CAES has added two new senior vice presidents, former SAIC executive Steffanie Easter and former BWX Technologies executive Rob Smith, to its leadership team.
The aerospace and defense electronics manufacturer said Tuesday that Easter has been named SVP and chief sustainability officer and Smith has been appointed SVP and general manager of the integrated defense systems division.
Mike Kahn, CEO and president of CAES as well as a two-time Wash100 Award winner, emphasized Easter’s “extensive depth and breadth of experiences” in DOD-related transactions.
“Steffanie’s background and abilities will help CAES establish an industry leading ESG program, and better support our customers, employees, and stakeholders,” Kahn continued.
In her new role, Easter will lead the company’s environmental, social and governance functions as well as liaise with customers and other industry members on these issues.
Easter started out as an engineer at the Naval Air Systems Command before ascending the ranks in the U.S. Navy to director of Navy staff in the office of the chief of Naval Operations. She also held the position of acting assistant secretary and principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology.
At SAIC, Easter headed up strategic growth and development for the company’s defense and civilian market in her roles as vice president of the deputy Army business unit and vice president of strategy and planning.
As general manager of the integrated defense systems division, Smith will be responsible for managing the department’s supply of electronic warfare and radar systems and its engineering, manufacturing and test services.
For four years, Smith was deputy office chief of the Department of Defense. He went on to hold senior-level, government-facing positions at Windermere and Nantero, before spending over a decade with Lockheed Martin in roles such as director of LM nanosystems, vice president of C4ISR and vice president and general manager of radar and sensor systems.
Prior to coming to CAES, Smith spearheaded the digital transformation push in addition to key acquisitions as president of government operations at BWX Technologies.
Kahn said that Smith’s wide variety of experience will “align well with [CAES’] technologies, key programs and business plan for the future.” He is succeeding Paul Shew, who has taken on the corporate operations excellence role.
