1. Philip D. Coker
Heartspur Group LLC
2719 Muir Woods Drive SE
Hampton Cove, AL 35763
June 11, 2015
To Whom It May Concern:
Jim Heverin and I worked together at Northrop Grumman Information Systems in the Integrated Platform
Solutions Operating Unit in Huntsville, Alabama for over 9 years. He served as my Senior Staff and
Operations Manager during the first year of my leading this Operating Unit, and, as a res ult of his
demonstrated leadership and managerial skills,I subsequently selected him to act as our Director for
Operations. During my lastyear in charge of this OU I was faced with a significantchallenge of leadership at
the Northrop Grumman ground robotics facility in Clinton, TN. Even though it represented a significant
personal expense and a major imposition on Jim and his family, Jim volunteered to take over this 100 -person
organization. He ran it successfully for over 18 months.
Throughout his time with Northrop, Jim was an outstanding leader who always got exceptional results.
People wanted to work for him; they knew they would succeed and that he would be with them at every
step. He is insightful, steady and completely comfortable doing the hardest jobs. His oversight of our
production operations, which ultimately integrated more than $1.5B worth of hardware for multiple national,
state and local customers, was nothing short of masterful. In our lastmonths in one of the major programs,
the commitment of Jim’s team to continuous improvements resulted in our delivering products at a profit
rate exceeding 40%. His leadership of our robotics company first turned around the horrible leadership
climate and then made the company profitable, placing it on a trajectory that will be positive for years.
Jim is unfailingly ethical, completely dedicated, technically unmatched and a wonderful leader. In short; he is
everything you could ask for in a senior executive. He has my strongest recommendation.
Sincerely,
Philip D. Coker
Brigadier General (RET)
VP Operations
Heartspur Group LLC