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Executive Biographies

Perfect Point EDM Management Team

BIO

James (Jim) Becker - President

Jim Becker was appointed President December 2021.  Reporting directly to PPEDM’s Board of Directors, Jim manages the company and its aggressive come to market strategy.

Prior to this roll Jim served as General Manager and Vice President of Sales & Marketing.  Acting as Perfect Point EDM’s senior customer facing representative, Jim was pivotal in defining and executing a marketing strategy for a first-of-kind market disrupting technology.  In this role, Jim has managed a network of sales representatives and partnered with major aerospace organizations for product vetting and adoption.  Concurrent to this role, Jim is also heavily involved with product definition and testing, and directly contributed to the development road map of the E-Drill product line.

Before joining Perfect Point EDM, Jim was the Site Manager for Boeing’s San Diego-Based MV-22 Product Support Group.  In this role, Jim established a new business facility and oversaw 40+ employees executing ~$15-20M/Year in contracts supporting Boeing’s U.S. Marine Corps customers across the Pacific.  Prior to Boeing, Jim served in the United States Marine Corps from 2001-2011.  He deployed numerous times to Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and Europe as an airframe structural mechanic and helicopter crew chief.

Jim received his B.S. in Technical Management- focused in Program/Project Management from Embry Riddle.  He is also a licensed A&P Mechanic and holds several certificates in Industrial Engineering, Earned Value Management, and Lean/6 Sigma Manufacturing.

BIO

William Palleva - Vice President, CTO and Product Design

Mr. Palleva is an Industrial Designer with over 30 years’ experience. He was formerly President of Nagy Design of Huntington Beach, California. Nagy Design was PPEDM’s alliance partner for the design and production of prototype SPEC-EDM tool heads and the E-Drill family of products. While at Nagy Design Bill oversaw all Perfect Point design projects. Bill provided product design, mechanical engineering, robotic engineering, electronic design, prototype development and systems integration services to both Fortune 500 corporations and technology startups for more than 20 years.

Earlier in his career Bill was a designer focused on motorcycle and automotive products for companies including Honda, Suzuki and Harley Davidson.

Bill received his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois.

BIO

Jennifer Bermudez - Vice President, Business Operations

Jennifer is the Vice President of Business Operations at Perfect Point EDM Corp.  She joined Perfect Point in 2017 as the Manager of Accounting and Finance. With over 20 years of experience in Human Resources Management and Health and Safety, her role was expanded to include Human Resources, and Health and Safety. Prior to joining Perfect Point, Jennifer worked in the Oil and Gas Industry handling million-dollar projects related to health and safety. Previously she held Human Resource Management positions in the Healthcare Industry and Marketing positions in the Mortgage Industry.

BIO

Dillon Pack - Vice President, Manufacturing & Logistics

Dillon has 15 years of experience in supply chain management, inventory control, logistics and manufacturing operations. Prior to joining Perfect Point, Dillon work in the Insulated Metal Panel Industry where he managed logistics, purchasing and inventory control for two facilities.

Perfect Point EDM Board of Directors

BIO

Larry Harrell - Executive Chairman

Larry Harrell is the Executive Chairman of the Board of Perfect Point EDM Corporation.  From October 2016 to Oct 2020, he served as the President and CEO.   Prior to being the CEO, Larry served on the Perfect Point Board of Directors and became the Chairman of the Board in 2014.

After 45 years of professional experience in the defense industry, including 26 years with Northrop Grumman, Larry Harrell retired as a Northrop Grumman Vice President in February 2008. He started Larry Harrell and Associates in 2009 and provided consulting services. He consulted with GenCorp on the acquisition of Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne in 2013 and supported the transition team in the integration of Rocketdyne.

He was the Managing Director and CEO of AGS Industries GmbH, a joint venture company that represented the interest of the six shareholder companies and the Industrial Participation interests of all the NATO countries. He was responsible for managing the prime contract for the NATO AGS Program.

