Author: Alex Garner

TriVector Wins 3rd Annual CFD Research – Liz Hurley Golf Classic

TriVector’s golf team, comprised of Alex Garner, Nathan Gibson, Spike McRoy, and Ethan Brown, won first place with a final score of 58 (-14) out of a field of over 20 teams.

October 21, 2020

October 16th, TriVector’s golf team participated in the 3rd Annual CFD Research – Liz Hurley Golf Classic. In a field of over 20 teams, TriVector won first place with a final score of 58 (-14)! TriVector’s team included Alex Garner, Nathan Gibson, Spike McRoy, and Ethan Brown. The golf tournament, which benefits the Liz Hurley Breast Cancer Fund, raised over $25,000 this year. The Liz Hurley Fund, in conjunction with the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, supports breast cancer awareness programs and helps equip Huntsville Hospital and Madison Hospital Breast Centers with the latest diagnostic technology. TriVector is thrilled to have had the opportunity to participate in this event and is proud of the achievement of their team!

TriVector Welcomes Keith Dill to the Team

TriVector is excited to announce that Keith Dill joined the TriVector Family earlier this year. Mr. Dill recently retired from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and brings a wealth of engineering experience to our team. Welcome, Keith!

February 3, 2021

During his 20 years with NASA, Keith Dill worked supporting Labs, numerous programs and projects, and served as a Chief Engineer in the MSFC Engineering Directorate.  In the MSFC Propulsion Lab, Mr. Dill worked as an analyst and designer for solid rocket motor ballistics, liquid rocket engine performance, propellant feed systems, cryogenic propellants management, and rocket engine ground testing.  He also served as a Lead Systems Engineer for several advanced Mars and Lunar lander proposals in collaboration with other NASA Field Centers and served as Team Lead for Space Shuttle Propulsion Systems Engineering and Integration Office and worked console for numerous Shuttle launches.  Additionally, Mr. Dill served as the Associate Chief Engineer for the Constellation Program while on detail to the Johnson Spaceflight Center and later returned to Marshall as the Chief Engineer for Constellation Level 2 at Marshall. 

After working at NASA for several years, Mr. Dill was selected for a 1-year detail to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in Huntsville as the Chief Engineer for the Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) missile.  While at MDA, he supervised an engineering team and was the technical authority for the design, development, and testing of the GBI missile; this work included a full intercept test and subsequent anomaly investigation in preparation for the next flight test. 

After returning from his detail at MDA, Mr. Dill served as the Chief Engineer for the Space Launch System (SLS) Advanced Development Office, where he managed all technical aspects of dozens of commercial technology projects to advance the avionics, materials, and propulsion of the SLS.  Mr. Dill served his last 4 years at NASA as the Chief Engineer for the Planetary Missions Program Office at MSFC where he was the technical authority for dozens of robotic planetary missions; including billion-dollar missions to outer planets and US instrument contributions to European and Japanese planetary missions.

Mr. Dill received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla (1981), a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee Space Institute (1988) and completed coursework for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alabama Huntsville (2005). Mr. Dill is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Alabama.

Dr. Joey Shelton Awarded NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal

Dr. Joey Shelton was awarded the NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal on March 4, 2021 at NASA’s Agency-Level Virtual Honor Awards Ceremony. 

March 9, 2021

Dr. Joey Shelton was awarded the NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal on March 4, 2021 at NASA’s Agency-Level Virtual Honor Awards Ceremony. 

This prestigious NASA recognition is awarded to non-Government individuals for a significant specific achievement or substantial improvement in operations, efficiency, service, financial savings, science, or technology which contributes to the mission of NASA. Dr. Shelton was awarded this honor for his exceptional achievement in the definition of Interface Requirements and Process for the Human Landing System (HLS) Program.

Please join TriVector in congratulating Dr. Shelton on this phenomenal personal achievement! 

TriVector Gives Back: Project Linus

As part of our initiative to give back to the community, TriVector donates $500 to Project Linus’ Huntsville chapter.

April 13, 2021

At TriVector, one of our core values is Community. We believe that reaching out to the people in our city is just as important as taking care of our own corporate family. When those around us are succeeding, we all succeed. For this reason, TriVector is proud to announce our $500 donation to Project Linus’ Huntsville chapter. Project Linus is a non-profit organization that provides new, handmade blankets to children in need. Their blankets are lovingly made by adults and children from all walks of life and many different sources. TriVector’s own, Tina Melton, is an active member of the Huntsville chapter and is pictured here (left) accepting the donation. Tina and her fellow “blanketeers” are so appreciative of TriVector’s gift and will put it to use immediately to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to those who truly need it. To learn more about this incredible charity, follow the links provided:

Local Chapter (https://www.facebook.com/groups/109552326330/)

National Website (https://www.projectlinus.org/)

National Ocean Month and Hurricane Season

June is National Ocean Month and the start of hurricane season. Read more to discover what TriVector atmospheric scientist Ben Woods is working on to significantly improve hurricane forecasts.

