylvania served as the 77th Secretary of the Navy from 2020 to 2021. Previously, he served as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway from 2017 to 2020. Ambassador Braithwaite served for 31 years as a U.S. Naval Officer, retiring as a Rear Admiral. He is the first U.S. Navy flag officer to be confirmed as the Secretary of the Navy. While serving in that role, Ambassador Braithwaite led the Department through COVID-19, maintaining readiness while protecting the service personnel. Ambassador Braithwaite serves on the boards of Tritium and Atom Computing. He serves additionally as a Fellow of the NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany, and as an Adjunct Professor at Kristiania University in Oslo, Norway. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and later earned a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Mark Russell has extensive technological leadership experience in aerospace and defense. Most recently, he served as Chief Technology Officer for RTX where he guided the company's overall technological vision and strategy, including its engineering operations, investments in research and development, and companywide product safety and product cybersecurity programs. Mr. Russell served in engineering and leadership positions at RTX and its predecessors for over 40 years. He has published 16 peer-reviewed papers and holds 36 patents. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2020 for his leadership in developing radar systems for enhanced national security and safety. He has been appointed to the Defense Science Board and has been named a fellow by both the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Mr. Russell holds a master's degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and an honorary doctorate in engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

"We are thrilled to welcome Michael, Ken, and Mark to J.F. Lehman as key members of our Operating Executive team," said Steve Brooks, Partner with JFLCO. "We believe the breadth of their expertise across our core defense and aerospace markets, along with decades of leadership experience at the highest levels within the Defense Department and prime contractors, will be invaluable. Their expertise will help guide our strategy and support our portfolio companies as we increase our emphasis on technology-driven companies with high growth potential in our primary sectors," added Alex Harman, Partner with JFLCO.