Leadership Team

George Whittier is Chief Executive Officer of Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), where he leads the company’s continued expansion as a trusted provider of mission-critical maritime defense capabilities supporting the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and allied fleets worldwide.

A highly respected leader across the defense industrial base, George has twice guided Fairbanks Morse Defense through periods of significant growth and transformation. During his previous tenure as CEO, he led the company’s evolution from a premier naval engine supplier into a diversified defense contractor delivering a broad portfolio of technologies, services, and aftermarket capabilities essential to fleet readiness and sustainment. Today, he is focused on scaling FMD’s impact across maritime platforms around the world while strengthening partnerships throughout the naval supply chain and beyond.

George’s history with the organization spans more than three decades and began during his time with Coltec Industries, which operated Fairbanks Morse prior to its acquisition by EnPro Industries. Over 17 years, he held progressively senior leadership roles culminating in his appointment as President of Fairbanks Morse. He later held executive leadership positions at Precision Castparts Corporation, Regal Rexnord Corporation, and The Morey Corporation before returning to lead Fairbanks Morse Defense following its acquisition by Arcline Investment Management.

Beyond his corporate leadership responsibilities, George is co-founder and former Chairman of the Wisconsin Defense Industry Council, where he works to strengthen the state’s defense industrial base by addressing workforce development, supply-chain resilience, and long-term sector competitiveness. He also serves on the boards of Beloit 200 and PDC Machines, supporting innovation in advanced manufacturing and energy infrastructure.

George holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from Queens University of Charlotte.

Chris McVicker joined Fairbanks Morse Defense in September 2024 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Chris brings a wealth of experience and a powerful strategic vision to his leadership role. Chris is responsible for overseeing all of the company’s operations, guiding its strategic direction, and driving its mission to support the nation’s defense.

Prior to this role, Chris served as the CFO of Celerus Flow Technology for five years, where he played a pivotal role in steering the company’s financial strategy following its carve-out from SPX/SPX Flow. During his tenure at SPX/SPX Flow, Chris held various positions with increasing responsibilities, contributing significantly to the company’s growth and stability. Before his time at SPX/SPX Flow, Chris was with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, serving in a variety of roles across audit and advisory services.

Chris graduated from Robert Morris University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. He also earned his MBA from Queens University of Charlotte.

Mike Clark is a transformational leader focused on making Fairbanks Morse Defense a world-class supply partner. He is responsible for guiding FMD’s operations, continuous improvement, engineering, R&D, supply chain, program management, new engine sales, and environmental health and safety programs.

Before joining FMD, Mike served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Operations at Atkore, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of electrical materials. He spent 10 years in operational leadership roles across several divisions of Meggitt PLC, an aerospace, defense, and energy equipment manufacturing company based in the United Kingdom. His last role with Meggitt PLC was a Group Vice President of Operations. Prior to that Mike held roles of increasing responsibilities in quality, manufacturing , and continuous improvement with Groth Corporation.

Mike began his career as Business Development Manager and Principal Consultant for the Quality Institute of America, an international management consulting firm. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in Maritime Administration from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He also completed an Executive Strategic Management Program at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School in Oxford, United Kingdom. In addition, he is a Six Sigma Black Belt, Master Lean Black Belt, and an AS 9100 Lead Auditor.

Tim Oswald is the CHRO for Fairbanks Morse Defense. In this role, he leads our Human Resources team. Tim brings over 15 years of HR experience, including HR leadership roles in significantly larger organizations including Regal Beloit Corporation and Springs Window Fashions.

Tim is also very active in his local community with service as a Board Member of the United Way Blackhawk Region, Vice Chair of the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation and he volunteers coaching both youth girls’ basketball and varsity boys’ basketball in his school district.

Tim graduated with a Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a double major in Management/Human Resources and Marketing. He also earned his MBA from the New York Institute of Technology.

Crystal Brent leads Marketing strategies across all of Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), overseeing a growing portfolio of brands and enhancing customer experience. She is passionate about expanding FMD’s presence and brand within the naval marine industry and beyond.

Prior to FMD, Crystal served as Chief Marketing Officer for Mercy Ships Canada, a non-profit operating the world’s largest non-military hospital ships providing free surgeries in Africa. Her career also includes extensive roles at Rolls-Royce, where she held various sales and marketing positions in Aerospace, Defense, and Maritime sectors.

With a wealth of international experience, Crystal has lived and worked in Bergen, Norway; London, Bristol, and Derby in the UK; Montreal, Canada; Houston, US; Singapore; and Hong Kong. She serves on the board of Radio Lollipop at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York City, as well as a Legal Clinic serving the underprivileged in Toronto.  A native of Canada, Crystal holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University.

Nick Morgan is the Vice President of Strategy for Fairbanks Morse Defense. In this role, Nick is responsible for Fairbanks Morse’s mergers and acquisitions activity, including front-end M&A sourcing and due diligence. He also leads strategic projects related to growth/new business opportunities.

Before joining Fairbanks Morse, Nick served as a Senior Manager at Bain & Company, where he led engagements in the Private Equity practice, conducting due diligence on acquisition targets for PE buyers. While at Bain, Nick also led strategy, operations and implementation projects for corporate clients, including F50 clients in the Aerospace & Defense sector. Prior to joining Bain & Company, Mr. Morgan served as an analyst in investment banking and private equity.

Nick earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and a Masters of Business Administration from Columbia Business School in New York, NY.

Keith Haasl holds the position of President of Service and Technology at Fairbanks Morse Defense. In this capacity, he heads the Service division and Technology division, responsible for supervising the advancement and implementation of FMD’s cutting-edge technology solutions and the extensive portfolio of aftermarket parts, service and support.

