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ERC Names Federal Contracting Industry Leader Craig Reed to Advisory Board

ercwebdev on November 18, 2021

Huntsville, Ala., Nov. 18, 2021 – ERC, LLC, a leading provider of advanced engineering, technology and consulting solutions for the defense and space communities, today announced that federal contracting industry leader Craig Reed has joined its Board of Advisors.

Craig Reed

“Craig is an important addition to the ERC family,” said Ernie Wu, CEO of ERC. “He has been instrumental in helping companies grow both organically and through acquisition across our industry, and his expertise and experience will be tremendous assets as we continue to move forward and execute on our ‘Advantage Delivered’ mantra for customers throughout the defense and space industries.”  

Over his nearly 40-year career in government contracting, Reed has worked extensively across the defense, space and intelligence, and government services markets in growth, strategy, corporate development, and executive leadership roles. He is founder and president of Growth Strategy Leaders LLC. Reed previously served as president and chief growth officer of Altamira Technologies and held leadership roles at Serco, NT Concepts, Engility, DynCorp International, Northrop Grumman, CSP Associates and Lockheed Martin. He also served as senior policy advisor and executive director of the Secretary of Energy’s Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Energy.

“This is an exciting time for ERC as it is advancing its growth strategy and I am thrilled to join the team to support its continued journey of expansion,” said Reed. “Our industry is evolving quickly to address the expanding and highly critical mission needs of our government customers, and I look forward to collaborating with ERC’s dynamic leadership as the company continues to deliver best-in-class services to federal agencies and broaden its support to customers through strategic acquisitions.”

ERC’s broad range of solutions includes software development, cybersecurity, mission support, modeling and simulation, research and development, systems engineering, and test and evaluation. Examples of ERC’s industry leading performance include developing software for military customer mission planning, providing network and cybersecurity services for defense customers including prime contractors, and delivering comprehensive solutions for space operations, including systems engineering, technical support and qualifications testing for launch systems.

Reed holds a Ph.D. in public policy with a concentration in national security studies from George Washington University, a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University, a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Albany and completed the Oxford Management Programme at Saïd Business School at Oxford University. 

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About ERC

ERC is a leading provider of mission-critical engineering, technical and consulting services to the space and defense markets. For over 30 years, ERC has worked closely with such customers as the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and other high-tech governmental entities on missions of national importance. ERC’s solutions combine precise engineering, innovative technologies, deep subject-matter expertise, firsthand mission understanding, and long-term customer knowledge to deliver the critical advantage needed to solve critical challenges. ERC’s 2,000 employees share a collaborative culture built on commitment, integrity, teamwork, respect, and uncompromising performance, which enables best-in-class service and solutions for the company’s customers. For more information, go to www.erc.us. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Kristina Messner (Focused Image for ERC)

kmessner@focusedimage.com 703-678-6023

ERC Positions for Growth Supporting Defense and Space Mission Success

ercwebdev on November 9, 2021

Company promises government customers an “Advantage Delivered” through broad range of unbiased, technical solutions and consulting expertise.

Huntsville, Ala., Nov. 9, 2021 – ERC, LLC, a leading provider of advanced engineering, technology and consulting solutions for defense and space communities, today introduced a new website, logo and brand promise of “advantage delivered” highlighting the company’s intense commitment to serving its government and industry customers’ mission-critical needs. For more than 30 years, ERC has been delivering the advantage needed to solve its customers’ and the nation’s toughest challenges. The company’s leading-edge services enhance readiness, optimize performance, and help ensure mission success in the air, on the ground, and in space. The firm’s rebranding initiative is a key part of its strategic plan for growth, supported by its partnership with private equity firm Brightstar Capital Partners, with whom it entered agreement in May.

“We understand that our defense and space industry customers operate in a dynamic environment, and we are positioning our organization to best meet their changing needs,” said Ernie Wu, CEO of ERC. “The industry is confronted by many challenges, including a shifting geopolitical landscape that requires a strengthening and modernization of defense capabilities, a space sector that is being reshaped by innovation and commercialization, and the emergence of cybersecurity as a vital issue for the defense-industrial sector. We are trusted advisors to our customers, ready, willing and able to help them meet these and future challenges and look forward to continuing to collaborate in support of their ongoing mission success.”   

ERC’s broad range of solutions includes software development, cybersecurity, mission support, modeling and simulation, research and development, systems engineering, and test and evaluation – a portfolio that is showcased on its new website under Capabilities.

