About

As President and CEO of Ravenswood Solutions, Mr. Peppel leads the company in maintaining quality performance to existing customers, and to an expanding customer base both domestic and abroad. Mr. Peppel previously spent 18 years at SRI, where the core technologies for Ravenswood products were developed. Mr. Peppel’s numerous contributions include leading the development of the FlexTrain instrumentation system, serving as a founding member of the US Army National Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program, creating and applying the company’s Training as a Service (TaaS) business model, and expanding Ravenswood’s business presence to the UK and Kenya.

Mr. Peppel received his BS in aeronautical engineering from Cal Poly and completed an Executive Leadership Development program at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. As an undergrad, he was a member of the debate team and winner of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) National Design Competition.

Mr. Gimbel is the general manager for Ravenswood’s UK-based subsidiary, Ravenswood Technologies UK Ltd. He has 15+ years of experience working in system development, field operations, and program management. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering from Harvey Mudd College.

David Cullen, already an Advisor to Ravenswood Solutions in the US and a Non-Executive Director to our company in the UK, has joined Ravenswood’s Kenyan subsidiary, Ravenswood Technologies Kenya Ltd (RTKL). David will oversee Team Ravenswood’s delivery of the British Army’s TESIK project and company interests in Africa, whilst remaining engaged in our wider Global initiatives, not least the British Army’s Collective Training Service and its desire to appoint a Strategic Training Partner.

A veteran of 35 years, David was previously the British Army’s Assistant Chief (their Chief Operating Officer), its principal representative in the MOD, Whitehall, the Capital and Internationally. In his military career, he participated in policy formulation and crisis management, at the highest political levels, and exercised combat command throughout the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. His strong international credentials and extensive network will help develop our strategies and support new partnerships globally.

Beyond Ravenswood, he retains his positions as Chairman of a large Veterans’ Charity in the UK, and that of Tor Group, an international shipbuilder headquartered in the UK.

As the Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Young plays a key role in to helping to achieve Ravenswood Solutions’ business and social goals, as well as increase the company’s overall value by leading and guiding the development of an efficient, versatile, and progressive business operations. He is responsible for ensuring business operations are in compliance with all applicable regulations regarding asset management, facilities, health & safety, international trade compliance, quality, and security for Ravenswood. Mr. Young began as an intern with SRI International in 2004 and transitioned to a Systems Engineer in 2005 after graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Throughout his nineteen years, Mr. Young has served in a number of different roles to include Sustainment Manager, I&C Chief with the XCTC Program, Engineering Manager, and Director of Business Operations.

Mr. Hislop, a certified public accountant, oversees all areas of Ravenswood’s accounting, budgeting, and proposal pricing while also contributing to strategic planning, operational skills, and business support and acquisitions. He has over 20 years of experience working with senior leadership in reviewing internal systems, financial reporting, profit improvement and cash flow management. Mr. Hislop received his BS in Accounting from Howard University and has extensive experience working as a CFO to small businesses in the Government contract space.

As the Director of Human Resources, Ms. Gribben is responsible for the growth, care, and development of Ravenswood Employees. She began her HR career at a Food and Beverage start up in Silicon Valley and then joined Ravenswood in 2016 where she has has been a major contributor to the foundation of the Human Resources group while helping to shape corporate strategy and workplace culture. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Health Science from San Jose State University.

As the Director of Capture Management, Ms. Atlas has a leadership role overseeing all aspects of the capture process from opportunity qualification through proposal submission as well as monitoring for government funding trends. Prior to joining Ravenswood, Ms. Atlas spent 27 years at SRI International building the skills she brought to Ravenswood in 2015. She works closely to support Executive Management and the Capture Team, helping gather resources needed to maintain and seek out new partnerships while ensuring the team stays coordinated on all fronts. In addition, Ms. Atlas takes the lead for Ravenswood’s Marketing and Communications efforts while also serving as Quality Manager.

As the Director of Products & Development and Technology Programs, Mr. Hawkins leads a talented team of engineers to provide clients with leading-edge solutions tailored to their specific needs. He specializes in both system design and deployment, and he has fielded instrumented training systems for more than 14 years. Mr. Hawkins holds a BS in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College and a BA in Economics from Claremont McKenna College.

As the Director of Field Operations, Bill Cox focuses on the delivery of value-added services in support of the design, prototyping, testing, integration, production, and delivery of Ravenswood products, most notably within the Training as a Service (TaaS) business model in accordance  with the strategic plan of Ravenswood.  Mr. Cox also serves as Program Manager for Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) events and is the active lead in bringing and demonstrating Ravenswood technology to various international customers.  After being hired as a Communications Chief for the Army National Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program in 2012, he served as an Instrumentation & Communications Chief and After-Action Review Production Team Leader working with a multi-functional, distributed team in planning, developing, and executing training exercise criteria and scope.

