Alion announces new head of ISR, Systems

McLean, VA-based Alion announced on February 1 that Alan Dietrich has assumed the role of senior vice president and group manager for the company’s Rapid Solutions Group (RSG), following more than a year of success in his previous role as the deputy group manager for the company’s Digital Solutions Group (DSG). In his role as RSG group manager, Dietrich is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Alion’s ISR and systems engineering and integration work.

“Al is an accomplished leader with experience in technical and business management and proven success leading teams in both expanding and declining market conditions,” said Alion CEO Steve Schorer, who joined the company in May 2017. “He understands how to run and grow a business. He’s proven that throughout his career, and his experience positions him perfectly to lead our RSG group moving forward.”

Dietrich came to Alion in late 2016, following time spent as an operating partner and senior advisor for a number of private equity firms supporting investments in the aerospace, defense, and security markets. Prior to that, he was a group president for DRS Technologies, during which he developed considerable experience in international markets, especially the Pacific Rim and Middle East. As a group president, Dietrich managed a $500M group of businesses that provided border security and force protection systems, naval C2 and sensors, aviation maintenance and support, and integrated manufacturing services to the U.S. DOD, DHS, and international defense and security customers. He also led the formation of a joint venture company in Saudi Arabia to expand DRS’ presence in the Saudi defense and security market. Dietrich also served DRS as president of the Intelligence Technologies business unit. This $250M business unit served the intelligence community and major ISR system primes with high performance SigInt, ComInt, and SatCom products and subsystems. During this assignment, he sourced and executed two strategic acquisitions that enhanced subsystems offerings, expanded revenue by more than $50M, and significantly expanded international market presence.

Before joining DRS Technologies, Dietrich was a corporate VP and group president for L3 Communications Holdings, where he was responsible for a $250M group providing telemetry, instrumentation, and satellite tracking and control products. The group served the defense, civil, and commercial space, including commercial telecomm markets. In 2003, Dietrich was assigned responsibility for the integration of the company’s newly acquired airborne EO/IR sensor business, adding more than $100M in revenue to the group with operations in both the defense and civil aviation markets.

Prior to his tenure at L3 Communications, Dietrich spent more than a decade in senior business development and operational leadership positions with Honeywell International. There, he was responsible for the D.C.-based Government Operations and Marketing group, leading U.S. government and defense customer relations for the $2.5B defense and space segment of the aerospace sector. Prior to this role, he was general manager of a $160M communications business and led a major turnaround of business performance, which earned him the Chairman’s Hero Award.

“The technical talent at Alion is some of the best I have seen in my long career,” said Dietrich. “Meanwhile, the commercial investment in cutting-edge technology, as well as the market trends we see in the defense and security space, align with both our mission and our capability sweet spot. I’m excited to be in position to drive Alion’s talent to meet those client needs.”

Dietrich holds a BSEE degree from Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science and a MSEE, with a concentration in computer science, from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Source: Alion