The new ERC corporate website home page featuring the “Advantage Delivered” messaging.

Throughout its three-decade history, the ERC team has gained extensive experience in supporting a wide range of defense and space missions. Examples of ERC’s industry leading performance include supporting the U.S. Air Force to develop software for mission planning, providing network and cybersecurity services for customers including prime defense industry contractors and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, and delivering comprehensive solutions for NASA, including systems engineering, technical support and qualifications testing for the Space Launch System.

“Our new Advantage Delivered mantra represents the value proposition embodied in our wide array of solutions and the dedication of our talented team,” added Wu. “As a best place to work in government industry, ERC team members are motivated by a collaborative, people-centric culture, which stands at the center of everything we do for our customers.”

ERC’s legacy of excellence, innovation, responsiveness and integrity was established in 1988 by Y.C.L. Susan Wu, the company’s founding Chairperson and CEO. An early aerospace engineering and government services industry pioneer, she was the first woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology. Wu’s dynamic spirit and vision are being carried forward by her son who now serves as ERC CEO.

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About ERC

ERC is a leading provider of mission-critical engineering, technical and consulting services to the space and defense markets. For over 30 years, ERC has worked closely with such customers as the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and other high-tech governmental entities on missions of national importance. ERC’s solutions combine precise engineering, innovative technologies, deep subject-matter expertise, firsthand mission understanding, and long-term customer knowledge to deliver the critical advantage needed to solve critical challenges. ERC’s 2,000 employees share a collaborative culture built on commitment, integrity, teamwork, respect, and uncompromising performance, which enables best-in-class service and solutions for the company’s customers. For more information, go to www.erc.us. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Kristina Messner (Focused Image for ERC)
kmessner@focusedimage.com 703-678-6023

We’re Great Place to Work® Certified!

ercwebdev on June 15, 2021

We asked our employees to take a survey about ERC by Great Place to Work® and to provide their honest, candid feedback. The results of Great Place to Work surveys are used to distinguish exemplary companies across the world and develop the list for Fortune Magazine’s Best Places to Work. We are incredibly proud to be Certified™ by Great Place to Work® on the first attempt in our company’s 33-year history.

92% of those that took our survey said ERC is a great place to work. Other areas in which we excelled include making new hires feel welcome, being able to take time off when necessary, and feeling proud of our company and the work we accomplish.

We owe this accomplishment to the employees that live and breathe our company values every day. Each and every one has helped us build ERC into the company we know and love today. Thank you and congratulations to us all!

Click Here to View Our Results

Brightstar Capital Partners Acquires Majority Stake in ERC, a Leading Provider of Mission Critical Engineering and Consulting Services

ercwebdev on May 11, 2021

New York and Huntsville, AL, May 11, 2021 – Brightstar Capital Partners (“Brightstar”), a private equity firm focused on partnering with families, founders, entrepreneurs and management teams, announced today that it has acquired a majority stake in Engineering Research and Consulting, Inc., (“ERC” or the “Company”), in partnership with the Company’s owner and senior management team. Terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Huntsville, AL, ERC is a leading provider of mission critical engineering and consulting services to the US Department of Defense, NASA and other high-tech governmental entities. The Company’s 2,200 employees nationwide provide advanced military and space research and development; test and evaluation; operations and maintenance; and IT, software, and network administration services.

The investment continues Brightstar’s track record of partnering with family-owned businesses. ERC was founded in 1988 by the late Dr. Y.C.L. Susan Wu, the first woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology. Her son, Dr. Ernie Wu, will continue as Board Chair and CEO of the Company.

“We are impressed with ERC’s capabilities and culture and see enormous potential for growth in the dynamic and fragmented government services and technology industry,” said Michael Singer, a Managing Director at Brightstar. “Through accelerated investment in operational capabilities, as well as a focus on strategic acquisitions, we are confident that Ernie and the talented team at ERC will continue to provide best-in-class capabilities and services.”

“As we got to know the Brightstar team, it quickly became clear that they share our values and care deeply about our team and the culture we’ve created,” said Dr. Wu. “We will rely on their operational experience and capital resources as we begin a new and exciting chapter in our Company’s history.”

