Richard Newkirk is the CEO of Certus Innovations. He is responsible for all day-to-day management decisions, implementing the organization’s short and long-term plans, and maintaining an awareness of and managing the organization’s resources.
Before founding Certus Innovations, Richard was an Active Duty Officer in the U.S. Air Force. Subsequently, he worked as a government civilian in project management positions and then moved to private defense contracting. He is an Air Force-trained leader with extensive experience in the Department of Defense and Industry managing projects, developing software, managing developmental and operational tests, acquisitions, and system engineering efforts to ensure assets are appropriately integrated, allocated, suitable, and operational. An industry-certified professional in project management and Air Force acquisitions, Richard has extensive experience supporting various research programs and operational transition efforts.
A native of Albany, New York, Richard holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute and a Master’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University.