Management
President
Paul Lithgow
Mr. Paul Lithgow was named President of Comtech AeroAstro, Inc. in August 2008. He was previously AeroAstro’s Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining AeroAstro, Mr. Lithgow served as the Director of Advanced Concepts at Radyne and led the Advanced Programs Division at Spectrum Astro until August 2004. Mr. Lithgow has over 25 years of management and technical experience and, in addition to Comtech AeroAstro, Radyne and Spectrum Astro, has held senior positions with Aegis Research Corporation and had a wide ranging Air Force career serving in airlift, acquisition and technical intelligence positions.
Mr. Lithgow has a BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Arizona and an MS in Engineering from Wright State University.
Also active in his community, Mr. Lithgow is a Member of the Board of Directors for Agape Youth Ministries, developing a program and building facilities to serve at-risk teens. He and his wife founded and directed Alan Ranch for troubled teens to help them turn their lives around by working with animals and on ranch facilities.
Vice President and General Manager, Commercial, Civil, International Programs
Stanley O. Kennedy, Jr.
Mr. Stanley O. Kennedy, Jr. serves as the Vice President and General Manager of Commercial, Civil, International Programs for Comtech AeroAstro, Inc. In this role, Mr. Kennedy is responsible for executing all program activities to include Space Systems and Space Product development. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Kennedy was Vice President and General Manager, Programs for Comtech AeroAstro, Inc.
Mr. Kennedy has 26 years of hands-on experience in aerospace engineering; his extensive small satellite, launch vehicle, upper stage and ground systems experience coupled with mission domain knowledge in military, intelligence, civil and commercial markets supports Comtech AeroAstro’s development of innovative solutions for key customers. Prior to joining Comtech AeroAstro, Mr. Kennedy served as the Senior Program Manager for developing innovative small satellite systems and concepts for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.
Mr. Kennedy is an appointed Associate Fellow and lifetime member, since 1983, of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Mr. Kennedy earned his BS in Aerospace Engineering at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and his MS of Engineering in Engineering Management at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Vice President and General Manager, Defense Programs
Steven Schenk
Mr. Steven Schenk serves as the Vice President and General Manager of Defense Programs for Comtech AeroAstro, Inc. In this role, Mr. Schenk is responsible for execution on all emerging defense programs. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Schenk was the Director of Advanced Concepts while concurrently functioning as Program Manager for the AFRL’s Advanced Plug-and-Play Technologies Program to further develop and reduce risk for emerging Plug-and-Play technologies. Mr. Schenk additionally functioned as Program Manager of the Comtech AeroAstro ORS Multi-mission Modular Space Vehicle Preliminary design phase program. He led the team that developed a flexible ORS spacecraft design that employed plug-and-play technology throughout.
Mr. Schenk has over 20 years of experience in program management, engineering management, project leadership, structures/mechanisms engineering and space segment/spacecraft systems engineering in the satellite and alternative energy industries. Mr. Schenk has a proven track record in spacecraft design and development. Prior to working at Comtech AeroAstro, Mr. Schenk was the Program Manager responsible for the NASA Goddard GLAST space vehicle and DARPA Streak space vehicle programs at General Dynamics.
Mr. Schenk earned his BS in Aerospace Engineering at Kent State University.
Vice President, Engineering
Dean Roukis
Mr. Dean Roukis was named Comtech AeroAstro’s Vice President of Engineering in February of 2008. Mr. Roukis is responsible for management and development of the engineering staff in all major disciplines through all program phases requiring engineering support, and provides direction and oversight as to the content and quality of the company’s engineering products, including design reviews, documentation and analyses.
Mr. Roukis has over 27 years of management and technical experience in the aerospace industry. Mr. Roukis joined Comtech AeroAstro, Inc. in 2005, in the role of Chief Mechanical Engineer and was responsible for the company’s mechanical design and test activities, and management of the mechanical engineering staff.
Prior to joining Comtech AeroAstro, Inc., Mr. Roukis served as Principle Engineer in Satellite Operations at Intelsat where he was responsible for in-orbit power systems operations of 20-plus geosynchronous satellites. Previous to this, Mr. Roukis spent five years working both as a contractor and directly for the Naval Air Systems Command Structures Branch as an aerospace engineer, providing senior-level technical expertise and oversight in Loads and Dynamics to 12 Navy aircraft program organizations. While employed at the Grumman Space Station Engineering and Integration Division, as the Engineering Group Supervisor, Mr. Roukis worked on the NASA Space Station Program as a Senior Structural Loads and Dynamics Engineer.
Mr. Roukis has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from New York Institute of Technology.
Vice President, Finance & Contracts
Debra Latter
Mrs. Debra Latter was named Vice President of Finance upon joining Comtech AeroAstro, Inc. in 2009, and in 2010 assumed the responsibilities for Contracts in addition to her Finance and Accounting responsibilities. Mrs. Latter is also responsible for Comtech AeroAstro, Inc’s., Sarbanes-Oxley implementation and government compliance.
Mrs. Latter has 32 years of progressive career advancement in financial management in public accounting and industry.
Mrs. Latter obtained her BS in Accounting/Management Science from Duke University. She also received her CPA in 1981.
Mrs. Latter is a member of the AICPA.