Prior to joining SRI, Mr. Cox served in the United States Marine Corps for 21 years serving in a variety of Military Occupational Skills from Infantry, Security Forces and Communications.   Tours of duty spanning across the world from Japan, throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and multiple locations in the United States from the East Coast to Hawaii.  During (more…)

As President and CEO of Ravenswood Solutions, Mr. Peppel leads the company in maintaining quality performance to existing customers, and to an expanding customer base both domestic and abroad. Mr. Peppel previously spent 18 years at SRI, where the core technologies for Ravenswood products were developed. Mr. Peppel’s numerous contributions include leading the development of the FlexTrain instrumentation system, serving as a founding member of the US Army National Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program, creating and applying the company’s Training as a Service (TaaS) business model, and expanding Ravenswood’s business presence to the UK and Kenya.

Mr. Peppel received his BS in aeronautical engineering from Cal Poly and completed an Executive Leadership Development program at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. As an undergrad, he was a member of the debate team and winner of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) National Design Competition.

Stephen Ciesinski is the Chairman of the Board of Ravenswood Solutions.

As president of SRI International, Stephen Ciesinski jointly develops SRI strategy with the CEO and ensures that corporate resources and talent are aligned with supporting SRI’s research needs. Mr. Ciesinski also serves as president of Global Partnerships at SRI. His organization has overall responsibility for identifying and securing SRI’s business opportunities in domestic and international commercial markets, U.S. and foreign government agencies, and R&D-based universities.

Ciesinski’s professional experience includes a number of industries and businesses: applications software, semiconductor capital equipment, telecommunications, mobile/wireless, medical devices, open innovation, and others. As a corporate officer, board member, advisor and investor, he has participated in or managed numerous strategic events, including new business formation, product launches, private financings, IPOs, M&A transactions, and leveraged buyouts. (more…)

John Prausa helped found Ravenswood Solutions and was the initial Chairman of the Board.  He now serves on the Board of Directors.

Mr. Prausa retired from SRI International (SRI) in 2017 after a 42-year career leading Engineering Research and Development teams.  He had increasingly responsible positions before being appointed as the Sr. Vice President of the Engineering and Systems Group (ESG), at the time the largest R&D group at SRI.

In that role, he had three Divisions reporting to him, 15 regional offices, and 800 staff members conducting research, development and deployment of technologies and systems in the areas of robotics and autonomous systems, space research, radar and signal sensing, intelligence, test and training systems and wireless communications.  Teams working under Mr. Prausa developed (more…)

Alan Stewart is a Managing Director with RA Capital Advisors. Previously, Mr. Stewart served as the CFO and Chief Development Officer of Epsilon Systems Solutions for more than ten years. In this capacity, Mr. Stewart led the infrastructure development, financial affairs, and M&A activity of the company as it grew from approximately $40 million in revenues to over $130 million.

Over the last 20 years, Mr. Stewart has served as an executive, owner, and board member for companies ranging in size from start-up to $100M+ and in industries ranging from internet, real estate, technology, staffing, software, fitness and media to government contracting. Prior to his business career, Mr. Stewart served over ten years as a nuclear engineer in the United States Navy submarine force. (more…)

John McIntire became general counsel of SRI International in June 2015. He and his team advise SRI in matters of ethics and regulatory compliance and provide guidance to all of SRI’s revenue-generating activities, which encompass multi-million dollar government and commercial R&D services and contracts, commercial licensing, and venture-related transactions. Both as an individual contributor and as the leader of high-performing teams, he has played a central role in many of SRI’s most significant transactions in the last decade.

In his 20-year career as a corporate lawyer, McIntire has provided legal and business counsel to some of the nation’s leading organizations. Prior to joining SRI in 2003, McIntire held several positions with SAP, including corporate and business development roles in Asia and Europe. He ultimately served as vice president of SAP’s Global Intellectual Property group.

(more…)

General Sharp commanded the United Nations Command, Republic of Korea – United States Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea. General Sharp’s multiple command positions include: Regimental Commander 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk, Louisiana; Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Red Cloud, South Korea; and Division Commander, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia. He commanded troops in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and SFOR’s Multinational Division (North) in Bosnia.

General Sharp had four assignments at the Pentagon on the Joint Staff. He was the Deputy Director, J5 for Western Hemisphere/Global Transnational Issues; the Vice Director, J8 for Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment; the Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, J5; and the Director of the Joint Staff. (more…)

Glenn Webster is a 41-year Army veteran who commanded units in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan and the United States. A graduate of West Point, General Webster commanded at every level from platoon to division and field army. His operational experience includes assignments with five different Army divisions, two combatant commands, and twice with a field army and land component command. General Webster commanded a US tank battalion, training it in the US and in Germany. He was then selected to be the senior Armor and Cavalry Observer-Controller (OC) at the National Training Center (NTC) after DESERT STORM. He was the Commanding General of the NTC from 1998-2000. At the time of the September 11th attacks, General Webster was serving in the Pentagon as the Army’s Director of Training. (more…)

Lieutenant General H Steven Blum retired after serving the Nation for over 42 years. General Blum’s final assignment was as the Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command, and Vice Commander, U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command (USELEMENORAD), headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, where he was the first National Guard officer to serve as a Deputy Combatant Commander.

