Mr. Williford established Ascend Aerospace in 2025 to foster the knowledge, skills and abilities of Middle and High School students in emerging technologies and development of the future workforce in local, state and national safety & security. Leveraging the success of Smart Community STEM Camps in Stafford, VA.

Mr. Williford established a consulting firm in November 2022 to provide assessments and recommendations to all businesses attempting to gain access and conduct work in the Federal Government space. He is a Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company, Advanced Technology International (ATI), Aprio, The Roosevelt Group, 2020Partners, and Autonomous Flight Systems Incorporated (AFSI).

Mr. Williford retired from Federal Senior Executive service on October 31, 2022. His previous assignment was Executive Director, Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, VA. In this position, he served as the senior civilian advisor to the Commander, the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Research, Development & Acquisition. He was responsible for leading daily business operations for the Acquisition Command to equip and sustain Marine Fleet Forces with the most capable and cost effective full-spectrum ground weapon and information technology systems for current and future expeditionary and crisis-response operations. He led a team of 2500 acquisition professionals executing annually $13 billion of appropriations, placing enhanced and modernized capability in the hands of 175,000 Marines.

Prior to reporting to Marine Corps Systems Command, Mr. Williford served as the Director, Integrated Warfare Systems Engineering, Naval Sea Systems Command (SEA 05H) responsible for oversight of $10 billion annually of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems, and Intelligence systems (C5I) research, development, and delivery for all United States Navy warships. In this capacity, he was the Deputy Warranted Technical and Certification Authority for Navy Integrated Warfare Capability on all Ship classes and Submarines including strategic planning advanced warfighting concepts, integrated warfare systems engineering, human systems integration, warfare systems readiness, and cybersecurity.

Mr. Williford’s initial Senior Executive assignment was as the Director, Integrated Combat Systems, Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command responsible for systems engineering to develop world class integrated Combat Systems for the United States Navy. In this assignment, he was responsible for all Surface Ship and Submarine Combat Systems. He was responsible for 150+ programs with an annual budget authority of $6.4 billion including the Aegis Weapon System.

Mr. Williford was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in March 2012. He has over 41 years of service with the Department of Defense on active duty, within industry and as a Federal Civilian and 32 years as an acquisition professional. He has an active TS/SCI clearance

Mr. Williford is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and Combat Veteran of the Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) serving as an Air Defense Officer in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He is a graduate of the Citadel, Charleston SC, BS, Business Administration and the University of Texas, San Antonio, MBA. Mr. Williford’s recent recognition is the 2022 Meritorious Presidential Rank Award and the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award.

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