Ken Orban is a senior operations manager with over 15 years of experience leading teams and managing projects in defense, consulting, and training. He has a history of meeting budgets and deadlines while improving outcomes. Orban has three master's degrees and secret clearance, with expertise in risk management, technology integration, and training development. Currently he is a Program Engineer and Test Director at L-3 Communications, where he has won over $100 million in new contracts and increased simulator fidelity.
1. Ken Orban
Fort Worth, TX • k_orban@yahoo.com • (828) 713-5881
http://webprofile.info/kenorban/
Senior Operations Manager
Leveraging Technology • Training and Development • Integrating Solutions
X
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A senior operations manager with a history of leading critical operational, resource preparation and strategic
planning initiatives in the defense and consulting sectors. Expertise in leading technical teams and assessing
technology, project management and operations. Prolific collaborator and able forger of stakeholder
relationships and enduring partnerships. Education includes three master’s degrees. Distinguished service in
the US Air Force. Secret clearance.
CORE COMPETENCIES
• Risk Mitigation / Crisis Management • Team Building • Labor Planning
• Leveraging Technology and Information • Quality Assurance and Compliance • Change Leadership
• Project Management and Planning • Operations Management • Mentoring
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
L-3 COMMUNICATIONS Arlington, TX
A provider of integrated training solutions for military and commercial use.
Program Engineer and Test Director 2008 – Present
Led team of systems, hardware and software engineers to produce hi-fidelity trainers. Coordinated resources,
developed integrated schedule and managed budget and risk. Refined requirements, researched functionality
and created test procedures. Worked with customer on expectations, goals and milestones.
• $60 million in new contracts fulfilled by identifying a shortfall of qualified test directors, determining critical
skills needed and developing a plan to bring on four rare specialists to meet the contract demands.
• Five-time increase in simulator fidelity achieved by integrating new sensory technology intensifying
immersive training and expanding opportunities to build aircrew situational awareness.
• $14 million contract won by facilitating the bid for three additional trainers.
• Developed tools and practices enabling test directors to better manage programs, deliver insightful
standard reports and quickly prepare new hires.
• $8.3 million contract payment received by validating 2,000 requirements for customer’s core pilot training
tool.
• Led integration of new software architecture that helped deploy new functionality and diverse training
applications to create the foundation for bidding on three future training programs.
• $1.1 million profit produced by delivering six trainers to the Navy three months early.
DYNAMICS RESEARCH CORPORATION Asheville, NC
A provider of technical and consulting expertise around high-performance computing, cybersecurity, financial
and regulatory reform program engineering, life-cycle support and IT modernization.
Business Process Analyst 2005 – 2008
Coordinated policy / tool development to integrate realistic weather effects into Department of Defense (DoD)
models and simulations.
• Formulated a seven-year strategic plan, contributed substance to the annual budget, established
development priorities and filled critical gaps detected in the DoD modeling and simulation strategy.
2. • Justified $900,000 in additional funding to continue technology development, presented three highly-
praised papers at major simulation conferences and attracted several new users to tools / services.
KEN ORBAN ● K_ORBAN@YAHOO.COM ● (828) 713-5881 ● PAGE 2
• Accounted for $50 million cost avoidance in Navy ship acquisitions; drove effort to improve realism of DoD
acquisition models by including environmental effects.
• Prepared standards for integrating weather into the $40 million Air Force mission rehearsal program.
US AIR FORCE Alexandria, VA
A branch of the US military with almost 700,000 personnel and a $140 billion budget.
Deputy Division Chief 2001 – 2005
Led team of military and civilian scientists and engineers to create strategic technology plans.
• $150 million technology portfolio presented to US defense leaders and at international forums, forged
several partnerships and expanded the portfolio by 50%.
• Planned a seven-year strategic technology program to help defeat enemy weapons of mass destruction.
• Inspired government and industry teams that developed five revolutionary weapons for recent wars
including two that were developed and delivered to the warfighters in six months.
• $8 million leveraged in new university partnerships to address technology shortfalls in a $90 million budget.
• Encouraged development of Thermobaric Hellfire missile and new missions for mini unmanned aerial
vehicle; spearheaded discovery of alternative technology uses.
• 50% growth in division portfolio achieved by accurately forecasting critical skills needed for program
execution then recruiting and / or arranging for training to acquire those abilities.
Additional experience included mentoring an individual desiring to become a US Air Force pilot.
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
Master of Arts in National Strategic Studies, Naval War College
Master of Arts in Secondary Education, Phillips University
Master of Science in Human Resource Management / Development, Chapman University
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Mechanics, US Air Force Academy
CERTIFICATIONS
Airline Transport Pilot
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Earned Value Management
DoD Fundamentals of Acquisition Management
Air Force Accident Investigation Course
Air Force Fighter Weapons School
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Member