General Blum has been appointed to the position of Executive in Residence with The Johns Hopkins University, School of Education, Division of Public Safety and Leadership. This appointment reflects the experience, education and the many contributions he has made to the nation in the field of public safety. (more…)

Lieutenant General Richard Zilmer retired from active duty in January of 2011 following over 36 years of commissioned service. Among a variety of professional and volunteer activities, LtGen Zilmer presently sits on the CNA Military Advisory Board. LtGen Zilmer is an independent consultant and past board member with the Hershey Trust Company and Milton Hershey School Board of Managers where he served as Vice Chairman. He presently serves as a Highly Qualified Employee and Senior Mentor for the US Army.

During his military career, Zilmer served in a variety of operational and staff assignments throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan. His operational commands consisted of Commanding Officer First Battalion, First Marines, Commanding Officer 15^th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Commanding General Multinational Forces -West (Anbar Province, Iraq) and Commanding General III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. Zilmer completed combat tours during Lebanon Peacekeeping Operations, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

(more…)

LTG Stephen Lanza (Ret.) spent 37 years filling numerous roles in the US Army. Most recently, he served as the Commanding General for the US Army I Corps and Combined Joint Task Force Courage. He has commanded Soldiers at every echelon from Platoon to Corps, including the 5th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq; 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord; and the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas.

LTG Lanza’s operational deployment experience includes Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia; Operation Joint Guard, Bosnia-Herzegovina; Kosovo; Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq; and Operation New Dawn, Iraq. His senior staff assignments include Chief of the Joint Capabilities Division, J8, the Joint Staff; Deputy Commanding General for V Corps, US Army Europe and Seventh Army; and G3, Chief of Operations, US Army Europe and Seventh Army.

(more…)

While on active duty in the U.S. Army, Jerry commanded at various levels to include the 2^nd Division Artillery in Korea and the Army Laboratory Command. His last assignment was as the Army Chief of Legislative Liaison. He was active in the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and served as its vice president for STEM education. He also served as Chapter President of the George Washington Chapter of the Association of the U. S. Army.

Jerry Harrison served as Vice President and General Manager of Government Business Development at SRI International, focusing on the strategic expansion of SRI’s business with defense and civilian government agencies. (more…)

Major General R. Mark Brown completed active duty as the Commanding General of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Joint Theater Support Contracting Command (C-JTSCC) headquartered at Camp As Sayliyah Qatar. The command executed support to warfighters in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), conducting approximately 80 percent of all contracting actions in Afghanistan. In this capacity, he served as Head of Contracting Activity for C-JTSCC and had oversight and coordination authority for contracting in Iraq, Kuwait and Pakistan.

In his prior assignment as Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management for the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) he was responsible for executive program management oversight for cost, schedule and technical performance, and implementation of acquisition policy and systems integration for over 600 Army programs. (more…)

Major General Spiese was commissioned via the NROTC program after receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in May of 1976.

His final assignment on active duty was Deputy Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force, and Commanding General, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Prior to this assignment, he commanded the Marine Corps’ Training and Education Command, and had command of Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twenty Nine Palms, California. (more…)

Marty Umbarger is president of Umbarger Agribusiness, a family-owned business for more than 79 years located in Bargersville, Indiana with three divisions:  Feed Mill Operations, Grain Facility, and Agronomy Plant.  He is a senior policy advisor with Bose Public Affairs Group, and an advisory consultant for AM General Corporation, South Bend, Indiana. Mr. Umbarger has extensive experience in both the agriculture and defense sectors.

Mr. Umbarger served 46 years in the Indiana National Guard in many staff and command positions. He is a graduate of the US Army Command And General Staff College and the US Army War College.  His military awards include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, military medals of the Slovak Republic, of which he is an honorary citizen, and others.  In March 2004, Governor Joe Kernan appointed General Umbarger as the Adjutant General of Indiana.  He was reappointed by Governor Mitch Daniels in December 2004, and by Vice President Michael Pence, in December 2012. General Umbarger received praise from leaders, including Pence, who praised him for his lifelong service to our state and nation.

(more…)

James “Pat” O’Neal completed 30 years of service as the DCSOPS for FORSCOM after serving on duty in command of armored formations, operations, plans, and training. He served in assignments worldwide involving deployment and employment of forces into uncertain situations like the Balkans. Spanning the period from 1969 to 1999, Pat O’Neal served in critical command positions from company to division, on the faculty of the United States Military Academy, as a fellowship student at the Harvard Kennedy School.  His service includes duty in the Republic of Vietnam, the Federal Republic of Germany, Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Iraq and the United States. (more…)