Jerry Wohletz

CEO and President of DRAPER

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

About

Dr. Wohletz is President and CEO of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. (Draper) which is a not-for-profit engineering innovation company headquarter in Cambridge, MA. Prior to joining Draper in 2022, Dr. Wohletz held a variety of senior executive roles at BAE Systems including Vice President and General Manager (VPGM) of the Electronic Combat Solutions and VPGM of FAST Labs™. Prior to BAE Systems, Dr. Wohletz was a Director at ALPHATECH Inc., a MIT start-up acquired by BAE Systems. Prior to ALPHATECH Inc., he was a research scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory and at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center. Dr. Wohletz began his advanced career as an aeronautics engineer with McDonnell Douglas now Boeing working on the F/A-18E/F aircraft design. Dr. Wohletz holds a bachelor’s of science degree with highest distinction in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas; a MS in Engineering focused on Aeronautics and Astronauts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); and a Ph.D. in Estimation and Control, also from MIT.

Experience

  • President and Chief Executive Officer at Draper
    Jun 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 1 mo

    The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. (Draper), is a not-for-profit engineering innovation company. Draper serves our nation’s interests and security needs; advances technologies at the intersection of government, academia, and industry; cultivates the next generation of innovators; and solves the most complex challenges. With annual operating revenues of $724M (2021) and more than a thousand engineers and scientists bring a multidisciplinary advantage to system design for U.S. government and commercial customers. Draper technical staff provide unbiased assessments of technology or systems designed or recommended by other organizations — whether custom-designed or commercial-off-the-shelf.

  • BAE Systems (6 yrs 8 mos)
    • Vice President and General Manager of Electronic Combat Solutions
      Jan 2020 - Jun 2022 · 2 yrs 6 mos

      Portfolio profit and loss responsibilities for BAE Systems’ Electronics Systems Sector, focused on all stages of electronic warfare (EW) product life-cycle – capture, development, production, and sustainment. The electronic combats solutions (ECS) business area, brings together four innovative product portfolios totaling $1.75B annual revenues. As the EW industry leader with products installed on 80% of US military fighters, Dr. Wohletz led a dual transformation XtremeEW2.0 (EWX2.0) strategy focused on reinventing the core business, creating new growth drivers, and re-imaging the future of EW to maintain market leadership into 2040; over two financial cycles, this strategy delivered 16% revenue and 49% margin growth. Dr. Wohletz served as the executive interface for an extensive customer base that includes senior Department of Defense officials as well as global defense organizations.

    • Vice President and General Manager of FAST Labs
      Jun 2016 - Jan 2020 · 3 yrs 8 mos

      Portfolio profit and loss responsibilities focused on research and advanced technologies that underpin the products and services for BAE Systems Inc. FAST Labs’ research focuses on advanced electronics, autonomy, cyber, electronic warfare, and sensors & processing. In his tenure, Dr. Wohletz restructured the research and development organization across all US operations to include a commercial CTO model, leveraging external, often commercial technologies for military and aviation customers. In addition, while providing sound technical leadership in all aspects of our business, Dr. Wohletz has served as the executive interface for an extensive customer base that includes senior Department of Defense officials, while representing BAE System Inc. at CTO forums.

    • Senior Director of Integrated Electronic Warfare Solutions
      Nov 2015 - Jun 2016 · 8 mos

      Portfolio profit and loss responsibilities with $0.5B annual revenues and robust growth projections. Complex portfolio spans four work locations in two states, and includes large-scale defense program with full life-cycle responsibilities (research and development, high volume production, sustainment and field support). Serve as executive interface for extensive supplier base and customer base that includes senior Department of Defense officials.

  • BAE Systems (7 yrs 1 mo)
    • Senior Director of Electronic Attack Solutions
      2013 - 2015 · 2 yrs

      Portfolio profit and loss responsibilities with $150M average annual revenues and robust bottom line performance. Portfolio spans large-scale defense program with full life-cycle responsibilities and strategy for new market penetration. Serve as executive interface for extensive supplier base and customer base that includes senior Department of Defense officials.

    • Senior Director of Next Generation Jammer
      2010 - 2013 · 3 yrs

      Profit and loss responsibilities and capture lead for $4B pursuit. Led a complex team with multiple industrial partners that spanned 14 states and 1,500 personnel, and managed $160M of research and development and proposal investments. Overall responsibilities included capture strategy, proposal strategy, and GAO protest strategy.

    • Senior Director of Advanced Solutions
      2009 - 2012 · 3 yrs

      Portfolio profit and loss responsibilities that included large-scale defense program captures worth >$2B, strategic research and development programs related to advanced electronic warfare flight testing, and spearheading the Xtreme EW™ change initiative for BAE SYSTEMS’ Electronic Systems Sector. Also served as executive representative to United States Air Force acquisition officials.

  • Director of BMC3 Planning and Control Technologies at BAE Systems Advanced Information Technologies (formerly ALPHATECH Inc.)
    2000 - 2008 · 8 yrs

    Portfolio profit and loss responsibilities within a start-up company. Led and developed the vision, strategy, and organization that produced a new-to-the-world technology that is a market leader today. Starting with an initial $1M seadling investment, generated $100M of awards, $50M of sales, and >30% CAGR with continuous positive cash flow over an 8 year period of time. BAE SYSTEMS purchased ALPHATECH Inc. in December 2004.

  • Engineer at Boeing
    1995 - 2000 · 5 yrs

    Aerodynamicist supporting the design of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and advanced flight control engineer in the Phantom Works supporting multiple X-Planes.