Leonard J. Esterly Jr. is an Air Force veteran with over 25 years of experience in leadership positions, program management, technical expertise, and field operations. He has led numerous military projects developing technologies like GPS receivers, satellite systems, and avionic systems. Currently he is a project leader at GT Technologies developing strategies for the Air Force Satellite Control Network.

1. Leonard J. Esterly Jr.<br />4297 Ashby Field Drive<br />Colorado Springs, CO<br />Security Clearance: TS-SCI <br />Home: 719- 597-1844 / Mobile: 719- 659-2411 / E-Mail: Lenwas1@Comcast.net<br />Critical Thinker / Mature Leader / Intellectually Honest / Partnership Builder <br />I am an Air Force veteran with over twenty five years of unique experience including multi-level leadership positions, program management expertise, razor sharp technical acumen and extensive field operations knowledge. Multitude of military product development successes which include developing next generation global positioning system receivers and antennas, bomber/airlift aircraft avionic systems and wideband and protected band communication satellite systems. My background combines experience and success with total system life cycle planning, cost and technical analysis, systems operations management and meeting combat user/customer needs. I have acquired an impeccable reputation as a senior military and industry leader adept at building diverse teams delivering top performance, developing low cost solutions and empowering employees to highlight individual aptitudes while pursuing senior management’s vision. <br />Project Leader: Air Force Satellite Control Network Operations <br />Nov 2010 to Present – GT Technologies -- Colorado Springs, CO <br />A team lead, technical advisor and senior operations expert at HQ Air Force Space Command developing, implementing and monitoring total system life cycle strategies for a $2B network of seven (7) worldwide tracking stations that provide world-wide launch support, early orbit support and tracking data to maintain the United States catalog of space systems. <br />Project manager leading a quick-turn engineering analysis of alternatives to define the potential impacts to Military Satellite Operations (SATOPS) from future Commercial Fourth-Generation (4G) cellular wireless standards. Developed four (4) initial Courses of Actions for AFSPC leadership review and developed the final AFSPC Strategy that meets the requirements of military SATOPS and the needs of the broadband wireless industry. <br />Project Leader: Military Communication Satellite Systems Operations<br />Jan 2006 to Oct 2010 – SERCO -- Colorado Springs, CO<br />A team lead, technical adviser and senior operations expert at HQ Air Force Space Command developing, implementing and monitoring total system life cycle strategies for ground, user and space segments for six (6) military communication satellite systems valued over $5B. <br />Operations lead for the Global Broadcast Service (GBS) which is used to \"
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a high volume of intelligence, weather and other information to widely dispersed, low cost receive terminals, similar to the set-top-box used with commercial Direct Broadcast Service.<br />Project manager for GBS Initial Operating Capability certification that allows Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to securely broadcast classified video to US-Allied command centers in Iraq and Afghanistan in near real time. <br />Project manager/author of the DoD 2009 wideband functional availability and risk analysis report reviewing current system operational assessments while determining satellite replenishment, launch strategy and program risks.<br />Deputy Program Manager: Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers<br />May 2002 to Dec 2005 – US Air Force -- Los Angeles, CA<br />Directed a 92-person organization consisting of military officers, government civilians and contractors developing next generation military GPS receivers and antennas-- controlled an annual budget of $300M. My team and I led coordination of GPS equipment program issues with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, HQ Air Force Staff, war fighting commands, Air Force Space Command and the National Security Agency on a daily basis. <br />Took GPS Joint Program Office jamming/threat solution briefing to Secretary of the Air Force where the recommendations were accepted and implemented. Concept to solution in 6 months-- tested in Iraq with 100% success. Team awarded SAF 2004 “Air Force Agile Acquisition Transformation Team Leadership” Award for developing a unique cost effective solution.<br />GPS JPO lead organizer for the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Joint Navigation Conferences which is the largest (200+ person) world-wide navigation conference with joint military, government, and industry participation.<br />Branch Chief: Air Force Homeland Defense and Air Surveillance Requirements <br />May 2001 to May 2002 -- US Air Force -- The Pentagon <br />Team lead for policy, guidance and operational matters for the Air Force Homeland Security Division that develops and implement homeland defense plans that support state and national civil authorities. I was the Air Force subject matter expert for congressional inquiries on air/space operations and command, control and communications for long-term national Homeland Security initiatives.<br />Developed Air Force operations comments to the North American Air Surveillance Plan which were incorporated into the General Officer Council recommendations to the White House.<br />Division Chief: Global Access and Navigation Systems Requirements <br />May 1998 to May 2001 -- US Air Force -- The Pentagon<br />The program manager for the Global Air Traffic Management Program directing seven (7) aircraft avionic and air traffic control (ATC) system programs and modifications valued at $2B. My team and I personally led, directed, and supervised the development of US Air Force and DOD policies ensuring military access to national and international airspace. <br />Led Analysis of Alternatives team solving a European ATC frequency spectrum separation problem creating a safety of flight issue for all military aircraft flying into/out of Europe-- justified and acquired $43M in emergency funding from DoD to meet minimum equipment needs.<br />Represented the US Air Force at national level interagency conferences and was responsible for drafting Air Force responses to Congressional inquiries from constituents.<br />Director of Operations: 15th Air Support Operations Squadron<br />May 1996 to May 1998 -- US Air Force -- Fort Stewart, GA<br />The Chief Operations Officer for an 85-person unit utilizing over $26M in communications equipment to include 36 vehicles equipped with SATCOM terminals providing combat air support to a 15,000 soldier US Army Division.<br />Directed all aspects of unit mobility, deployment, logistics and operations to support US-Kuwaiti air-land force to support Operation Desert Thunder in early 1998.<br />Division Chief: Space Surveillance Standardization and Evaluations <br />May 1993 to May 1996 -- US Air Force -- Cheyenne Mountain AFS, CO<br />Space surveillance qualified crewmember and quality control lead for a three joint operational space combat centers manned by a 200 mission-ready crew force that exercised operational control of a $2.5B worldwide, ground- and space-based, 26-sensor surveillance network that supported United States space control and missile warning missions.<br />Developed a comprehensive trend analysis program, developed all Space Surveillance Center performance evaluation criteria and built all training and evaluation scenarios.<br />Commander: Satellite Remote Tracking Station<br />Mar 1992 to May 1993 -- US Air Force -- Diego Garcia Island, BIOT<br />Directed 15 contractor personnel, managed 4 service contracts supporting operations and maintenance for a satellite command and control site that supports over eighty (80) DoD and NASA spacecraft at a remote location in the Indian Ocean. My team and I ensured continuous operational availability of a $40M facility and authorized installation of all systems modifications and upgrades.<br />Education and Professionals Certifications<br />Civilian University Degrees: <br />BS in Electrical Engineering -- The Citadel <br />MS in Systems Management -- University of Southern California<br />Defense Acquisition University Professional Certifications:<br />Test and Evaluation Engineering, Life Cycle Logistics, Program Management and Quality Assurance Evaluator.<br />Defense Acquisition University Education: Completed over 27 courses to include Systems Sustainment Management, Earned Value Management, Risk Management, Cost Analysis, Fundamentals of Lean Six Sigma, Market Research, Lean Enterprise Concepts, Business Financial Management and Fundamentals of Cost Management.<br />