June 16, 2021

This month, we recognize June as National Ocean Month and the start of hurricane season with our team at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Ben Woods, TriVector’s atmospheric scientist and Supplemental Hurricane Coordinator at NOAA, helps supervise a hurricane research project that recently deployed robotic, unmanned water gliders ¹ (see image below) into the Atlantic. These water gliders significantly improve hurricane forecasts by measuring the salt content (salinity) and ocean’s temperature at various depths. NOAA’s oceanic studies suggest that stronger hurricanes occur when the ocean surface’s salinity level drops and its temperature rises, creating a “cap” preventing the mixing and upwelling of cool water from below.²

“These gliders are already in place in the Gulf of Mexico which will come in handy if we see the development of the next tropical storm, Claudette, form later this week,” says Woods.

While the gliders help with forecasting hurricanes, people can prepare by following safety measures such as the ones outlined below as referenced by the NOAA:1. Be aware of hurricane/storm watches and warnings.2. Storm Surge: Always follow evacuation orders.3. Heavy Rainfall: If you can see a body of water, you’re too close.4. Strong Wind: Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside.5. Develop a plan for BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER a storm.

And although being near an ocean is NOT advised when a hurricane is nearing landfall, it is truly the best place to be on any normal summer day! Please take the time to watch the following video created by NOAA and visit their website to learn more about how you can celebrate June as World Ocean Month by preserving its life as the largest ecosystem on this planet.

References

¹What is an Ocean Glider?

²NOAA collects a lot of data on the ocean. Here are 4 ways we use it.

International Women’s Engineering Day

In honor of International Women in Engineering Day this year, the following TriVector engineer women were asked the following questions in regards to being an engineer, and here’s what what they had to say:

June 23, 2021

CAROLYN BAKKE

Q: What type of engineer are you?
A: Software

Q: What drove you to become an engineer
A: I loved math and solving puzzles and logical problems. After talking to a career counselor at Mississippi State, we determined that Computer Science might be a good fit, and it was!

Q: What’s your favorite part about your job?
A: Finding the root cause of a software or data problem and fixing it.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to young girls or other women who aspiring to become an engineer?
A: There are so many types of engineers and industries of application. Don’t let that overwhelm you! Pick one and start! The basics are the same across all of them, and you have plenty of time to specialize!

TINA MELTON

Q: What type of engineer are you?
A: I’m working as a Subject Matter Expert in Human Factors Engineering

Q: What drove you to become an engineer?
A: I really like doing technical work and solving problems. I’ve spent most of my career working in payload operations preparing astronauts and experiments for operations on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. I like the fast pace of these activities and being involved in the middle of what we’re doing in space. Realtime operations is not for everyone but I like developing and then executing a plan and managing the response when things don’t go exactly like you planned. There’s nothing like being in the control room for a launch or other major space activity.

Q: What’s your favorite part about your job?
A: I love to learn about how hardware works and how people will operate that hardware. That plan may look good on paper but how well will it work in the environment where it will actually be used whether that’s in space or at the launch site. Understanding all the details and how they work together is very interesting to me.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to young girls or other women who aspiring to become an engineer?
A: Do an internship with a company in the area you’re interested in. That gives you a chance to get a good look at the reality of the kind of work you’re aspiring to do and gives the company a chance to see what you can do and see if you’re someone they would be interested in hiring in the future.

SHARON WIEGMANN

Q: What type of engineer are you?
A: I am an Aerospace Engineer

Q: What drove you to become an engineer?
A: I was always fascinated by the stars and outer space as well as airplanes. In high school math and sciences were my strong subjects so I decided to pursue engineering with the hope to work for NASA one day.

Q: What’s your favorite part about your job?
A: My favorite parts of my job are working with other people on the team to reach solutions to problems and to see a design come to life and perform its mission.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to young girls or other women who aspiring to become an engineer?
A: Science and math are key courses in high school to prepare for an engineering degree and college will teach you methods for solving complex problems of the real world.

