ABOUT
CBRNE Industry Group
The Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) Industry Group is a non-profit association composed of 130 companies, not-for-profit organizations, and consultants who support national and international CBRNE defense activities. In addition to military defense against CBRNE weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the CBRNE Industry Group interests encompass domestic preparedness against WMDs, the Chemical Weapons Convention and other treaties. Member organizations also are actively involved in CBRNE programs that include destruction of WMDs around the world.
Officers
Ron Fizer, Chair
LMI Ronald Fizer, U.S. Army Colonel (retired) lends his technical and analytical expertise to solve complex problems related to countering weapons of mass destruction (CWMD) and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense. A highly regarded technical expert,Col. Fizer is sought by a wide range of clients to rapidly develop integrated capabilities and implement those solutions into their operations to improve readiness and reduce risk. Prior to joining LMI, he spent 30 years in active duty, serving in various command, staff, and leadership positions across the Army, Joint Staff, and Secretary of Defense staff in tactical, strategic, and institutional support organizations within the United States, Germany, South Korea, and Iraq. His final assignment was as Principal Director to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense Programs. Col. Fizer is a distinguished graduate of the National Defense University’s Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, where he received a Master of Science degree. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in general science and a master’s degree in public administration with emphasis in environmental science management. He has received numerous awards, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star. He also earned the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, and Army Staff Identification Badges.
BIG, LLC John Wheeler has been involved in the CBRNE industry supporting the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) and Joint Program Executive Office (JPEO) for over 25 years. He has overseen numerous contracts that resulted in the successful delivery of over $1B of services and products throughout the world in support of national defense. In 2005, John co-founded Veteran Corps of America (VCA) intending to hire military veterans and their families to support CBRNE and technology requirements. VCA’s motto, “We Are Veteran Enabled!” reflects a family legacy of military service that includes General Earl G. Wheeler, 46-year Army veteran and longest-serving Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (1964-1970). In 2013, John was awarded the Order of the Dragon by the Chemical Corps Regimental Association for his ongoing patronage and support. Prior to being acquired by INTERFUZE Corporation in 2017, VCA provided over $1M to numerous veteran charities and support events and was named to the Inc 500 four times, including #30. In 2020, John left VCA to form Bullock Island Group (www.goBIG.llc) to support strategic relationship development, public policy, and natural resources conservation. In addition, he is President of the Jefferson Islands Club (www.theJIC.org), a 501c non-profit formed in 1931 whose mission is to support bipartisanship and compromise in Government leadership. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Virginia and resides in Clifton, Virginia with his wife Jennifer.
Kimberly Chamblin, Ph.D., Vice-Chair
BostonDynamics Kimberly Chamblin, Ph.D. is the Director of Partnerships, Public Sector for Boston Dynamics. Prior to joining Boston Dynamics, Kim was the CBRNe Business Development and Category Manager for ADS, Inc. In this capacity, Kim called upon the JPEO, DHS and other key government stakeholders. Kim is passionate about CBRNe threat mitigation and emergency response. Prior to joining ADS, Kim served as a Legislative Affairs Consultant to the J1/8 and in the J5 at U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Kim proudly served as a GS14 at the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office from 2006-2008. She started her federal career at the Department of Energy/NNSA after graduating with an M.A.I.A. from American University in 2001. She holds a Ph.D in Organizational Leadership from the University of Oklahoma (2016), and her dissertation, “A CASE STUDY OF A RADIATION DETECTION EQUIPMENT PROGRAM: DO THE ADVOCACY COALITION FRAMEWORK AND THE ISSUE ATTENTION CYCLE INFORM CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET DECISIONS?” addresses the challenges that face decision makers who allocate resources and drive decisions related to complex technical equipment. Kim is happiest in her roles of USMC wife and mother to three boys.