Keith started his career at Fairbanks Morse Defense as a Field Service Engineer in 1994 and held successive customer-facing leadership positions through 2015. He briefly served as a Program Manager in the defense industry and as a Plant Manager in the aerospace and industrial business space with responsibility for leading the operations, maintenance, program management, engineering, procurement, and quality teams before rejoining Fairbanks Morse Defense in 2020 as Vice President of Solutions.

Throughout his career, Keith has established a reputation throughout the industry for his unwavering dedication to customer support and a reputation as a trusted solutions-focused advisor for the defense contractor’s naval defense customers. He is highly respected as a hands-on leader who works alongside his teams, sharing his broad experience and expertise.

Keith has a Bachelor of Science degree from Upper Iowa University and a Master of Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University. He is a U.S. Army veteran (20th Engineer Brigade) and served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Jared Barefield is a seasoned financial expert with an extensive tenure at Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), where he has excelled since March 2004. Over his illustrious career at FMD, Jared has held various pivotal roles within the Finance department, showcasing exceptional dedication and proficiency.

Before joining FMD, Jared spent six years at Textron Fastening Systems, a $500 million segment of Textron, where he honed his financial acumen and played a key role in driving financial strategies.

Jared holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Northern Illinois University, laying the foundation for his exceptional financial expertise. In May 2017, he further fortified his knowledge base by attaining an MBA from the esteemed University of Wisconsin-Madison.

As the Chief Accounting Officer at Fairbanks Morse Defense, Jared brings a wealth of experience, a strong financial acumen, and a strategic vision that continues to be instrumental in FMD’s success. His dedication to financial excellence and commitment to driving growth make him an invaluable asset to the company.

Dan Rediger is the President of FMD’s Power and Propulsion division. Dan is responsible for both the Bird-Johnson propellers business and the Engines business. Dan joined FMD in 2025 as a result of leading the successful carve-out of the Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Propeller Division during its sale to Fairbanks Morse Defense. Based in Walpole,MA, he manages operations at facilities in both propeller facilities in Walpole, MA, and Pascagoula, MS, as well as the engines facility in Beloit.

Prior to his current role, Dan led all aspects of the Bird-Johnson propellers business when it was part of Rolls-Royce. He has extensive expertise in Naval Propulsion Manufacturing, Assembly, and Test Operations. Previously, Dan gained significant experience in Aerospace manufacturing through various roles at Rolls-Royce. His career began at the Indianapolis, IN facility before moving to the Prince George County, VA campus, where he served as Manufacturing Engineering Manager and was part of the team that established the facility.

Dan holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Ohio State University and a master’s degree in Project Management from Penn State University. His professional development includes completion of the Rolls-Royce High Potential Leadership program, certification as a Six Sigma Black Belt, and graduation from the Darden Business School Executive Program.

As Vice President of Naval Affairs, Jim represents FMD at the highest levels within the Navy, the Pentagon, and other Government organizations. Jim helps FMD develop strategies across the entire business on how best to pursue new ship programs and other opportunities. With over 39 years of service in the U.S. Navy in various civilian leadership and technical positions, Jim brings unique knowledge, skills, and experience to FMD. Prior to joining FMD in January 2022, Jim was the Executive Director of NAVSEA Engineering and Logistics Directorate (SEA 05) with the collateral responsibilities as NAVSEA Deputy Chief Engineer (CHENG) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

Jim began Federal Service at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in the Nuclear Engineering Department as a Fluid Systems and Mechanical Division Engineer. While at Norfolk, he held various leadership positions including Supervisory Nuclear Engineer in the Reactor Engineering Division, Head of Nuclear Fluid Systems and Mechanical Division, Project Superintendent for USS George Washington, Head Nuclear Engineer, and Head of the Nuclear Refueling Engineering Division.

Upon selection to Senior Executive Service in 2004, he was selected as the Nuclear Engineering and Planning Manager at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. In 2014, he returned to Norfolk Naval Shipyard as the Nuclear Engineering and Planning Manager. In 2018 Jim was selected as NAVSEA Director for Marine Engineering (SEA 05Z), responsible for technical authority for all the Navy’s Hull, Mechanical and Electrical Equipment, and systems.

Jim is a graduate of the Florida Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Engineering and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering.

Jim’s performance and contributions to the Navy have been recognized with various awards including The Department of Defense’s Distinguished Civilian Service Award in 2021, Superior Civilian Service Award in 2021, Presidential Meritorious Rank Award in 2017, Meritorious Civilian Service Awards at both Pearl Harbor and Norfolk Naval Shipyards.

Brandon Ferriman is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Projects at Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD). As a key member of the Executive Team, Brandon leads a portfolio of strategic initiatives designed to move the company forward and strengthen its support of naval fleets. Brandon brings a wealth of international experience, technical expertise, and a proven record of driving growth and technological transformation across complex, high-stakes industries.

Prior to joining FMD, Brandon served as Head of Program Management at Brunswick Corporation’s Navico Group, where he led a global organization spanning North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. During his tenure at Brunswick, he also held the role of Senior Director for Autonomy & ADAS Programs, establishing strategic partnerships, managing the business area’s financials and roadmaps, and acting as the partnership lead for a critical military product solution that earned a U.S. Navy Success Memo. Before Brunswick, Brandon spent nearly a decade at ZF in a series of global leadership roles, including an extensive seven-year expatriate assignment across England and Germany. There, he managed advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) portfolios, achieved significant scale in new product launches, and substantially improved portfolio profitability. He began his career in the aerospace and defense sector with foundational roles at SEAKR Engineering and Lockheed Martin, where he completed the highly competitive Operations Leadership Development Program.

Brandon holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Western Michigan University’s Lee Honors College, as well as both a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Science in Strategic Management from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.