K E Y S T O N E
SUSTAINMENT
2025 KEYSTONE PANEL
SUSTAINMENT PANEL
Tuesday, May 13th @ 10:00 AM
“Enhancing Aircraft Airworthiness and Sustainment Through Digital Materiel Management and Predictive Logistics”
The aerospace industry is undergoing a significant shift towards digital transformation, driven by the need for improved aircraft airworthiness and sustainment. Digital Materiel Management (DMM) and Predictive Logistics (PL) are key enablers of this transformation, offering unprecedented opportunities for optimization across the aircraft lifecycle. By leveraging advanced digital technologies, DMM and PL can predict and prevent maintenance issues (transform its operations), reduce downtime (improve efficiency), and optimize logistics operations (reduce costs). As the industry continues to evolve, the use of DMM, PL, and lifecycle optimization will become increasingly important for maintaining a competitive edge and ensuring the safety and airworthiness of aircraft.
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MODERATOR MR. CHRIS MARDIS Lead Executive, Logistics/Sustainment, Rotary and Training Systems, Lockheed Martin Government Affairs Chris Mardis is Lead Executive for Logistics/Sustainment, Rotary and Training Systems, Lockheed Martin Government Affairs, Dayton Field Office. In addition to serving as the functional area liaison for logistics and sustainment issues with the Air Force Materiel Command Headquarters and Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Mr. Mardis is the company representative to the Helicopter Program Office. He is also active as an industry representative to the local business professional community as a member of the Logistics Officer Association and a former President of the Wright Brothers Regional Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association. Mr. Mardis joined Lockheed Martin in 2018 after a 26+ year Air Force career and five years as an aerospace industry consultant. He is an aircraft maintenance and military logistics professional with experience at the field, depot/MRO, headquarters and program office levels, commanding three maintenance squadrons and a maintenance group. As an Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Mr. Mardis supported the C-5, C-9, C-12, C-17, C-20, C-21, C-40, C-130, C-141, KC-10 and UH-1 aircraft. Contingency operations experience included Operations DESERT SHIELD/STORM, IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM and TOMODACHI. He retired from the Air Force as a Colonel in 2012. Mr. Mardis holds an undergraduate degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. |
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PANELIST MS. MELINDA LAUBACH-HOCK, PHD Director of Sustainment, NIAR As the NIAR Director of Sustainment, Melinda Laubach-Hock oversees teardown and inspection programs, airframe and ground vehicle digital twin programs, and research programs designed to integrate emerging technologies into sustainment environments, particularly military depots. Since 2002, Melinda has held various leadership roles within NIAR overseeing pro-grams with sustainment objectives to support general aviation airframes and military airframes including B-1, B-52, C-5, C-130, F-16, F-18, F-35, KC-135, T-34, T-38, and UH-60 among others. Prior to joining NIAR, Melinda worked for Cessna Aircraft Company and NASA while earning her BS in Aerospace Engineering. Since joining NIAR, Melinda has earned her MS and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University. |
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PANELIST LT. COL. RYAN POSPISAL Director of the Digital Acceleration Task Force, AFMC Lt Col Ryan Pospisal is the Director of the Digital Acceleration Task Force, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. He spearheads a team of ten specialists in Digital Materiel Management. His team executes strategic planning and implementation of data and integrated digital environment projects across the command. The team promotes the adoption of "digital first" technologies, crucial for enhancing the efficiency and speed of weapon system acquisition and sustainment. He entered the Air Force in August 2004 and earned his commission through Officer Training School. Lt Col Pospisal is a career acquisition officer with a variety of duties including sustainment of multiple weapon systems, intelligence analysis, systems engineering, munitions testing and program management. He had the opportunity to lead international teams while assigned at the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force Headquarters, Geilenkirchen, Germany, where he was responsible for management and sustainment for the fleet of 14 NATO E3A aircraft. Prior to his current position, Lt Col Pospisal was assigned as Technology Development Branch Chief and the Agility Prime Program Lead, Mobility and Training Aircraft Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. |
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PANELIST Mr. Earl Scott Global Fleet Support Director, Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Earl Scott is the Global Fleet Support Director. In this capacity he leads standard work activities in the execution and delivery of aircraft sustainment products and services and achievement of schedule, technical and quality performance targets. He routinely interfaces with programs, functions, suppliers and customers. Prior to joining Lockheed Earl was Director, Air Force Logistics, Palantir Technologies; and prior to that he was the Director of Business Development, AF Services, Boeing Global Services. In both of these roles he led diverse teams to create and advance customer relation-ships to cultivate and grow business in the Air Force logistics enterprise. A retired Colonel, and 26-year veteran of the active duty AF, Earl previously served as the Maintenance Group Commander at Travis AFB, CA, the largest industrial complex in Air Mobility Command. In this position he led over 3,000 personnel, was responsible for manag-ing 75 facilities and performing all aircraft sustainment engineering, logistics and air cargo op-erations on over 2,600 military and commercial aircraft annually. His additional AF experience includes serving as the Maintenance Group Commander at RAF Mildenhall, England, Deputy Maintenance Group Commander at Joint Base Charleston, SC; and Deputy Director of both the Force Development & Information Systems Branch, HAF/A4, Pentagon, where he developed Air Force-wide strategic and training policy for over 150,000 logistics personnel maintaining more than 5,400 military aircraft. Earl earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a Master of Science degree from The Air University, Air War College and a Master of Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He’s been married to his wife for 32 years and they have two sons. |
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PANELIST Dr. Paul Hartman President, RGBSI Aerospace and Defense Dr. Paul L. Hartman is President at RGBSI Aerospace and Defense, an SBA-certified Woman Owned Small Business focused on providing Artificial Intelligence, Digital Engineering, and Model-based Manufacturing solutions. Dr. Hartman has nearly 40 years of experience leading engineering, manufacturing, product quality, supply chain, and technology-enabled programs for the Department of Defense. Dr. Hartman earned Masters and Doctorate degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Graduate School of Engineering and Management, completed the USAF Enterprise Logistics Executive Capstone Course, and the Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business Executive Development Program. |
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