Jeff Lesho, Secretary
jeffl@dasystemsinc.com |
Phone: (240) 300-3765
Defense Architecture Systems Dr. Lesho is a Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Defense Architecture Systems specializing in Systems Architecture and Engineering, Chem-Bio sensor integration and satellite instrumentation production. Previously a Principal Professional Staff Engineer in the National Security Analysis Department at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory with 32 years of technical experience, 10 years in line management and 6 years of program management experience, including writing proposals, technical guidance and producing contract deliverables. At APL, Dr. Lesho was the Group Supervisor of the Systems and Software Engineering Group which focuses on national security issues including communications, networking, health care and intelligence technology. Manager of 35 engineers working on enterprise architectures, software integration, special mission networks, assured communications and systems optimization. Previously, he was the chief engineer leading the Development Cell for the Global Combatting WMD Awareness System. Dr. Lesho has expertise in electrical and biomedical engineering, intelligence analysis, counter WMD and counter IED engineering, data analysis, software design, materials science and engineering, organizational development and leadership. In the biomedical area, his work involved ingestible and implantable biomedical telemetry devices, prosthetics, human robot interaction and catheter launched diagnostic devices, with 14 US Patents. In the intelligence area, he invented a method that maps insurgent activities which is included in the CENTCOM campaign plan. He led the effort to deploy defense in depth Chem-Bio sensors to border crossings and has a practical understanding of chemical and biological based sensors. He has grown a 20 person organization to a 55 person organization and then reorganized it into two groups and then into a new department. He has experience as the lead engineer in the design and deployment of space-qualified hardware with over 10 years of on-orbit operations and has taken instruments from the conceptual stage through flight qualification testing, launch, on-orbit operations, data analysis and publication of results in peer-review journals. He teaches 3 graduate-level classes for the Johns Hopkins University, in Human Robotics Interactions, Sensor Systems Engineering and Sensors and Systems for Homeland Security. He has been Secretary of the Group for several years.
Directors
Carolanne O'Neil, Executive Director
carolanne@caoneil.com | contact@cbrneig.com
Phone: (703) 989-8789
Domenix Carolanne O’Neil is the Vice President of Marketing for Domenix. Carolanne has been an active member of the CBRNE Industry Group for the past eight years. She proudly promotes the CBRNE Industry Group with her talents by designing & managing the CBRNE Industry Group Website and supporting event engagement and promotion. As an award-winning designer, Carolanne spent much of her career focusing on branding, identity systems, invitations, retail and corporate marketing, and publication design. After 20+ years of experience in the industry, she established CAO, an independent graphic design firm based in the Washington, D.C. metro area. In 2013, one of her clients, Veteran Corps, asked her to come aboard full time and she jumped at the chance to be a part of their efforts. Carolanne is a member of CLONE: CBRNE Ladies Only Network. She also supports the Chemical Corps Regimental Association through golf event management, helping to raise new milestones in the donation amounts to the Corps, and engaging with the soldiers in the community. Carolanne received a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Art + Architecture Graphic Design program at Penn State University in University Park, PA.
Proengin Michael Corle, SGT (WVARNG), In addition to working with Proengin, Michael is also a Fire Direction Center Chief with B Battery 1/201st FA located in Morgantown, WV. The 1st Battalion 201st Field Artillery is the longest continuously serving unit in the history of the United States, dating back to 17 February 1735. Prior to that, the Decon NCOIC with the West Virginia CBRN Enhanced Response Force – Package (CERF-P) team. Michael brings over 10 years of operational experience to the community, training and educating stakeholders on decontamination Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs). Michael has been awarded numerous Army Achievement Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Overseas Service Medal, and numerous state medals. Michael currently resides in Bealeton, Virginia, with his family.
Hexagon US Federal Neil Cohen has served on the NBC board since 2009 and has led new membership recruitment as well as current member outreach efforts via conferences and the NBC Group Member LinkedIn page. Neil has been actively involved within the CBRN industry since 2002. Neil currently supports Corporate Growth and Strategic Capture at Dynamis Inc., a Fairfax, VA based Federal Contracting and IT firm. Prior, he worked for Defense Group Inc. where he served as Director of Business Development for the COBRA CBRN software division, which was acquired by Dynamis in 2016. Neil has over 30 years’ experience in sales and business development and earned his B.A. from The College of New Jersey in 1989 and his M.B.A from Marymount University in 2000. Neil also has written four published fiction and non-fiction books. He is married with two daughters.
JRAD. COL Tim Greenhaw, USA, Ret, 30-year Army Chemical (CBRN) Officer, currently at Joint Research and Development Inc. as a Senior Program Manager with over a decade of experience in chemical and biological defense programs. His last active-duty assignment was at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) while serving as the Acting Director, Chemical & Biological Technologies Department. Prior to his assignment at DTRA Tim was selected for the Chief of Staff of the Army’s fellowship program with the Brookings Institution, and served as ambassador and strategic scout for senior Army leadership focused on enhancing strategic thinking, understanding and influencing policymaking at the national level. He previously served on the Joint Staff / J8 as Deputy Director for the Joint Requirements Office (JRO) for CBRND. Tim commanded the US Army Environmental Command, Fort Sam Houston, TX and served as the Deputy Director for Chemical and Biological Technologies Department at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. He also commanded the Pueblo Chemical Depot (CO), with tactical and operational tours in Fort Bragg, Korea, and Hawaii.
Deployments include OIF with MNC-I / 18th Airborne Corps.
