The Aerospace Corporation has announced corporate officer leadership changes in the areas of Systems Planning, Engineering, and Quality and Program Assessments.
– Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Edward L. Bolton Jr. has assumed the position of senior vice president of Systems Planning, Engineering, and Quality, succeeding Rand Fisher who retired on July 1.
– Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Howard J. “Mitch” Mitchell, vice president of Program Assessments completed his service as a corporate officer on July 1 in accordance with the policies and practices of the corporation. Mitchell will continue as an Aerospace general manager for program assessments.
Bolton was elected senior vice president of Special Studies earlier this year at Aerospace. Previously, Bolton retired from the Air Force in 2013 after 37 years of service, after which he became the assistant administrator for NextGen at the Federal Aviation Administration. At the FAA, he led strategic planning for and modernization of the National Airspace System. Bolton led a federal workforce of more than 900 employees and managed a $1 billon annual budget.
He held multiple positions while serving in the Air Force, including: deputy assistant secretary for budget in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Management and Comptroller; deputy director for systems integration and engineering, and principal deputy to the chief operating officer at the National Reconnaissance Office; commander of the 45th Space Wing and director of the Eastern Range at Patrick Air Force Base; commander of the 30th Operations Group; commander of the 30th Range Squadron, and worked in the National Security Council as the director for defense policy in two presidential administrations.
Bolton holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Mexico and graduated from Officer Training School. He holds a master’s degree in systems management from the University of Southern California, and a master’s degree in national security strategy from the National War College. His other academic work includes the completion of several senior executive programs at Harvard University. As a certified Level III program manager, he also completed courses in executive program management and systems acquisition at the Defense Systems Management College.
The Aerospace Corporation is a California nonprofit corporation that operates a federally funded research and development center and has approximately 3,600 employees. It provides guidance and advice to military, civil and commercial customers to ensure the success of complex, technology-based programs. The Aerospace Corporation is headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., with multiple locations across the United States.