Prior to this assignment, Larry was Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Technology.  His responsibilities included Sector business strategy, front-end merger, acquisition and divestiture, and optimizing technology investments about developing the company’s strategic framework.

Larry was part of the Northrop Grumman Corporate mergers and acquisition team from 1994-2006, which completed 23 transactions totaling more than $40B.  He led the team for the acquisition and integration of Teledyne Ryan, Litton’s Ingalls and Avondale shipyards, Newport News shipyard, and Scaled Composites. He also led the divestiture of the Northrop Grumman Commercial Aircraft Division and the TRW Automotive business and including the shutdown of the TRW Corporate offices.

Larry has expertise in engineering, test and evaluation, research and development, program management, manufacturing operations, business development, Corporate strategy, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and acquisition integration including cost saving initiatives.

Larry holds a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a master’s degree in technology management from Pepperdine University. He has also earned a certificate in toxic and hazardous materials management from the University of California at Los Angeles and completed executive management and marketing programs from the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management, MIT, and the Cranfield University School of Management in London.

Larry has also served on the Board of Directors for Scaled Composites, Aurora Flight Sciences, and Hiller Aviation Institute. In 2000, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors for TRW Automotive. He currently serves as Executive Chairman of the Board for Perfect Point EDM Corporation.

Larry has 10 years of entrepreneur investing experience as an investor, an entrepreneur, fund raising, board advisor, and instructor for entrepreneur education.

BIO

Stephen T. Sargeant - Director

Major General Steve Sargeant, USAF (Ret.) is the CEO of Marvin Test Solutions having joined the company in June of 2012 after retiring from the USAF with the rank of Major General. Steve also serves as the Vice President of Strategic Development for The Marvin Group. With over 20 years of senior executive experience in all aspects of aerospace operations and testing in organizations ranging in size from 200 to 160,000 personnel, Steve is leading Marvin Test Solutions’ growth and expansion as a world leader in the global mil-aero and commercial test and measurement industries.

General Sargeant’s focus is to position MTS, a vertically integrated aerospace test and measurement company, as the preferred provider delivering domain expertise and a customer-centric approach with long-term, unrivaled support. He is growing the company’s customer base, ranging from the U.S. Armed Forces and their Allies to global aerospace and manufacturing firms, ensuring the company’s customized test solutions meet customers’ mission-critical requirements.

Previously, he served as commandant of the US Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada, and commanded the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, and the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Arizona. He served in numerous joint and coalition assignments including deputy chief of staff of Strategy for Combined Joint Task Force 7 and deputy chief of staff, Strategy, Plans, and Assessment for Multi-National Force – Iraq in Baghdad.

A command pilot with over 3,100 flying hours primarily in the A-10A and F-16A/B/C/D, Sargeant has received dozens of awards and decorations including the Air Force Distinguished Service and Bronze Star Medals, 2006 People to People–Korea Outstanding Service Award, and 2009 General Thomas D. White Air Force Space Trophy. He is an experienced public speaker as well as a command pilot with more than 3,100 flying hours. He is a member of BENS, CFR, NDIA, AME, AFA, AUSA, AAAA, ITEA, and the Harvard Alumni Assoc. Steve also serves as the Chairman of the board for the Greater Los Angeles (Bob Hope) USO and served as the interim Chairman of the Board for the USO West Region.

BIO

Mahinder Chugh - Director

Mahinder Chugh is also the President of Keiretsu Forum Mumbai, India since June 2016 where so far 60 investment opportunities have been presented and 18 successful cross border investments made so far.

He has been a partner with AURA INVESTMENT PARTNERS LLC since 2011 and set up the LLC in Los Angeles with an office in Bombay for Cross-border Advisory and investments within the IndiaUSA corridor with a focus on technology transfer in the Automotive, Aerospace, and Education, Energy, Health-care and Media/Entertainment sectors. Mahinder has advised several companies in the US and India and developed their market entry and execution strategies.

