ERC Red Crew Members Win Prestigious RNASA Award

From left to right: David Zolet (CEO of ERC); Bryce Yarbrough (Jacobs); Billy Cairns, Chad Garrett, Trenton Annis (ERC – Red Crew)

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., May 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — ERC is proud to announce that ERC’s Red Crew received the prestigious Stellar Award from the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation for their mission-saving work on the Artemis I launch. The Stellar Awards are presented on behalf of the RNASA to celebrate the accomplishments of those working behind the scenes of the space program. The Red Crew was invited to the 35th Annual Space Awards Gala on April 28th in Houston, TX, where they received their well-deserved recognition.

ERC Red Crew members Billy Cairns, Trenton Annis, and Chad Garrett were recognized for their contributions to ensure the successful launch of Artemis I on November 16, 2022. As NASA’s Kennedy Space Center prepared for launch, sensors detected a hydrogen leak during fueling. At the last minute, the Red Crew stepped in to stop the leak on the hydrogen valve. By tightening several bolts, the Red Crew ensured that the launch went on without a hitch. If not for their hard work and bravery, the launch would have been scrubbed.

Jane Reutt, President of ERC’s NASA division, said, “I could not be prouder of this team. The recognition was well deserved.”

For more information on the Red Crew’s participation in the Artemis I launch, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/artemis-red-crew-team-helps-enable-successful-launch

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 erc.us. Follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact Information:

Jane Reutt
ERC, NASA Division President
janereutt@erc.us

NASA’s Artemis I Mission Takes Flight Thanks to Red Crew Members

Huntsville, Ala., December 12, 2022 – ERC, a major subcontractor to Jacobs on the Test and Operations Support Contract (TOSC), wants to congratulate NASA on the successful launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission! The ERC team has been intimately involved in every aspect of TOSC, from the beginning phases to the Red Crew saving the day.

The SLS is NASA’s first exploration-class rocket since Saturn V and the most powerful rocket to date, designed to evolve for missions to the moon, mars, and beyond. Artemis I is the first uncrewed test flight in a series of complex missions to build a long-term presence on the Moon. The duration of the Artemis I mission was 25 days, 11 hours, and 36 minutes. Yesterday, December 11th, the module re-entered earth at 24,500 mph and splashed down after having traveled 1.3 million miles.

As NASA’s Kennedy Space Center was preparing for the launch on Nov. 15th, the sensors detected a leak during fueling, similar to what caused mission control to scrub the previous launch attempts. The Artemis I mission managers made the decision to send in the “Red Crew”, a specialized team to deploy to the base of the fueled rocket to try and stop the liquid hydrogen leak at 10:12 p.m. ET. In order for the Red Crew to do their job, the team needed to drain off the liquid hydrogen from the leaking component. This task was extremely dangerous due to the complexity and nature of the elements.

The ERC Red Crew team members, Billy Cairns and Trenton Annis, Cryogenic Engineering Technicians, and Chad Garrett, Safety Engineer, had to tighten several bolts to troubleshoot a valve used to replenish the core stage with liquid hydrogen. These three employees were hailed as “heroes of the day” by NASA for their bravery and hard work to ensure Artemis I took flight.

ERC President of NASA Division, Jane Reutt commented, “I am so proud of the ERC team on the TOSC contract. This launch took the entire team from the folks in the background to the folks in the firing room. What an amazing night as we listened to the count down and realized that we were going to zero and launching. It’s been a long road for many of our employees, but the end result was breathtaking.”

Our ERC Red Crew team members “showed up” and got their job done, and we couldn’t be prouder.

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 government entities on missions of national importance. ERC’s solutions combine precise engineering, innovative, deep subjective-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 erc.us. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

ERC Names Federal Contracting Industry Leader Craig Reed to Advisory Board

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

Our Founding Story

We recognize ERC’s birthday on March 16, 1988 – the day our founder, Dr. Ying Chu Lin “Susan” Wu, boldly left the security of her professorship at the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) in Tullahoma, TN to go to work full-time as Chairman and CEO of a company without any employees or any business.

An entity known as Engineering Research and Consulting, Inc. was actually established in 1977 by Susan, her husband, Dr. Jimmy Wu, and Dr. Ahmad Vakili. The three UTSI professors formed the company to provide engineering consultation services to large aerospace and defense firms. By 1988, the company was dormant and had no business. Susan took over and renamed the company “ERC, Incorporated.”

