The Honorable Dr. John Hillen is a highly accomplished CEO in the government contracting space and a former high-ranking U.S. government official. A decorated combat veteran and noted national security scholar, he has led four defense and intelligence technology firms in Northern Virginia, most recently as President and CEO of Sotera Defense Solutions—awarded the 2012 GovCon Contractor of the Year award in the large company category. Hillen took Sotera public in 2009, one of the few successful IPOs in the American economy that year.
A recognized industry leader in the technology contracting space, Hillen served in 2012 and 2013 as the chairman of the Professional Services Council and currently sits on the boards of SOS International LLC, Software AG Government Solutions Inc., Cygnacom Solutions Inc., IAP Global Services LLC, and Atkins Nuclear Solutions. He previously served as assistant secretary for political-military affairs for the U.S. Department of State and president of CGI Federal. He has led several other companies in both the government contracting and financial services space.
Hillen also received the 2017 and 2011 FCW Fed 100 Award, GovConExec’s 2015 Wash100: The GovCon Sector’s Most Influential Voices, and has been the subject of cover stories in Smart CEO Magazine, Government Computer News, and Washington Technology. An experienced director of both public and private companies, he has served on the boards of over half a dozen federal contracting firms.
At the Mason School of Business, Hillen teaches course in leadership, strategy, international business strategy, entrepreneurship, and specialty EMBA and MBA course on business issues in national security and the general government contracting industry. He writes a monthly column on leadership and strategy issues in Washington Technology magazine.