Defense Tech Startup AV Appoints Michael D. Ruppert to Board of Directors

Ruppert brings more than 25 years of finance, strategy, and corporate development experience in the aerospace and defense industry.

Since 2023, he has served as Executive Vice President and CFO of ManTech, leading its finance, accounting, treasury, and acquisition strategy.

Read More:Insurance-Based OneShield Appoints Rick Becker as Senior Vice President

AeroVironment also announced that Charles Thomas Burbage will retire from its Board after the company’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Burbage has served on the Board since 2013 and is currently a member of several key committees.

“Michael brings exceptional financial leadership, strategic insight and deep aerospace and defense industry experience to AV,” said Wahid Nawabi, AV’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “As AV continues executing its growth strategy and advancing its portfolio of mission-critical capabilities.

“AV has established a strong position in some of the most important and rapidly evolving areas of defense technology,” said Mr. Ruppert. “I look forward to working with Wahid and my fellow directors as the company continues innovating products, scaling capacity and executing with excellence.”

“I have had a front row seat as AV expanded its capabilities and helped reshape the defense technology landscape since I joined the Board,” said Burbage. “I retire from the Board with tremendous respect for the AV team and my fellow Board members, and I am confident the path of success will continue for AV, a trailblazer in the industry.”

About AV

AeroVironment is a defense technology company that develops systems for air, land, sea, space and cyber operations. Its products include autonomous systems, drones, space platforms, directed energy, and cyber and electronic warfare technologies.

Read More:Intel Corporation Appoints Dean Jarnac as Executive Vice President