AE Industrial Partners, LP (AEI), a private equity firm specializing in National Security, Aerospace, and Industrial Services, announced the appointment of Honorable Ryan McCarthy, 24th Secretary of the U.S. Army, as an Operating Partner.
McCarthy joins AEI after a distinguished career in aerospace and national security. In August 2017, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed him as the 33rd Undersecretary of the Army. In September 2019, the Senate confirmed him by unanimous consent as the 24th Secretary of the Army, a position he held until January 2021.
Before his confirmation as Undersecretary of the Army, McCarthy worked for Lockheed Martin Corporation in sequential vice president roles where he was responsible for the sustainment, customer solutions, and program integration of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
Earlier in his career, McCarthy was a special assistant to former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates under Presidents Bush and Obama. Before his time in the Pentagon, McCarthy served in the US Army and was deployed in combat operations during the invasion of Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 75th Ranger Regiment, US Army Special Operations Command.
As a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, McCarthy holds a master’s degree in business from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. And he is a member of the Board of Visitors of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and is Vice Chairman of the Board of Advisors of the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are thrilled to welcome Ryan to the firm as we continue to enhance our national security team and focus on building innovative companies that are providing the technologies critical to the nation’s defense. We look forward to leveraging the experience, insights, and strategic acumen Ryan has gained across his many years of military, government, and private sector service.”
-David Rowe co-CEO and Managing Partner at AE Industrial Partners
“Global events continue to illustrate that there is sustained need for innovative technologies to combat complex and evolving threats. I look forward to partnering with AEI’s portfolio companies operating within the national security space to capitalize on new opportunities and create value.”
-Ryan McCarthy
