ACG LA | Aerospace & Defense Insights: Trends, Outlook and M&A | April 29, 2021 | 4 PM PT | VIA ZOOM

As chairman, president and chief executive officer of Ducommun, Stephen G. Oswald oversees the strategic direction of the company. With more than 30 years of experience in both large cap multinational public companies and global private equity (KKR), Oswald has demonstrated strong leadership and a successful track record.

Ducommun is the oldest continuous company in the state of California, founded in 1849 by Charles L. Ducommun. Oswald joined Ducommun in 2017 and since then the Market Capitalization has significantly improved as the leads major improvements at the company. Previously, he served as the chief executive officer of Capital Safety, a former Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts (KKR) portfolio company, where he grew revenue and increased operating profit culminating in the sale of the business to the 3M Corporation for $2.5 billion in 2015. The sale to 3M was one of the top transactions in the U.S. private equity markets in 2015 and resulted in a $1.8 billion return for investors and management.

Oswald honed his leadership during his 15 years with United Technologies Corp. (UTC), where he held progressively responsible roles, including president of the Hamilton Sundstrand (HS) Industrial Division. He led this division to over $1 billion in revenue for the first time and achieved strong earnings growth during his tenure. UTC eventually sold the division in 2012 for $3.46 billion to the Carlyle Group and BC Partners. Oswald also served as president of Sullair, a subsidiary of the HS Industrial Division, and as director of operations for Pratt & Whitney Power Systems, among other leadership roles. Oswald began his career with GE and is a graduate of GE’s Manufacturing Management Program (MMP). He also held account management and sales development roles at Hoechst Celanese, a former German conglomerate.

Oswald holds an MBA from the University of Chicago. He also earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering (IE) from the University of Cincinnati and a bachelor’s degree in IE from the New York University (NYU) Tandon School of Engineering. Oswald is a member of the G100 CEO network, the Board of Governors for the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and since 2017, he has been included in the Orange County Business Journal's OC500, a listing of the top influential people in the area. He represents Ducommun as well on the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Chief Executive Roundtable and is a Gold member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).

Oswald co-founded “STEM on the Sidelines” with the LA Chargers organization and UCI in 2018 which promotes STEM education in Orange and Los Angeles county high schools. He also supports charities and other non-profit organizations such as the United Way of Orange County through the Stephen G. and Regina Oswald Foundation.

Mr. Perkins has over 18 years of aerospace manufacturing experience, during which he has held several leadership positions.

As CEO, President, and Founder of Novaria Group, he has built a growing enterprise focused on Aerospace Tier 2 manufacturing. Novaria consists of multiple inter-related business units focused on aerospace fastener and engineered products manufacturing.   Since 2011, Mr. Perkins has closed over 18 aerospace component manufacturing transactions, all of which were privately-held, multi-generational, or entrepreneur-owned businesses.  In addition to serving as CEO, he has taken on a variety of hands-on operational leadership roles within Novaria during various stages of scaling.  His public and private company experience extends to the leadership and successful closure of multiple transactions, integrations and supplier-customer negotiations with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.  Mr. Perkins led the sale and recapitalization of Novaria in January 2020 to private equity firm KKR.  Mr. Perkins continues to lead Novaria through its next phases of growth and transformation. Prior to founding Novaria group, he spent 10 years in various aerospace manufacturing, operating and corporate development roles with Parker Hannifin (NYSE: PH).

Mr. Perkins is currently member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) where he co-chairs the Aerospace Manufacturing Industry Group.  He was awarded Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year for the Southwest Region in 2020.  Mr. Perkins holds an MBA with an emphasis in strategy and corporate finance, as well as a Bachelor of Science, from Texas Christian University.

Kevin L. Mitchell is sector vice president, Global Supply Chain (GSC), at Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, a premier provider of military aircraft, autonomous systems, aerospace structures and next-generation solutions.

In this role, Mitchell has multi-billion dollar responsibility for managing sector supply chain efforts and for creating the GSC strategies. In this role, Mitchell oversees a GSC operation that manages the many suppliers and teammates who comprise an essential part of the Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems team.

Mitchell has 32 years of success in managing large-scale operations. Mitchell most recently led the heritage Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Global Operations organization comprised of nearly 7,000 employees. This responsibility included oversight of the sector’s Global Supply Chain organization, Facilities and Environmental, Safety, Health and Medical organizations.

Other previous leadership roles include leading the Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence (CoE) in California. As the CoE leader, Mitchell was responsible for Engineering, Manufacturing and Quality to ensure the on-time delivery of high-quality, affordable products including the B-2, F-35, high-altitude, long-endurance programs, Unmanned Combat Air System and special programs. Prior to that, Mitchell was vice president and site manager for the company’s El Segundo facility and other remote locations in California. He was also responsible for manufacturing at Moss Point, Miss., and New Town, N.D. Prior to joining Northrop Grumman in 2003, he worked for McDonnell Douglas/Boeing.

Mitchell earned a Master of Science in global supply chain management from the University of Southern California. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a master’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in global management, from the University of Phoenix. He completed the following executive programs: Harvard University, creating corporate advantage; University of Washington, aerospace manufacturing; Stanford University, global supply chain management strategies; and holds a Six Sigma Green Belt from UCLA.

A current member of the El Segundo board of education, Mitchell serves on the University of San Diego Supply Chain Management Institute advisory board and the University of Southern California Marshall global supply chain management board. Mitchell is a board member for the California Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce and the Antelope Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.com and follow us on Twitter, @NGCNews, for more information.

Adam Bentkover is the Vice President of Acquisitions for HEICO Corporation and is responsible for leading the Company’s highly acquisitive growth effort.  HEICO Corporation is a rapidly growing aerospace, defense and diversified industrial company focused on niche markets with a market capitalization of more than $16 billion.  Since 1996, HEICO Corporation has completed more than 80 acquisitions, with 6 in Fiscal Year 2020 and 5 since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Prior to joining HEICO, Adam was a Vice President with Comvest Partners, and previously, he worked at Audax Partners and Citigroup Investment Banking.

 Adam received a B.A. from Colby College and currently resides in Miami with his wife Kimberly and son Daniel.