William F. Waite (Chairman and Chief Technical Officer)

As Chief Technical Officer and co-founder of The AEgis Technologies Group, Bill Waite directs a staff involved in a wide variety of modeling and simulation (M&S) activities, including simulation technologies evolution; simulation systems development; simulation verification, validation, and accreditation; simulation-based studies and analyses; and the development of hardware and software products supporting modern M&S practice. Mr. Waite has more than 30 years of professional involvement in all phases of the M&S life cycle and is currently active in the evolution of the M&S profession and the industry market. In addition, he is engaged in the further discovery and invention of M&S business practice. Mr. Waite received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Physics from Pennsylvania State University and his M.S. in Administrative Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Mr. Waite is active in several professional organizations related to his areas of expertise and interest. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Society for Modeling and Simulation International and was Chairman of the Summer Computer Simulation Conference for the past two years. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization and represents AEgis on the Modeling and Simulation Professional Certification Commission. Mr. Waite is also active in the National Training Systems Association, the International Test and Evaluation Association, and the National Defense Industrial Association. For recreation, he enjoys skiing, sailing, and scuba diving with his wife and family.

Steven S. Hill (President and Chief Executive Officer)

Steve Hill is co-founder and President and CEO of The AEgis Technologies Group, Inc.  As President/CEO, Mr. Hill provides ongoing executive direction of the AEgis Technologies 190 employees and its subsidiary organizations, divisions, and operations spanning 12 locations in nine states. Direct reports to the President/CEO include the Chief Operations Officer, Chief Technical Officer, Chief Financial Officer as well as Corporate Directors and Managers of the company’s administrative infrastructure (F&A, Contracts, IT, HR and Site Operations).  Mr. Hill received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and has continued his education through Vanderbilt University Owen School of Management.  He has spent most of his professional career since 1985 developing, applying, and managing modeling and simulation technologies.  Under the joint leadership of Mr. Hill and AEgis Chairman Bill Waite, AEgis Technologies has been established as a significant presence in the modeling and simulation industry while receiving awards and accolades to include three time recognition on Inc. Magazine’s 500 Fastest Growing Privately Held Small Businesses, 1998 Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year, and the 2006 North Alabama Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics.

Although Mr. Hill grew up in a variety of locations around the world, he considers the Huntsville area to be home. He and his wife, Andrea, have three beautiful children. Steve uses his leisure time to coach soccer and enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with his family. Mr. Hill serves on the Make-A-Wish Foundation Board of Directors; serves in leadership roles at Asbury United Methodist Church in Madison; and supports Madison Academy, the Huntsville Madison County Botanical Gardens, Huntsville Hospital, The Volunteer Center, The ARC of Madison County, Children’s Hospital of Birmingham, Compassion International, and the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce.

Lance Cooper (Chief Operating Officer)

In his capacity as COO, Lance reports to the President/CEO, Steve Hill, and his direct reports include regional and technical Vice-Presidents and Group Directors. Lance is responsible for the execution of a majority of the companies direct and indirect operations, for coordination with executive management peers, and for the accomplishment of objectives and achievement of metrics allocated to the COO. He actively and effectively collaborates with all members of the AEgis Executive and Senior Management Team, and leads those within his area of responsibility and authority to best support achievement of the AEgis vision

Lance has over 20 years of directly relevant experience in defense and aerospace management, weapons and sensor systems development, and modeling and simulation development and applications. He has successfully led the establishment of corporate infrastructure, the execution of essential indirect business development activity, and the conduct of line services operations; and combines his personal knowledge and experience with the structures and processes at AEgis. Lance graduated from UAH in 1988 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and completed his M.S. Industrial Engineering with emphasis in Engineering Management in 2000.

Lance grew up in nearby Guntersville, and moved to Huntsville in 1982 to attend UAH. Lance has many hobbies which include golf, hunting, and riding motorcycles. He and his wife Susan have two children and they attend Southwood Presbyterian Church.

Rodney Kreps (Chief Financial Officer)

In his role as Chief Financial Officer, Rodney Kreps is responsible for leading the financial operations of AEgis Technologies, representing the Company’s interests in working with customers, vendors, Government agencies, bankers, and other such relationships.  He and his staff support AEgis Management and Technical Staff through handling the business side of program efforts and managing the Company’s Finance and Accounting functions, as well as reporting on results to all stakeholders. 

Mr. Kreps has a broad range of experience over the past 32 years.  He began his professional career as a Certified Public Accountant with Ernst & Young, served as a Divisional Controller with Fluor / Daniel Corporation, and was CFO / Treasurer with Kappler Safety Group.  His operational experience includes serving as President of a Kappler subsidiary, as well as an owner / manager of a small family business.