“We look forward to enhancing ERC’s already proven ability to deliver mission critical systems engineering and technical assistance services,” said Reidar Brekke, a Partner at Brightstar. “Our team has a great deal of relevant expertise with high-tech and government services businesses and is proud to be partnering with a business founded by a groundbreaking pioneer like Dr. Susan Wu.”

About ERC

Headquartered in Huntsville, AL, ERC is a leading provider of mission critical engineering and consulting services to the US Department of Defense, NASA and other high-tech governmental entities. The Company’s 2,200 employees nationwide provide advanced military and space research and development; test and evaluation; operations and maintenance; and IT, software, and network administration services. ERC was founded in 1988 by the late Dr. Susan Wu, the first woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology, and continues to be led by her son, Dr. Ernie Wu. For more information, please visit www.erc-incorporated.com

About Brightstar Capital Partners

Brightstar Capital Partners is a private equity firm focused on partnering with exceptional families, founders, entrepreneurs and management teams where the firm is ideally positioned to drive value creation. Brightstar employs an operationally intensive approach that leverages its extensive experience and relationship network to help companies reach their full potential. For more information, please visit www.brightstarcp.com.

Media Contacts

Doug Allen/Zach Kouwe
Dukas Linden Public Relations
brightstar@dlpr.com
212-704-7385

ERC Happenings

ercwebdev on August 5, 2019

Over the years, I collected all of the Space Shuttle mission patches for each launch….all 135 of them.  I wanted to make them into something that would celebrate the program, represent my own career, and remember the loss of Challenger and Columbia.  Putting this quilt together brought back many wonderful memories.

My quilt was completed near the end of the Shuttle Program.  I shared it with the workforce and enjoyed everyone sharing special memories of their favorite missions.  This was exciting, special and very emotional.  This quilt is never out of my sight and whenever someone requests it for display, I always deliver it personally.

I recently had the pleasure of displaying my quilt at the kickoff of Columbia: the Mission Continues National Tour. It was an honor to have my quilt on display greeting employees when they came in for the presentation.  My bucket list included a picture of my quilt with one of the astronauts, Shane Kimbrough.  I have checked that box!”

Vicky Turner, IT Professional – Help Desk Analyst   

  • Astronaut Shane Kimbrough with quilt.
  • NASA and Space Shuttle patch
  • Various shuttle patches
  • The quilt!
A Brush with Greatness!

The Saturn V Rocket at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville is a treasured landmark for our community, but was showing the toll from 20 years of being outside.  At the end of 2018, the “Revive the Saturn V” campaign was launched.  Thanks to a generous donation from our CEO, Ernie Wu, one lucky ERC employee was able to help put on the finishing coat of paint.

Ruby Stevens, from our Business Development team, was the lucky winner!   With paint and brush in hand, Ruby climbed onboard a lift that took her to the lower section of the rocket, a height of approximately 40 – 45 feet.  So thank you Ernie and Ruby for helping to restore our rocket…and just in time for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon mission!Ruby is ready to paint!Ruby in action way up in the air.

  • Ruby is ready to paint!
  • Ruby in action way up in the air!
IRES COS folks enjoying golf for a good cause!

ERC has been a long-time supporter of the National Children’s Advocacy Center, an organization founded in Huntsville, dedicated to providing training, prevention, and treatment services to fight child abuse and neglect.  When the opportunity surfaced to support Safe Passage, the local Children’s Advocacy Center in Colorado Springs, ERC was all-in with 2 teams coming out for a day of golf and fun.  A big thank you to the golfers that took time out of their schedules to represent ERC…and a fine looking group they were!

L-R: Karen Tomaso-Kelly, Ryan Noe, Doug McKittrick, Allyn Carver, Mike Finnicum, Rob Hughes, Melissa Shepherd and Robert Wallace

Farewell to 2018…hello 2019!

ercwebdev on March 19, 2019

The 2018 – 2019 ELP (ERC Leadership Preparation) Program current class participants gathered at Rockaxe City Throwing Club for a fun night of bonding and friendly competition…and everyone came home with all of their fingers and toes!

2018 – 2019 ELP Class Outing L-R: TJ Parker (Aerie), Scott Bailey (SEMATS), Matt Matoushek (RWESS DPM), Janicce Harp (TOSC), Greg Joseph (SEMATS PM), Jeff Williams (RPS), Ryan Noe (HQ), Martha Wasserburger (RWESS), Pete Hopman (TOSC), Robert Wallace (RWESS), Terrell Parker (Aerie), Jay Hyatt (JETS) and Kenny Frame.
Record Donations for Toys for Tots in Huntsville!

