On July 17, Spire Global, Inc., a provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, has appointed Eric Mellinger as its chief commercial officer, effective August 3, 2026.
As chief commercial officer, Mellinger will lead Spire’s global commercial organization, overseeing the company’s go-to-market strategy, business development, sales, strategic partnerships, and customer growth initiatives. He will focus on expanding Spire’s presence across government and commercial markets while driving the execution of the company’s long-term commercial strategy.
Mellinger joins Spire from Mantech International Corporation, where he served as vice president for business development and growth leader, defense and space sector. In that role, he led a team that grew an annual business pipeline exceeding $4 billion across U.S. defense markets, driving strategic account planning and market development that contributed to over $2.5 billion in contract awards and double-digit year-over-year revenue growth. He also played a key role in evolving MANTECH’s go-to-market strategy through partnerships with leading technology companies including Anduril, AWS, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Palantir, and SpaceX. In addition to leading domestic growth, Mellinger helped expand MANTECH’s support for U.S. government missions across the Indo-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
“As demand for space-based intelligence continues to grow across government and commercial markets, we’re focused on expanding our reach while deepening the value we deliver to customers,” said Theresa Condor, chief executive officer of Spire Global. “Mell has an exceptional track record of turning strategy into execution, building strong customer relationships, entering new markets, and leading organizations that consistently deliver growth. His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to scale Spire’s commercial business and execute on our long-term vision.”
Prior to MANTECH, Mellinger served as the House Armed Services Committee’s defense acquisition reform staff lead, helping shape legislation to modernize the Department of War’s acquisition and procurement processes. Before that, he spent 30 years in the United States Marine Corps, retiring as a Colonel after serving in senior operational and strategic leadership positions around the world. During his career, he supported foreign military sales initiatives with allies including Taiwan and Saudi Arabia while serving as a senior military assistant in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Mellinger concluded his military service as chief of staff of the U.S. Marines in the Western Pacific, based in Okinawa, Japan, where he worked closely with the Japanese Ministry of Defense and partnered with the governments of the Philippines and Nepal during major humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
“Spire has built an exceptional foundation by combining innovative space infrastructure with data and analytics that help customers solve critical mission challenges,” said Mellinger. “I’m excited to join the team and work alongside our customers and partners to accelerate growth, strengthen our commercial strategy, and expand the impact of Spire’s technology across government and commercial markets.”
Source: Spire
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