KATHERINE SPENCER

Q: What type of engineer are you?
A: I have a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technical Management with a minor in computer science. This degree is not recognized as an Engineering Degree unless reviewed and accepted by a Companies “Engineering Standards Division”. I was fortunate to be reviewed by Boeing in 2000 and after review of my math, chemistry, physics, and computer classes, (and grades), I was accepted as an engineer and could be place in job descriptions which required a formal engineering degree discipline. I have always been asked are you Electrical or Mechanical my whole career. I do not answer and just let them get to know my work and work ethics. I am a NDIA Certified Configuration Manager. I studied for and passed an specialized Test that I can put on my resume and is often a perquisite for being hired as a Configuration Manager for Government Programs.

Q: What drove you to become an engineer?
A: I put myself through school. I attended UNA for two years and returned to Huntsville to work for Sperry making Blue Line copies of engineering drawings. Sperry paid for my classes and books. By the time I graduated in 1987 I had over six years of experience in purchasing, logistics, manufacturing, and CAD drawing management. Helping Engineers do the detailed work became my passion. I love the confidence in knowing the latest and greatest configuration. I transferred to General Electric to work on a Navy Test Fixture contract (CASS). I was able to build one on the first Parts List applications that integrated into the CAD systems. It was so rewarding and they called it TREE.

Q: What’s your favorite part about your job?

A: Working with very highly educated people that are dedicated to the process of good systems engineering.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to young girls or other women who aspiring to become an engineer?
A: If you always put things in order of importance, skip over religion, family, health, food, water, etc., always put what is best to complete a contract first. Do not hoard information, do not continue to do things the same old way that do not make sense, learn and study new technology that would be better for the contract. Be detailed and respectful, complete the contract you are on and the next contract will somehow always find you.

MELINDA NADERI

Q: What type of engineer are you?

A: I am an Industrial Engineer, working in Flight and Ground Operations and Human Factors for the majority of my career.

Q: What drove you to become an engineer?
A: Beginning at a very early age, I always enjoyed building things and solving problems.

Q: What’s your favorite part about your job?

A: My favorite tasks have always been geared towards hands on tasks, developing flight and training hardware, designing man-machine interfaces and building mockups. I also enjoy mentoring young engineers in these areas.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to young girls or other women who aspiring to become an engineer?
A: Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you accomplish your goal. Do everything you can to participate in internships and rotations to different areas to discover what you enjoy.

TriVector is proud to have these amazing women on our team as they truly offer the experience, performance, and value that TriVector represents. Happy International Women in Engineering Day!

Mr. Alex Garner Named Vice President of Business Operations

TriVector Services is pleased to announce that Mr. Alex Garner has been appointed to Vice President of Business Operations.

July 28, 2021

Mr. Garner has over 11 years of business experience in the government contracting domain with key expertise in Contracts Administration, Pricing and Cost Analysis, and Bids and Proposals. He has extensive experience negotiating and handling multi-million dollar procurements and subcontracts, managing a team working high volume and high level bid and proposal pricing efforts, drafting and implementing procurement/subcontract policies and procedures for compliance and Government approval, managing teams resulting in more efficient metrics and process improvement, identifying new business opportunities and capturing new work, financial projections and forecasting, complex pricing activities, and managing a pipeline of business opportunities.

In his new role, Mr. Garner will provide key leadership in daily business operations at TriVector by managing contracts, business development activities, bids and proposals, opportunities research, and marketing.

“I’m grateful to be a part of the TriVector Family and excited to start this new journey as a part of the TriVector executive team.” said Garner. “My time at TriVector has been a blessing and these are exciting times as the company continues to grow holding to our core values. I look forward to using my experience and capabilities to streamline operations and help grow the business with existing customers and also establishing new customers.”

Mr. Garner received his Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Alabama. Mr. Garner is married to Mrs. Andrea Garner, and they have four children.

Farewell from TriVector Pioneer Employee, Bill Anglin

Bill Anglin, one of TriVector’s first generation of employees, retires from TriVector.

August 5, 2021

Shortly after retiring from NASA in 2008, I joined TriVector and served in the Ares Project Office and as the configuration management team lead in the Ares Upper Stage Element Office. With the cancellation of the Constellation Program, I was reassigned to the Space Launch System (SLS) Stages Element, where I served as the Configuration Management (CM) team lead for over 10 years. Additionally, I was the TriVector Configuration & Data Management (CDM) line manager.

Probably my greatest achievement was leading a team of CM professionals through the design and development of the SLS Core Stage, the heart of the most powerful rocket developed by NASA. I am proud to have been just a small part of that success and I am anxiously awaiting the launch of the Artemis-1 mission later this year.