Education: BA- Environmental Policy from Bowling Green State University in 1992, Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University in 2004, and Master of Science in National
Resource Strategy from the National Defense University in 2015.
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ATI MIKE STEBBINS, Ph.D is the Executive Director for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Consortium. The CWMD is an enterprise partnership between the US Government (DoD, JPEO-CBRND) and the CWMD Consortium connected through a “contract-like” Other Transaction Agreement (OTA). This OTA operates outside the Federal Acquisition Regulations and targets prototype development to understand, detect, counter and ultimately defeat exposure to weapons of mass destruction. The CWMD Consortium has nearly 400 entities comprised of industry, academia and non-profits that all have expertise in aspects of counter WMD technologies. The usage of an OTA allows government to partner with the CWMD to leverage cutting-edge R&D and develop prototypes. This gives government agencies an agile and flexible way to develop CWMD prototypes using new and innovative technology. The CWMD provides the flexibility for better public and private collaboration by providing access to innovative concepts, ideas, and technologies from traditional and non-traditional technology providers. Through the OTA with the CWMD Consortium, the JPEO-CBRND and other government customers are looking to work with new industry partners to provide soldiers with safe and effective weapons of mass destruction countermeasures. To date, the CWMD Consortium and OTA have awarded 165 unique prototyping projects valued in excess of $1B. The CWMD government customer base includes JPEO-CBRND, DTRA, PEO ACWA, DHS CWMD Office, DEVCOM CBC and others. Dr. Stebbins also serves as the Executive Director for the Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC), also aligned with the JPEO and their CBRN Medical Group. The MCDC and associated OTA work in a similar manner to that of the CWMD and address the development of prototypes that diagnose, treat or prevent CBRN exposure by DoD’s warfighters. The MCDC has just over 300 members and has awarded 78 unique prototype projects valued at $8B. Dr. Stebbins has been with the MCDC (2016) and CWMD (2017) since inception and has a 15-year history with ATI (the Consortium Management Firm), managing numerous FAR and OTA-based programs as well as business development. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the College of Charleston and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. After earning his Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Boston University in 1995, COL(R) Eric Towns was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. During his 27 years as a CBRN Officer, Eric served in a variety of command assignments, including command of the 5th Special Forces Group’s CBRN Detachment, 63rd Chemical Company, 22d CBRN Battalion (Technical Escort), and the U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Leonard Wood. Additionally, Eric held numerous enterprise-level staff positions, including serving as the Chemical Corps’ Chief of Officer Training, the Chemical Corps’ Human Resources Branch Manager, and the Chief of Materiel Requirements for the Army Engineer, Military Police, and CBRN Branches. Eric also deployed to Afghanistan, Cuba, and Iraq in support of the Global War on Terrorism. His final assignment on active duty was as the Deputy Director of the Joint Requirements Office for CBRN Defense within the Joint Staff J-8. Upon retirement from the U.S. Army in 2022, Eric joined the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab as a CBRN Defense Professional. Eric holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Boston University, a Master of Science in Public Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Strategy from the U.S. Army War College. A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Eric is married to the former Karen Gwaltney of Mililani, HI, who is an Associate Chief Counsel at the Food and Drug Administration. They have one son - Luke (age 15).
Chair Emeritus
Year Chair Organization When Chair
1996-1997 Bill Richardson Bill Richardson Consulting
1997-1998 Marilyn Ripin JAYCOR
1998-1999 Manuel Sanches System Planning Corp
1999-2000 John Carrico SRI International
2000-2001 Sam Ankerbrandt Braddock Smith Group
2001-2002 Amoretta M. Hoeber AMH Consulting
2002-2003 James F. Horton Horton Consulting
2003-2004 Arlene Selber GEO-CENTERS, INC.
2004-2005 John Wade Battelle Memorial Institute
2005-2006 Allan Cameron CSC
2006-2007 Bruce Dobbs Washington Group International
2007-2008 Virginia Morlock Northrop Grumman
2008-2009 James T. Ferguson, Sr. Technology Marketing
2009-2010 Lynn Henselman Capitol Consulting Group, LLC
2010-2011 Chris Parker Northrop Grumman
2011-2012 Eric Reid SAIC
2012-2013 Mandy Lopez Tex-Shield, Inc.
2013-2014 Bill Baugh Bill Baugh Associates
2014-2015 Rebecca Robertson INFICON, Inc.
2015-2016 Virginia Morlock Northrop Grumman
2016-2017 Justin Haynes Gore® Creative Technologies Worldwide
2017-2018 Pat Sharon LMI
2018-2019 Charles Janney Veteran Corps – An INTERFUZE Company
2019-2020 Scott Robinson Battelle
2020-2022 William King Booz | Allen | Hamilton
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