ERC has been a long-time supporter of Toys for Tots at many of our locations around the United States. 2018 was a record year here in Huntsville, thanks in large part to a challenge between Test Area 2 (TA2) and Climatics (both RTC divisions within the RWESS contract). TA2 came out way ahead, but the real winners are the less-fortunate children in the Tennessee Valley. No doubt there were some smiling faces on Christmas morning!

  • Amber Atchely and Clint Hittner from TA1
  • The Climatics donations
  • Holy Cow – look at what TA2 collected!
ERC employees support VEX Robotics Competition

The VEX Robotics Competition, presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, is the largest and fastest growing middle school and high school robotics program globally. At a recent competition, several ERC employees were in the thick of the action as judges and referees. Pictured below, l-r: Terrell Parker (Aerie), Whitney Corder (RWESS), Ryan Noe (HQ), Rachel Hall, Brittany Buatte and Matt Brantley (RWESS), and Naveen Vetcha (ESSCA). Naveen and Brittany were able to take a quick break…and Matt is very serious about being a referee!

IRES Colorado Springs Visit

Mike Finnicum and the IRES COS family welcomed visitors from Huntsville with a tour of the MDA facility, an All-Hands meeting, then dinner with some of the ERC family. 

Pictured above, seated: James Klein, Michele and Ernie; standing, l-r: Tiffany Skarda, Mike Finnicum, Wendy Thordsen, Sean Doyle, Katrina Fox, Bob Peloso and Stanley Mullis.

Good Times at ERC!

ercwebdev on October 10, 2018

Habitat for Humanity 

ERC has been a long-time supporter of Habitat for Humanity at several of our ERC contract locations. This summer, we came together in Huntsville to help make the dream of a new home come true for a family.  We primed and painted the inside of the home, then tackled the garage.  Despite the heat and lots of paint on our clothes, it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning!

Pictured left to right:  (standing) Cathleen Vincent (RWESS), Michele, Mike Keel (ASRI), Stuart White (Aerie), Paul Robinette (ASRI), (kneeling) Jonathan Robinette (Aerie), Thomas Broadrick (IRES).
Summer PDL Dinner

It’s always a treat to have folks come in from all contract locations to HQ for Purpose Driven Leadership (PDL).  This year, our dinner was held at Campus 805, a fairly new venue located close to downtown Huntsville.  It features several local breweries, restaurants, and even an axe throwing spot.  Josh Wilkins (JETS) and several others checked out the axe throwing….and Josh had a lil’ misfire!

Serving Our Veterans

This summer, a group of volunteers from several of our Huntsville contracts came together to serve lunch to veterans from all branches of service at our local Veterans Center.  Thanks to Bill Alcorn (RWESS)!  He has connected ERC with this center and helps coordinate coffee and crackers for veterans visiting the facility.

The ERC volunteers feeding our veterans!

Summer Happenings!

ercwebdev on August 8, 2018

CASA of Madison County volunteer time!

ERC now has a certified ramp building team for CASA (Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound) – a North Alabama non-profit that provides assistance to the homebound and elderly in our community.  A group of ERC employees came together for a fun – and hot – warehouse work night.  We cut planks and pre-assembled various sections.  Once the home site was ready, another team of volunteers from ERC and Aerie came together to build the ramp.  The homeowner was so excited to leave her house in her wheelchair – what a great way to spend a Saturday morning!

  • ERC Huntsville volunteers, from left to right: Wally O’Steen (RWESS), Lindsey, Michele, and Clyde Wikle (HQ), Shaun Dyer (IRES) and Danny Waters (RWESS).
  • Watch out – Lindsey Parker (HQ) is armed with a nail gun!
  • The happy homeowner with the volunteer group – awesome day!
Employees sharing their work!

On a recent visit to our JETS contract at Johnson Space Center, Ernie had the opportunity to see first hand some of the cool lab work taking place:

  • Ernie with Jason Pond at the vacuum chamber.
  • Ernie and Dr. Simon Clemett in the Laser spectrometer lab.

It is amazing to see the various areas where our ERC employees work!

