Leadership & Team
Executive and technical leadership.
The people responsible for Hemisphere Defense
Hemisphere Defense is led across two areas: executive and technical leadership.
Executive Leadership
John B. Sawyer
Founder, Principal & Chief Executive Officer
John B. Sawyer is the Founder, Principal, and Chief Executive Officer of Hemisphere Aerospace Investments, providing executive leadership across HAI and Hemisphere Aerospace Defense. He brings nearly four decades of commercial aerospace experience, including three decades in executive and board-level roles, and has originated, negotiated, and closed more than 250 aircraft transactions. His career spans the full lifecycle of complex aviation assets: acquisition, financing, leasing, heavy maintenance, modification, and return to service.
Full profile: John B. SawyerCraig McPike
Chair, Board of Strategy & Oversight
Craig McPike, Brigadier General, U.S. Air Force Retired, chairs the Board of Strategy and Oversight for Hemisphere Aerospace Defense, guiding defense strategy, program oversight, and senior engagement with government, allied, and industry partners. He brings more than three decades of Air Force leadership, with assignments in five major commands spanning unit, group, wing, MAJCOM, and Air Staff levels, including command of organizations exceeding 12,000 personnel.
Full profile: Craig McPikeBrendan McPherson
Board Member and Senior Strategic Advisor
Brendan McPherson serves as a Member of the Board and Senior Strategic Advisor for Hemisphere Aerospace Defense, supporting defense strategy, program oversight, and senior engagement with government, allied, and industry partners. A retired United States Coast Guard Rear Admiral, he brings nearly four decades of maritime security and homeland defense leadership. Rear Admiral McPherson served nearly 12 cumulative years at sea aboard six cutters, including command of three.
Full profile: Brendan McPhersonAlex Hart
Chief Financial Officer
Alex Hart serves as Chief Financial Officer for Hemisphere Aerospace Investments and Hemisphere Aerospace Defense, bringing experience across financial operations, accounting, government contracting, and regulatory compliance. Within the defense sector, he helped scale a finance and accounting organization from approximately 30 to more than 200 employees.
Full profile: Alex HartTechnical Leadership
Robert Riedell
Director of Programs
Robert Riedell serves as Director of Programs for Hemisphere Aerospace Defense, bringing more than 30 years of aerospace and defense leadership experience spanning military aviation, aircraft modernization, engineering, sustainment, certification, flight test, and complex program execution. Prior to HAD, Robert served as General Manager of Level 5 Aerospace, where he led the establishment and FAA Part 145 certification of a new MRO operation.
Full profile: Robert RiedellChip Fichtner
Head of Engineering
Chip Fichtner serves as Head of Engineering for Hemisphere Aerospace Defense, leading system and platform engineering, technical design, engineering standards, and program execution across development efforts. He brings more than 40 years as an engineering and operations executive, including service as an Executive Director at RTX, where he led large engineering, manufacturing, quality, and program-management organizations.
Full profile: Chip FichtnerDalton Sawyer
Technical Director
Dalton Sawyer serves as Technical Director for Hemisphere Aerospace Investments and Hemisphere Aerospace Defense, providing technical leadership across commercial and defense programs. He works closely with engineering teams, program leadership, and strategic partners to ensure technical requirements, systems integration, and engineering efforts remain aligned with mission objectives and program goals.
Full profile: Dalton SawyerAustin Fichtner
Technology Strategy & Integration
Austin Fichtner supports technology strategy, systems integration, and industrialization across Hemisphere Aerospace Defense programs, helping translate emerging technologies and complex engineering concepts into scalable, operational capabilities. His work spans advanced manufacturing, autonomy and sensing technologies, digital systems, and the production strategies that move programs from early development toward deployment.
Full profile: Austin FichtnerHemisphere Defense and Hemisphere Aerospace Investments (HAI) share executive leadership.
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