Mr. Kreps earned his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Alabama’s School of Commerce & Business Administration, and is a Certified Public Accountant. 

His volunteer service over the years includes work with the Chamber of Commerce in various capacities, serving his church as Finance Committee Chairman and Parish Council President, and coaching youth soccer. His outside interests currently include activities with his ‘significant other’, Barbara, three adult children and three grandchildren on beach trips, hiking, whitewater rafting, swimming and fishing.

Patrick M. Cannon (Vice-president, Southwest Region)

In his capacity as Vice President, Southwest Operations, Mr. Cannon reports to the Corporate Operations Officer (COO) Lance Cooper. Residing in Albuquerque, NM, Mr. Cannon is responsible for the execution of AEgis’ direct and indirect operations in the Southwest, for coordination with Divisional peers, and for the accomplishment of objectives and achievement of metrics allocated to the Southwest Region. The Region’s focus is on Directed Energy, Test and Evaluation, Space, and Simulation-enhanced Training with customers in New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, and Washington.  He actively and effectively collaborates with all members of the AEgis Senior Management Team, and leads those activities within his area of responsibility and authority to best support achievement of the AEgis vision.

Mr. Cannon retired in 1998 after over 20 years service in the United States Army and opened AEgis’ Albuquerque office.  He has 30 years of experience in engineering and management, defense weapons development and evaluation, and the application of modeling and simulation to acquisition and training. He has successfully expanded the Albuquerque office to over 20 employees and $3M in annual revenue in his time with AEgis.  Mr. Cannon graduated from Texas A&M University in 1978 with a B.S. in Industrial Technology, and completed his M.S. in Operations Research at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1985.  He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the States of New Mexico and Virginia and is a Certified Modeling and Simulation Professional.

Mr. Cannon is active in several professional organizations. He is Past President of the Roadrunner Chapter of the International Test and Evaluation Association and is Co-Chair of the Directed Energy Test and Evaluation Conference jointly sponsored by ITEA and the Directed Energy Professional Society.   Mr. Cannon has also held leadership positions in the Military Operations Research Society and the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization. He has hobbies include golf, racquetball, and travel. He and his wife Donna have a daughter in medical school and a son who is an Aerospace Engineering major at Texas A&M.

David King (Vice-president, Simulation Development)
With more than 20 years in the Modeling, Simulation, and Training industry – and having served in product design and development, technology advancement, project management, and leadership positions – Mr. King is ideally suited to his role as Vice President of the Simulation Development Division.  He is a recognized leader and innovator in the MS&T industry, having co-founded and matured a two-man start-up company into a highly-successful 67-person small business (CG2, Inc.) in just seven years with no outside venture capital or investments. In addition to being recognized locally as an "Outstanding Small Business" for three consecutive years by the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, CG2 also received world-wide recognition for its cutting-edge technology.

Before co-founding CG2, David spent eight years in the US Army in missile-related fields. He worked for Electronic Associates Inc. and later AMTEC Corporation at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL, on a wide range of projects including the Sensor Vision III Real-Time IR Scene Generator, JAVELIN, STINGER, CHAPARRAL BAT, AIT, and THAAD HWIL simulations.

David and Stacey, his wife of 20 years, have four daughters and one son: Jessica, Jordan, Danielle, Sydney, and Dakota. David's hobbies are photography, golf, and camping with his family.  He is active in his children’s activities and is VP of Girls Soccer with the Sparkman High School Booster’s Club.

David Thomas (Vice-president, Microsystems)

In his role as Vice President of the Microsystems Group, David provides ongoing executive direction to multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists. The group is focused on developing advanced systems that employ micro and nano technologies. AEgis is applying this exciting area of science to a broad range of applications including photonics, directed energy diagnostics, and biological sensing. Mr. Thomas collaborates closely with the AEgis Senior Management team to ensure that this pioneering group supports the mission of AEgis. Mr. Thomas has over 15 years experience in research and product development with prior tenures in high tech industry, university and national laboratory settings. He has authored or co-authored six patents and over 40 peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters and technical publications. He received a BSc in Mechanical Engineering, and MSc in Physics from the University of Memphis.

David moved to Huntsville in 2005 with his lovely wife and daughter. Both David and his wife have been actively involved in programs that benefit underprivileged youth. Since adopting their daughter in 2001, they have supported adoption services throughout the country. In his leisure time, he enjoys music, reading and gardening.