New strategic hires, John Coleman and Michael Polmar, appointed to drive Tyto’s global public sector business growth

HERNDON, Va., June 11, 2024 – Tyto Athene, LLC (“Tyto”), a federal systems integrator of mission-focused digital transformation solutions, announced the appointment of two C-level positions to focus on organic growth and operational excellence. John Coleman, Chief Operating Officer, and Michael Polmar, Chief Growth Officer, join the leadership team after Tyto’s recent acquisitions of Microtel and MindPoint Group. This is Tyto’s third C-suite appointment in four months, including Dennis Kelly’s move to Chief Executive Officer in March.

“These two strategic hires will be instrumental to Tyto’s future success within the government technology and national security market,” said Dennis Kelly, CEO of Tyto Athene. “Michael and John bring extensive experience and a business strategy acumen that makes them an invaluable addition to our executive team. We are confident that their leadership and expertise will accelerate Tyto’s growth trajectory and fortify our strong position in the market.”

In his role as COO, Coleman will be responsible for overseeing Tyto’s day-to-day business operations, driving strategic initiatives, and ensuring operational excellence across the organization. His experience and demonstrated ability to produce results, propel growth, and cultivate a culture of innovation and collaboration align perfectly with the responsibilities expected to grow Tyto’s business and provide exceptional service to its customer base. Coleman has held various senior leadership positions, most recently serving as sector president for citizen security and public services at Peraton, Inc., where he oversaw a $1.8 billion sector and led a large team of over 4,000 employees and 2,000 subcontractor partners across numerous contracts.

As CGO, Polmar will be responsible for executing a business strategy that produces strong organic growth for Tyto. He brings over 30 years of demonstrated success in providing growth and operations leadership in the technology and government contracting industry. Polmar’s career highlights include his tenure at Vencore, where he served as the company’s senior business development leader, and at ManTech where he led business development for all its Department of Defense and State Department business. Most recently, Polmar served as CGO for Bart & Associates, where he led growth activities to expand from B&A’s traditional federal civilian and Department of Homeland Security client sets into the Department of Justice and Department of Defense markets.

Polmar graduated from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, and Coleman graduated from Clemson University with a Master of Business Administration, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Management.

Navy veteran and GovCon growth leader to advance the next phase in Tyto’s strategic growth journey

HERNDON, Va.–Tyto Athene, LLC (“Tyto”), a federal systems integrator of mission-focused digital transformation services, has appointed Dennis Kelly to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Kelly joins the organization as a 30-year industry veteran and experienced executive in the defense and intelligence community. He will lead Tyto’s strategic growth efforts while also focusing on service delivery excellence to its U.S. defense, national security, intelligence, space, and public safety agency clients around the globe. Tyto is a portfolio company of Arlington Capital Partners (“Arlington”), a Washington, D.C.-area private investment firm specializing in government-regulated industries.

Mr. Kelly brings significant experience with strategy, M&A, and integration, having previously served as CEO of Eqlipse Technologies and President and COO of Centauri, both Arlington portfolio companies. Mr. Kelly led Eqlipse through seven strategic acquisitions and associated integrations over eighteen months and has served as an executive leader for other fast-growing companies in the government technology and national security sectors.

Michael Lustbader, a Managing Partner at Arlington, said, “Appointing Dennis as CEO signifies our commitment to continuing to invest behind the Tyto platform, driven by the immense potential growth we see in the market. Dennis’ proven track record within the Arlington portfolio and extensive experience in the government contracting space prove he is the leader to drive Tyto’s growth and operational excellence.”

“Building on the foundation set by the Tyto team, I am excited for this opportunity to further advance Tyto’s growth strategy and to deepen and expand our capabilities to meet our customer’s evolving mission requirements in this ever-changing world,” said Dennis Kelly. “Our team is passionate about national security and supporting the government’s mission to secure our nation. I am fully committed to our talented and mission-focused people who are supporting our global customers and look forward to working with Arlington again to achieve our shared vision.”

Kelly is a U.S. Navy veteran and an active contributor to the government contracting industry and community. He has served as co-chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce GovCon committee and was a previous board member of the Professional Services Council. Kelly holds a bachelor’s degree from Roger Williams University with a major in industrial engineering technology and a minor in computer technology. He earned an executive MBA from the University of Rhode Island.

About Arlington Capital Partners

Arlington Capital Partners is a Washington, D.C.-area private investment firm specializing in government-regulated industries. The firm partners with founders and management teams to build strategically important businesses in the government services and technology, aerospace and defense, and healthcare sectors. Since its inception in 1999, Arlington has invested in over 150 companies and is currently investing out of its $3.8 billion Fund VI. For more information, visit Arlington’s website at arlingtoncap.com.

HERNDON, Va.–Peter O’Donoghue, former Chief Technology Officer of Leidos’ Civil Group, has been appointed Chief Technology Officer at Tyto Athene, LLC, a federal systems integrator headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, where he will lead the company’s strategy, execution, and oversight of the technology solutions organization.

With over two decades of technology industry experience, O’Donoghue has an impressive track record of success in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and IT modernization, and was recently recognized by WashingtonExec as one of the Top Cloud Executives To Watch in 2023. “I am delighted to be here at this pivotal time to provide leadership in driving Tyto’s technical go-to-market strategy as we position for growth and differentiation,” said Peter O’Donoghue. “Given our experience, talent, and investments, I’m confident that we are uniquely poised to meet our customers’ emerging digital modernization, ubiquitous connectivity, and zero trust needs.”

Peter will act as both a collaborative business partner and a change agent with the executive leadership team, ensuring the right blend of investment and partnering, to build differentiated solutions that support Tyto’s customers wherever they may be on their digital modernization journey.

“We are excited to welcome Peter as our new CTO,” said Chris Mielhammer, CEO of Tyto Athene. “We have made significant investments this year to accelerate our growth. Peter’s proven abilities to drive growth through technology insertion, innovation, and collaboration is an integral component to Tyto Athene’s success.”

HERNDON, Va.–Tyto Athene, LLC announced that John West, an industry veteran with over three decades of expertise in providing strategic consultation to federal government clients, has joined the company’s leadership team as the Vice President of Business Development and Strategy.

Throughout his career, West has actively supported various government sectors in a variety of roles including management, business development, and executive client interface capacities. John’s impressive background that includes a tenure as Vice President at Leidos and a prior leadership role as the Managing Director at Verizon Enterprise Solutions, Public Sector.

“Something that appealed to me about Tyto was the size, the people, and the leadership team,” West said. “Tyto is mid-size and because of that, we have a lot of agility and the ability to react quickly to changes in the market; and while we do have effective processes, we are not overly burdened by them. Tyto is a place that enables leaders to make and implement decisions quickly, and it’s exciting to have this opportunity.”

In his new position, West will play a pivotal role in developing business relationships and guiding the strategic vision of Tyto Athene.

“As we continue to position our company for growth, having a proven leader with so much enthusiasm for the industry will no doubt help Tyto succeed,” said Chris Meilhammer, CEO of Tyto Athene. “John West is an excellent addition to the leadership team, and we’re honored to welcome him in this new role.”