Former Army Chief of Staff Brings Deep Organizational and Aerospace Expertise to Defense & Government Services Investments

AE Industrial Partners, LP (“AEI”), a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense & government services, space, power & utility services, and specialty industrial markets, today announced that General (Ret.) Jim McConville, former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, will be joining the firm as an Operating Partner.

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Jim McConville (Photo: Business Wire)

General (Ret) Jim McConville joins AEI following an impressive military career that spans more than four decades. Most recently, he served as the United States Army’s 40^th Chief of Staff, from August 2019 to August 2023, overseeing an organization of 1.2 million personnel and a budget of $185 billion. During his tenure, he led several transformational modernization initiatives, including the introduction of an information age-focused talent management system and the addition of new weapons systems. He also navigated the Army’s COVID response, led natural disaster support, and oversaw force deployments across the globe.

“We are proud to welcome Jim to our team of Operating Partners and look forward to tapping his insight and experience across the defense and government services spectrum to help our portfolio companies refine their operations and evaluate new opportunities,” said David Rowe, Managing Partner of AE Industrial. “Jim’s ability to lead complex initiatives, as well as his understanding of the dynamics of the sector, will be invaluable assets for our firm. His appointment continues our tradition of bringing on the best and brightest talent to inform our investment strategy and operational approach.”

General (Ret) McConville’s other notable command assignments include serving as the 36^th Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army and the longest ever tenure as commanding general of the Army’s 101^st Airborne Division. He is an Army Master Aviator and possesses Army aviation qualifications in the AH-64D Longbow Apache, OH-58 Kiowa Warrior, AH-6, AH-1 Cobra, and other aircraft.

A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he also holds a master's degree in aerospace engineering from The Georgia Institute of Technology and was a National Security Fellow at Harvard University in 2002.

“Addressing the increasingly complex global threats we face requires the development of new technologies, and I believe strongly that private equity has a critical role to play in that response,” said General (Ret) Jim McConville. “I look forward to working with AE Industrial’s diverse and innovative portfolio of companies, as well as assisting in the evaluation of new investments and opportunities.”

About AE Industrial Partners

AE Industrial Partners is a private investment firm with $5.5 billion of assets under management focused on highly specialized markets including Defense & Government Services, Commercial Aerospace, Specialty Industrial, Space, Power & Utility Services, and Business Aviation. AE Industrial Partners has completed more than 130 investments in market-leading companies that benefit from its deep industry knowledge, operating experience, and network of relationships across the sectors where the firm invests. With a commitment to driving value creation in partnership with the management teams of its portfolio companies, AE Industrial Partners primarily invests across private equity, venture capital (AEI HorizonX), and aerospace leasing. For more information, please visit www.aeroequity.com.

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