The TriVector owners have always made their employees’ well-being a top priority. That was one of the founding principles and is still the foundation of everything they do. There are many instances where TriVector Management went above-and-beyond expectations to care for their employees and families. I know, personally, and I will never forget the caring, compassion, and support shown by this professional organization. I am proud to have been associated with such a high-class organization.

TriVector prides itself in hiring professionals and providing a healthy and wholesome work environment. The opportunities and benefits offered by TriVector to those just beginning their careers are unparalleled. I would encourage young professionals to check out what TriVector has to offer; it’s a great place to begin and succeed.

As I begin my new life in retirement, I wish TriVector and all employees the very best success in the future. Take care of each other and treat people as you want to be treated.

Bill Anglin, CSM, USA, Ret.

International Leadership Week

Marc Verhage speaks about the challenges he faced and values and strengths that helped him lead TriVector during a pandemic as the company president

 November 19, 2021

1. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of TriVector’s staff had to transition from working on site to working remotely. How did this impact your leadership style? 

One key component of my leadership style has always been to build relationships along the lines of communication, mostly face to face, which has been challenging. However, keeping our office open and continuing our company tag-ups with other face-to-face meetings helped address that issue under COVID. I truly enjoy the relationship I have with Trivector’s employees and want to continue to enhance that relationship in the days ahead.

2. What tools and skills did you find most valuable during this past year?

The best tools I have are our strong and capable managers and highly skilled office staff that support the multitude of challenges we face with COVID, company growth, and employee retention. An important skill I gained from my dad, who was once a business executive, is to surround yourself with the best talent and ensure they are doing the right job in the right seat.

3. What values are most important to you as a leader?

Our TriVector values (Integrity, Family, Commitment, Excellence, Innovation, and Community) are my most important values, and they have not changed since we started the company in 2008.

4. What has been your greatest take away in filling the role of TriVector’s president?

Remaining strong in my Christian faith and belief in Jesus Christ continues to be my guide through challenging times, while I believe this is a great foundation for any leadership position that one may take or conduct. You must nurture and grow in it each day to make you stronger and stronger with any challenge. It has been a rewarding three years, and I have learned a lot about myself and others.

TriVector Ribbon Cutting

TriVector celebrated a ribbon cutting on March 23rd to celebrate their new business classification of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), their new President/CEO Mike Verhage, and their new headquarters location.

Monday, 04 April 2022.

On March 23, 2022 at 3 p.m., TriVector Services hosted a ribbon cutting at their new headquarters at Technology Place (215 Wynn Drive, Suite 101, Huntsville, AL 35805). While TriVector Services has been an established and reliable name in the Huntsville government contracting community for nearly 14 years, they recently moved locations, realigned leadership, and changed small business classification. Due to its rapid growth within the past 2 years, TriVector exceeded the available space at its former location and decided to move closer to Research Park with room to expand. This physical move coincided with a change in leadership for TriVector, seeing Mike Verhage (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) take over as the company CEO and President. Under this new leadership, TriVector is now classified as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and is proud to represent and support the robust veteran community in North Alabama.

The ribbon cutting was a huge event, hosted by the Huntsville-Madison Chamber of Commerce with setup and catering provided by The Event Planner. TriVector leadership and personnel were in attendance along with Huntsville senior leadership and special guests, Kathryn Verhage (Mike’s wife), Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong, Madison City Mayor Paul Finley, Shan McMillian from U.S. Senator Shelby’s office, Gwen Shelton from U.S. Senator Tuberville’s Office, and James Manasco from U.S. Representative Aderholt’s office.

In his speech, Mike talked about TriVector’s history in the Defense and Civil/Space industries, taking time to highlight TriVector’s proven strengths including their unique lean systems engineering approach, diverse engineering analysis, strong configuration/data management expertise, and efficient project management knowledge. Mike also thanked and expressed his deep appreciation and respect for TriVector’s Founding fathers, Marc Verhage, Dr. Joey Shelton, and Tim Kauffman and their wives Beverly, Susie, and Jen.

Mike concluded his comments by stating the following: “Today we are celebrating a new location, our growth in this community for over 14 years and our new Classification of Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business. Our mission continues to center around providing quality Engineering solutions to complex problems through a renowned team of engineering professionals. We are seeking lasting partnerships based on professional integrity and sound engineering principles. TriVector brings Experience, exceptional Performance, and measurable Value to everything we do.”