Susan was born in Beijing, China in 1932.   China wasn’t a safe place to live as the country was ravaged with civil war and Japanese occupation.  

When Susan was in the 8th grade, her family moved to the eastern coast of China then settled in Taiwan. While in Taiwan, Susan finished high school and earned a BS degree in engineering – keeping the vow she made to herself in the 8th grade to become an engineer and remedy China’s struggles. Unfortunately, China was now under communist control, so Susan and her future husband Jimmy set off for the United States of America in 1957.


Susan won the Amelia Earhart Fellowship from Zonta International to attend The Ohio State University and Jimmy attended the University of Minnesota. In 1959, Susan earned her MS in engineering and married Jimmy.


Susan enrolled in the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), one of the most prestigious engineering institutions in the United States, where Jimmy was already attending. She stayed in school while having two boys, while James stopped school and went to work to support the family. In 1963, Susan became the first woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering at Caltech.


In 1965, Jimmy and Susan moved to Tullahoma, TN where they served as professors in Aerospace Engineering at UTSI for nearly 25 years. During this time, Susan was awarded many prestigious awards to include: Outstanding Educators in America in 1972 and 1975, and Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award in 1985.


While still teaching at UTSI, Susan, Jimmy, and Dr. Ahmad Vakili established Engineering Research and Consulting, Inc. in 1977. Despite very strong performance, the company’s ability to maintain contracting was unsuccessful. With the company’s three employees tied up either teaching or actually executing project work, there was no time left to develop new business. ERC went dormant until 1988.

On March 15, 1988, Susan retired from UTSI and on March 16, 1988, she became the sole Director of ERC. She expressed the company’s mission of fostering high technology development in a small business sector. From the start, Susan stressed three main values: 1) Have Integrity, 2) Provide Excellent Work, and 3) Treat Employees Like Family.  The University of Tennessee awarded ERC its first contract supporting their Energy Conversion Program. 


ERC’s growth was slow, but steady for the first several years. By 1995, the company’s business base was over $10M with contracts with the Army, NASA, Department of Energy, and the Air Force.

Susan moved the family and the company headquarters to Huntsville, AL in 1996. Just four years later, Susan suffered a stroke. For health reasons, she stepped down as Chairman and CEO. She persuaded her oldest son, Dr. Ernie Wu, to leave his research at Harvard University and take over as President and CEO of ERC. Ernie faithfully led ERC for the next 25 years. Dr. Ying Chu Lin “Susan” Wu died at home in Huntsville, Alabama, on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.

The ERC Family is extremely proud to be a part of an organization whose founding roots epitomize the American Dream, perseverance, and engineering excellence. As we move forward, we know our company can be anything we want it to be, because we all recognize we are standing on the shoulders of a 5 foot 1 inch giant. Susan is, and will always be, the soul and inspiration of the ERC Family.




ERC Positions for Growth Supporting Defense and Space Mission Success

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!

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

New York and Huntsville, AL, May 11, 2021Brightstar 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

Remembering Our Founder

Dr. Y.C.L. Susan Wu

Dr. Ying Chu Lin “Susan” Wu, a pioneer for women in aerospace and energy research died at home in Huntsville, Alabama, on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. She did and will continue to inspire many, especially women, who aspire to pursue careers in science and engineering or who choose to challenge the status quo. She overcame numerous challenges in her life and broke ground as a woman in aerospace, making contributions in her field of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), while also teaching and raising a family.

After a long and successful career, Susan decided to honor a childhood vow made watching American bombers fight to free China during World War II. She began a new career in aerospace engineering by starting her own company in 1988.  ERC, Incorporated started in her basement with the same values she held in all aspects of her life:

  • Do your best to excel.
  • Treat others with respect and courtesy.
  • Help the people around you.
  • Share what you have, even if what you have isn’t much.

Of her many accomplishments, Susan may have been most proud of starting a company that lived and breathed her values and continued what she had learned from her mother. She could see and feel people working and living with those values, and she could see that she was again making a positive difference in the world.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to either of the following organizations.

The Amelia Earhart Fellowship from Zonta International. Susan was the only three-time winner of this fellowship. Her first award in 1958 enabled her to study mechanical engineering at Ohio State University.

The Alzheimer’s Association. This organization promotes research in finding a cure and support for the families and victims of the disease. Susan was diagnosed in 2014 with Alzheimer’s Disease. She worked hard to continue pushing ahead despite the disease, solving Sudoku and word puzzles endlessly to keep her mind sharp.

ERC Happenings

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   

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.

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!

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!

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.