New Leadership Announced at Kratos
Steve Fendley will hold the corporate senior vice president and president of Kratos’ Unmanned Systems Division (KUSD), the company announced. Fendley will step into the position when Jerry Beaman retires.
Beaman has held the position since 2014. Last year, Kratos receive many unmanned combat aircraft systems contract awards under his leadership, Kratos said. Beaman also helped strengthen the partnership between KUSD and the U.S. military.
“Our unmanned systems programs would not be where they are today without Jerry’s leadership, experience, and vision and I can’t thank Jerry enough for the over three years he has dedicated to Kratos. I wish him the best in retirement and look forward to continuing to work with him as a consultant of the company,” says president and CEO of Kratos, Eric DeMarco.
After retiring, Beaman plans to continue to support the company as a consultant.
Fendley will be responsible for Kratos’ tactical UCAS business, unmanned aerial target drone, unmanned ground, unmanned seaborne systems, and KUSD’s related avionics, electronics and command and control business.
Rear Adm. Dennis FitzPatrick, retired from the U.S. Navy, will support Fendley in his new position. FitzPatrick became an employee of Kratos in 2014 where he held the role of vice president of tactical platforms operations.
Fendley’s entire career has been based on unmanned and optionally-piloted aircraft and aerial systems, Kratos said. His defense industry roles for multiple defense contractors have spanned from electrical/systems engineering, to engineering management, program management, and executive management.