He has also made 8 private investments so far and is representing Tata Autocomp Systems Ltd. (TACO) to develop their export business in the US.

Mahinder has held prominent positions with the following Companies:

  •  2007-2011 Managing Director –Asia Pacific and Board Member Valiant-TMS Systems Pvt. Ltd. India
  • 2005-2007 Chief Executive Officer (US Operations) TATA AUTOCOMP SYSTEMS (TACO) USA
  • 2004- 2008 Independent Director ATX GROUP, U.S.A.
  • 2006-2007 Independent Director THE FREEDOM GROUP U.S.A...
  • 2001- 2004 PRESIDENT & CEO SUPER MAX (AMERICAS)
  • 1999-2001 ERNST &YOUNG INDIA Partner & Head of Corporate Finance
  • 1997-1999 LAZARD INDIA Director & Head of Corporate Finance

Mahinder has an MBA from the University of Pune (India) and a Post Graduate in International Trade (India)

BIO

Scott Seymour - Director

Scott Seymour has held several senior executive positions during his career in The Defense and Aerospace Industry, which spans five decades.  He was President and CEO of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc. from 2010 until he retired in June of 2015.  Prior to Aerojet Rocketdyne, he was President of the Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Sector (formerly "Intergrated Systems") from January 2002 until he retired in April 2008.  During his career, Mr. Seymour has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to transition early stage breakthrough technologies through the product development cycle into full scale production.  He participated in various capacities on five different Collier Award winning programs.

While at Aerojet Rocketdyne, a world recognized Aerospace and Defense rocket propulsion engineering and manufacturing company, Mr. Seymour was responsible for a portfolio that consisted of products in support of space, missile defense, strategic, tactical, and armament systems in domestic and international markets. Prior to joining Aerojet Rocketdyne, Mr. Seymour served in several senior leadership positions at Northrop Grumman, including Corporate Vice President and President of Aerospace Systems, Vice President of Air Combat Systems, and Vice President and B-2 program manager.

While serving as President of the Aerospace Systems Sector, the portfolio Mr. Seymour led included the B-2 Stealth Bomber, Navy Unmanned Combat Air System (N-UCAS), RQ-4A Global Hawk, Broad Aero Maritime Surveillance (BAMS), RQ-8A Firescout, E-8 Joint STARS and the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.  He was also responsible for the Company's efforts on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and F-35 programs.  Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Mr. Seymour was involved in the manufacture and flight testing of the F-14A, EF-111A and the F/A-18A aircraft for Grumman Aerospace and McDonnell Douglas. A United States Marine Corps Veteran, Mr. Seymour holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, New York.  He received his Juris Doctorate from Western State University College of Law in San Diego, California.  Mr. Seymour is a member of the Florida Institute of Technology Board of Trustees; the Board of Trustees of the U.S.A.F. National Museum in Daytona, Ohio; and the Air Warrior Courage Foundation Board.

Mr. Seymour is married and has four children.

BIO

Stuart Witt - Director

Stuart Witt is founder and owner of S.O. Witt and Associates LLC consulting. The former CEO and General Manager of the Mojave Air & Space Port, where he directed the region’s expansion efforts from April 2002 to Jan 2016.  A 47-year aviation professional with extensive experience in operational, research and developmental test flying, engineering and aviation management and airport leadership.  In 2004, Mojave was designated the nation’s first inland spaceport when it played host to the world as Scaled Composites qualified and won the $10M Ansari X PRIZE giving birth to the commercial manned spaceflight industry. The Trump Administration nominated and selected Stuart as a member of the Space Council User Advisory Group in 2018 where he currently serves.  Stuart is a founding executive member of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and Chairman Emeritus.  Additionally, Stuart is a past Trustee and Chairman Emeritus (11 years) on the Kern Community College Board.  Stuart and his wife Susan live in Ridgecrest and have three grown sons.  Stuart remains current on commercial space activity and renewable energy projects as the sole proprietor of a strategic consulting firm.

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