Supporting the Boys & Girls Club

ERC has been a long-time supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs at several of our locations.  This year, the North Alabama Chapter featured a dinner with famed Auburn and NBA star, Charles Barkley.  ERC was represented well at the event, including some one-on-one time with Sir Charles!

  • The ERC table, left to right: JR Anderson & Cindy Webb (HQ), Jason Nielsen (RWESS), Erica Harbin (IRES), Ken Lyles (HQ), Nicole Hicks and Robert Wallace (RWESS)
  • Robert and his new friend Charles!
Be safe out there!

Early Summer happenings….and love is in the air!

ercwebdev on June 11, 2018

Love is in the air at TOSC! 

A recent Family Tour day at Kennedy Space Center took on special meaning as Nick Smyth proposed to his girlfriend, Caitlin!

Right after Nick joined the ERC family, he took Caitlin and her 2 children to the Visitor Center for the entire day.  Since then, Caitlin has been inspired to be a part of the space program – so much so that she is currently enrolled in the aerospace technician program at a local college.

When Nick realized that she was the one, he knew the space program had to be incorporated into the proposal.  Nick’s original idea was to propose at the launch pad, but NASA only allows tour buses out there.  So, on to Plan B.

According to Nick, when he gets nervous, he wings it – and that worked swimmingly well this time!  Nick said, “…the moment that I was in the firing room at the LCC, I had that nervous feeling and I wasn’t sure about the location…we walked up stairs…looked out towards the launch pads and [thought] it’s now or never…I asked the launch director [to] please give me 1 minute. That’s when I told Caitlin that I love her and the rest is history!”

Yes, even Ernie gets tested! 

As a government contractor, we are required to perform random drug screens on our employees…and that includes Ernie, Kenny, Ken and Stacy.  You’ll see below that it was Ernie’s lucky day – and he passed with flying colors!  Dana, from Occupational Health Group, is our favorite screener as she always has that big smile on her face.

10th Annual ERC Fishing Tournament

It was a picture perfect day for the 10th Annual ERC Fishing Tournament with 25 boats launching to see who would bring home the biggest catch.  Congratulations to Naaman Robertson (RWESS) and Megan Freeman for taking home the trophy this year.  Together, they caught 10.91 lbs of bass.

ERC 30th Anniversary Celebrations and a big milestone for one of our own!

ercwebdev on May 18, 2018

ERC Celebrates our 30th Anniversary!  

As our founder, Dr. Susan Wu, has said, it’s hard to believe that ERC is now 30 years old!  Each ERC contract location had its own unique celebration, but each one started with that sweet video of Susan and Jimmy talking about the Red Envelopes.   If you missed the video, you can still view it on ERCNet.  In the near future, we’ll have the recording from the 30th Anniversary celebration in Huntsville with Susan and Jimmy talking to our folks about the early days of ERC…it was a treat!

Take a moment to check out these photos from some of the 30th Anniversary celebrations:

  • The 30th Anniversary cake for the JETS employees at Johnson Space Center.
  • Jimmy Wu sharing a story from the early days of ERC. He’s a very animated speaker!
  • Great shot of Kenny, Susan, Jimmy and Ernie watching the Red Envelope video.
  • Kenny Frame, Jimmy and Susan Wu, and Ernie Wu at the Huntsville Celebration.
  • Tom Giel (ESSCA), former UTSI employee working with Susan, and now ERC employee.
  • Sue Muehlhauser, Susan’s secretary at UTSI, spoke at the Huntsville Celebration.
  • A sea of cookies await the folks at TOSC for their celebration!
  • The ERC family at JETS at Johnson Space Center.
  • The RPS ERC family proudly showing their red envelopes!
Dr. Roscoe Lee:  50 years of service!

September 2017 marked an important milestone for Roscoe, as that date marked his 50th anniversary working for NASA – quite an accomplishment!  With this milestone, Roscoe became the first ERC employee to reach that level of service, so a big congratulations and thanks to Roscoe for his years of service to the space program!

Roscoe has been featured in the ERC blog before.  Several years ago, this youtube video was created to tell the “Roscoe Lee Story – Nearly 50 years with NASA.”   You’ll hear Roscoe talk about the incredible journey of important work that he has performed.  His career with NASA began in 1967 working on the Apollo missions, the Apollo Soyuz project with the Russians, the Space Shuttle missions, and the International Space Station.

https://youtu.be/ZlBC1nw__vc

ERC
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Huntsville, AL 35806-3200
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